Dvořák: Legends, Czech Suite
Cristian Măcelaru / WDR Symphony Cologne (Linn)
(scroll down for English review)
馬切拉里如的另一隊樂團就是科隆WDR交響樂團，他們近月推出了兩張新碟，一張是小提琴協奏曲，這張才是真正做主角，錄的卻是德伏扎克較冷門作品。《十首傳奇曲》（軌一至十）加起來稍為超出一首德伏扎克交響曲的長度，但他只用了一個月便寫成。十首小品，我覺得就像是把《史拉夫舞曲》削去了舞蹈的部分，怡人有餘，趣味不足。不過指揮很用心去經營，就像要把每個樂章變成一個個微型交響曲。我覺得有點過火，聽足十首會有點膩，不過換作平舖直敘也是膩，其實也是我們不會在音樂會中，聽到一次過演畢16首斯拉夫舞曲。
剩餘的《捷克組曲》（軌11至15）我應該介紹過一張賈丁納的錄音，作品本身的風味較《傳奇曲》強，聽完再回想，《傳奇曲》確是有一種像舒伯特的柔和魅力，馬切拉里如的加鹽加醋，其實把這種魅力釋放到出來。於是，馬切拉里如指揮舒伯特的話，可能也值得留意。
Măcelaru and his other orchestra, the WDR Symphony, have two new CDs in the market. This one features two fringe works by Dvořák. The 10-movement Legends (tracks 1-10) were written within a month but added up to length slightly longer than a Dvořák symphony. Taken as a whole, I’d say the Legends are like Slavonic Dances without the dance element. They’re charming but not really memorable. We have to thank this conductor for his dedication, amplifying the speed and dynamic contrasts, as if to make each Legend a miniature symphony. Still, such approach is quite tiring after listening to a few but the work itself doesn’t have enough diversity, very much like the Slavonic Dances.
Czech Suite (tracks 11-15) have more folk flavous than Legends. But only after listening to Czech Suite I came to miss the Schubertian charm of Legends. Quite possibly I wouldn’t have realized this characteristic without Măcelaru’s heavy-handed approach. So, a Schubert cycle by this conductor and orchestra would be most welcome.