Brahms: Symphony No.1-4
Dvořák: Symphony No.7-9
Jakub Hrůša/ Bamberg Symphony (Tudor)
(scroll down for English review)
胡薩不久前被任命為英國皇家歌劇院的下任音樂總監，他在他另一個崗位，班貝格交響樂團也剛完成了推出布拉姆斯交響曲全集錄音。這套全集有趣之處，在於把每首布拉姆斯交響曲，和德伏扎克最後四首交響曲（六七八九）並置。錄音的第一集，布四＋德九，在2018年底推出，大半年後推出布三＋德八。最後兩集，布一＋德六、布二＋德七於上月一併推出。
兩者並置，我聽不出有甚麼效果，但胡薩身為捷克人，德伏扎克應有重要位置但德伏扎克九首交響曲的水準不如布拉姆斯四首平均，德六而不算主流曲目，所以胡薩這樣把布拉姆斯和德伏扎克並置，已等同完成了兩項錄音計劃。
或者是我心理作用，我覺得是較先灌錄的布三四、德八九比其餘兩集為佳，不過分別就不是天淵之別。我覺得布三德八這一集最能展現胡薩的獨特之處，胡薩把基本音量定得比慣常為低，只留最大的音量給高潮，甚至是真正的高潮才聽到最強及最響，在布拉姆斯最為明顯。單從第三及四來說，胡薩幾乎令音樂大部分時候都很沉鬱，卻又不是老德派的厚重，不過不是人人聽慣。德伏扎克他則很着力去經營旋律的優美，或者是想洗脫不少人對德伏扎克的鄉土或蠻夷印象，然而胡薩在第九就太柔，頗欠陽剛味。假如只想聽部分，我建議聽布三四、德六八。
（如無意外，胡薩將率領班貝格交響樂團參加23年香港藝術節。）
After the first issue in late 2018, Hrůša finally completed his double survey of the four Brahms symphonies and the last four Dvořák symphonies. Frankly I couldn’t find any stylistic revelations in combining the two but given the fact that not all nine Dvořák symphonies are of equal calibre, Hrůša nevertheless managed to complete two major projects in one go.
The series was kicked off with Brahms 4 + Dvořák 9, then Brahms 3 + Dvořák 8. Then covid intervened, the final two volumes were out together last month. Perhaps it’s just me but I found the earlier-recorded volumes (Brahms 3,4 and Dvořák 8,9) to be more emblematic of Hrůša’s unique approach. He set the basic volume at a lower level than we’re used to on recordings, reserving the maximum only for climaxes, or THE climax. Phrases were often played so gentle that quite often a whole symphony seemed to be on the depressive side.
As for Dvořák, the emphasis was on the cantabile and gentleness. Somehow the enemy here is the “Slavic” or perhaps “barbaric” impressions that most hold against Dvořák. Still, Dvořák 9 was played with too much suppression that the sense of nobleness was lost. If you don’t have time for the whole set I suggest going for Brahms 3,4 and Dvořák 6,8.