John Adams: Slonimsky’s Earbox, My Father Knew Charles Ives, Tromba lontana, Lolapalooza
Paavo Järvi / Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich (Alpha)
(scroll down for English review)
錄音奇人P約菲在蘇黎世再有新錄音，他和樂團在21/22樂季邀請亞當斯做駐團作曲家，在他指導下錄了這張專輯。我會將這碟稱為「你的第二張亞當斯唱片」，第一張就會是最常聽到的《快機器的短路程》、《毛主席之舞》、《和聲教案》，這張碟我聽了兩次，意猶未盡。
軌一的《Slonimsky’s Earbox》是由長野健首演，似乎也是亞當斯很滿意的作品，因為他的個人網頁就以Earbox為名。可是我聽了兩次都找不到怎樣用一兩句概括，15分鐘穿越了不同氣氛及質感，但絕無悶場。
在生作曲家中，最會起題的我覺得是Brett Dean及亞當斯，軌二至四的《我父親認識艾佛斯》這個名很妙，首先是亞當斯父親並不認識艾佛斯，但這個三樂章樂曲確是向艾佛斯致敬，第一樂章就是以亞當斯風格，混合艾佛斯，尤其是他《第四交響曲》將銀樂隊「亂入」到嚴肅的古典音樂中。第二樂章「湖」令我想起貝多芬《田園》第二樂章的河流和鳥類。第三樂章「高山」既可當作以爆棚音響比喻高山，我也感覺到一種哲學式的超越體驗。
最後兩曲較短，軌五《遙遠的喇叭》是和《快機器的短路程》一同出版，都是幾分鐘的短曲，音樂也簡單，兩支小號分置左右對答。軌六《Lolapalooza》是寫給拉圖，是全碟最接近流行音樂的一首，樂曲是建基於不段重複的riff，不算是旋律但易記的短句，爵士樂及搖滾樂都常用，亞當斯把這些riff配以很有色彩的配器，搖搖擺擺的，很好玩。
John Adams was composer-in-residence for Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra in the 21/22 season and this CD was made under his supervision. To me the best label for this CD is “Your second John Adams album”, as the first would be taken up by his most famous pieces Short Ride in a Fast Machine, The Chairman Dances and the mammoth Harmonielehre.
Premiered by Kent Nagano, Slonimsky’s Earbox (track 1) probably occupies a special position for the composer as he labels his personal website with “earbox” in the address. But I’m in a loss for words to describe it as there are so many moods and tempi. Lucikly I can guarantee there’s not one sluggish moment.
Premiered by Michael Tilson Thomas, My Father Knew Charles Ives (tracks 2-4) is the longest piece here. For the record, Adams’ father didn’t really know Ives but this work is obviously a tribute to the American pioneer. The first movement blends Adams’ minimalism with Ives’ polystylism, most prominently in the marching band melodies awkward interruptions. Lake, the second movement, is probably the best work on water and birds after Beethoven’s Pastoral. Mountain, the third movement, left me in awe. You might appreciate it as a sonic spectacular but I could feel a philosophical pursuit in the vein of Transcendentalism. The final two works are short ones. Tromba lontana (track 5) is the neglected brother of the much-played Short Ride. Two antiphonal trumpets play with or against each other. Premiered by Rattle, Lolapalooza (track 6) completes this album with a swingy bang, it’s practically the interplay of riffs but delivered under Adams’ wonderful orchestrations.