Dvořák: Symphony No.7-9
Gustavo Dudamel / Los Angeles Philharmonic (DG)
(scroll down for English review)
又一張在疫情前錄下的杜達美／洛杉磯愛樂的現場錄音，看到封面他的白頭髮，屈指一算他今年都41歲（婚都離過一次了）。一套集齊最後三首德伏扎克交響曲，我視之為壯年的他，重新面對當年身為天才青年指揮的拿手曲目。沒記錯的話，幾年前他率領同團來港時，第二場下半場是奏《新世界》。
杜達美至少十年來已經收火，他來到香港那時已和我當初看他差得很遠，現在我發覺他不再刻意收韁來證明自己成熟，現在要爆的時候他會爆，但是有意識、有控制、有意義的去放，以及收。
在這三首他發夢都能背出來的交響曲，他不再以到達終點為目的，會更注意音色、音符的長度，連伴奏也不會只求大聲、去證明自己留意到伴奏，就如剛才所說，他開始有意識及意義去做事情。當年香港演出我評得很差，被某些人冷嘲熱諷，他們當然不知我早在現場看過他十場八場。現在又是同一批人說他無料到，但我又開始見到他的曙光。
This set of the last three Dvořák symphonies were taken from live performances in February 2020, shortly before lockdown. The cover photo seems to suggest we’re no longer looking at a wunderkind, but a middle-aged man with greying hairs. He’s 41 this year, and in his second marriage. Therefore I approached these recordings as an ex-wunderkind reviewing his bread and butter repertoire that propelled him into stardom.
Contrary to common belief, Dudamel has ceased to be a firebrand for well over a decade. Yet to me, he was trying too hard to show he’s grown up, with the detrimental effect of watering down the emotional effects. With these Dvořák recordings I think he’s finally reached the balance between momentum and control. Most importantly, he’s getting sufficiently conscious of the things he does, instead of just wielding his baton to get to the finish line. I also get to hear more colours, and meticulously sustained melodies that you’d never get from autopilot performances.
Indeed I feel very positive towards his post-Venezuela career path, including striking a new path at the Paris Opera. Woe to those who think he’s past his prime, I’m now expecting more from him than his fellow DG conductors Yannick and Andris.