Pēteris Vasks: Cello Concerto No.2 “Presence”, Viola Concerto
Marko Ylönen (cello), Lilli Maijala (viola)
Juha Kangas / Tallinn Chamber Orchestra (Alba)
(scroll down for English review)
沒有特別追Vasks的作品，其實都是因為甘祈頓演奏他的《遠光》小提琴協奏曲才認識他，不過現在的音樂傳播環境已比二十年前發達得多，不再那麼需要大名演奏家的推動。
兩首剛好填滿一張CD的弦樂協奏曲，一首是《第二大提琴協奏曲》（軌一至三），另一首是《中提琴協奏曲》（軌四至七），大約是近十年的作品。可能聽這碟前剛聽了蕭斯塔高維契兩首大提琴協奏曲的錄音，就是覺得Vasks這首大提琴協奏曲的沉鬱是有點晚期蕭氏影子，不過這種影響或疑似或類近，在很多波羅的海或北歐作曲家都有。
不知是有雞先才有蛋先，這種風格其實頗受人喜歡，尤其是想聽「靈性」或ECM式音樂的朋友。很籠統的描述，可以說是從哀傷及譏諷或不安之間流轉，一個氣氛推到極限後又轉另一個。有感情、有旋律、令人放空的音樂，不過我就覺得太預期之內，不會常聽這種音樂。
A generously filled CD of two recent works of Vasks, the Second Cello Concerto (tracks 1-3) and Viola Concerto (tracks 4-7). I listened to this disc after a CD of the Shostakovich cello concertos so I immediately noticed an affinity of the late Shostakovich style. Nevertheless, such glacial or lamenting style might be heard in Vasks’ many Baltic or Nordic contemporaries, perhaps by way of Schnittke.
I must say these Vasks concertos are very good works for those who wish to listen to serious music without modernist or minimalist bends. Or I might say it’s “soulful” or ECM-ish music. There is no lack of melodies and emotions that let you sit back and bathe in the fluctuations between despair and scorn. Yet personally such music is a bit predictable and good for occasional samplings only.