Aug 31, 2022 8pm Philharmonie, Cologne
Klaus Mäkelä / Concertgebouw Orchestra
Saariaho: Orion
Mahler: Symphony No.6
(scroll down for English review)
三個月後再聽麥凱萊，今次在科隆愛樂廳聽他指揮阿姆斯特丹音樂廳樂團，是他成為該團下任總指揮、現在擔任半職的藝術伙伴的第一套節目，先前已在阿姆斯特丹及柏林演過。馬勒六固然是試金石，也標誌着樂團的馬勒傳統，但麥凱萊在上半場加了一首現代作品，他同鄉Saariaho《獵戶座》，十幾年的作品，三樂章共20分鐘多點。這彷似是一個挑戰及聲明，自己不單止應付到馬勒六，再教樂團演奏一首中等長度的現代曲都仲得！此曲由首演指揮及樂團，艾森巴赫及巴黎管弦樂團錄過音，我看過譜聽，說易不易但又說難不難，但還是需要指揮識路，將旋律從層層疊的伴奏拉出來。錄音是較難比較，但在看過譜的前提下，我覺得麥凱萊仍比艾森巴赫大膽，釋出作品的火花，第一樂章後半的爆發令我很意外。
《獵戶座》是四管曲目，也難怪麥凱萊選來配馬勒六。下半場回來，弦樂也60人加至70人。先說總體印象：因為這已不是第一次現場聽麥凱萊，所以驚奇已沒太幾多，但肯定用最高的要求去對他。我常常說，這二十年的馬勒演奏水平已經高了很多，我很難再用幾十年前的所謂經典錄音去做標準。在灘堡聽他的西貝流士交響曲全集時，我說麥凱萊就一本會行會走的指揮教科書，這次的馬勒六，就好像是有三十年馬勒經驗的指揮般，眼前已沒有地雷及難關，就好像一個馬勒六導讀那般。
網上片段及相片，傾向強調他的大動作、熱情，他長手長腳，幅度也更大。但其實他愈來愈讓我覺得像布烈茲！在於他的技術精準、抽絲剝繭，所謂大動作真的用得其所，明確的打拍子都是對應音樂，例如第一樂章他就做得出很少指揮真正做到的頓奏式、進行曲式節奏及造句，絕不是一般年青指揮那般，甚麼都大動作一番。雖然我沒現場聽過伯恩斯坦，但也現場聽過布列茲，包括馬勒六，我想這樣形容麥凱萊：以布烈茲準繩呈現伯恩斯坦情感。不過，他也令我覺得，一切情感也可透過技術呈現，好壞參半。
先行板後諧謔曲，四個樂章演奏時間：23、16、13、29。行板也可以說明到那種感情／技術互換的情況，全個樂章的弦樂奏得出不同質感，高潮絕對好聽、夠齊夠大聲，其實已經很超班，但我還是未覺感動。諧謔曲是最為拋離同行的，許多細節奏得出來之餘也夠快。終曲當然是注意木槌，阿姆斯特丹的馬勒真非浪得虛名，因為他們已找到最理想的木槌聲，既鈍又響，通常樂團只能做得出前者，如果只是響又遺反了馬勒的要求，而且這位敲擊手真的打得很好型，很有雷神Feel。不過我的着眼點是這個樂章在急速下的重重難關，這個樂章麥凱萊懂得在適當時候用兩拍、或者四拍，把難關輕易化解，也就是我說他像有三十年馬勒經驗的憑據。問題是，他可以有幾多進步空間？所以必須聽他指揮所謂較易的標準曲目，莫扎特、貝多芬、布姆拉斯。
After seeing Mäkelä’s Sibelius cycle with the Oslo Philharmonic in Hamburg, I went to Cologne and saw him conduct the Concertgebouw orchestra, the first programme since he was announced as the orchestra’s next chief. Mahler 6 should have been the whole concert but he added one 20-minute work, his compatriot Saariaho’s Orion as the first half. It’s like a declaration that he not only could manage Mahler 6, he even has the time to guide the orchestra through a new-ish piece. And of course he knew his way around the Saariaho, daringly exposing the fire amidst the quite complicated orchestral padding.
Online clips or photos seem to emphasize Mäkelä’s vigour, but with this concert I now see him more as a Boulezian, because of his technical precision. The so-called vigour is all for the moment, the strong beats usually correspond to the musical effects in his mind. Take the first movement of Mahler 6, he really produced that staccato or choppy rhythm and phrasing that most conductors fail to maintain. Mäkelä somehow demonstrates that over-emotions are only for amateurs, the right technique could render a large range of emotions without losing one’s head. If I might say so, then Mäkelä’s Mahler is like Bernstein’s passion rendered through Boulez’s precision.
On describing his Sibelius I said Mäkelä is like a walking conducting textbook, to which I now add, he does Mahler as if he has 30 years of experience in conducting Mahler. The technicalities are simply nothing for him, but what goes from there? Someday I have to see his basic repertoire, like Beethoven or Brahms, to see if could mediate his superb technique with a refreshing approach.