British Oboe Quintets
Bax, Finzi, Vaughan Williams, Bliss, Delius
Nicholas Daniel (oboe, cor anglais), Doric String Quartet (Chandos)
(scroll down for English review)
雙簧管五重奏即是一支雙簧管加一隊弦樂四重奏，名義上是室樂，但雙簧管的音色太容易和弦樂區分，所以實際演奏起來，就和雙簧管協奏曲不差太遠。這裏五位英國作曲家各有一首樂曲，最出名的兩人：佛漢威廉斯（軌五至十）及戴流士（軌14及15）的作品都是改編曲，更要是他們死後很多年才被改編，佛漢威廉斯那首是改編給英國管演奏，所以Nicholas Daniel也是用英國管演奏它。
其餘三首就是原創給雙簧管五重奏演奏，都是在1920至1930的作品，三位作曲家都是較少人認識，之所以值得介紹，並不是因為它們是有調作品，更是寫得不錯的有調音樂，尤其適合聽略帶憂鬱的音樂的朋友。
Bax的《雙簧管五重奏》（軌一至三）我會聯想到田園，第一樂章是白天但風雨欲來，第二樂章的慢板頗像傷感的黃昏，第三樂章的吉格舞曲則是陽光燦爛。Finzi《間奏曲》（軌四）一個樂章過，但有很多不同段落，情感比Bax還強，雖然各個段落令我覺得稍為零散，但假如當成變奏曲來聽卻有相當連貫性。Bliss《雙簧管五重奏》（軌11至13）我就有點保留，同為快慢快三個樂章，我這次就想不到幾個字就說得清的比喻，至少就頭兩個樂章而言，或者說它們較像歐陸的浪漫派音樂，田園風沒那重。第三樂章和Bax一樣都是舞曲，不過Bax的民俗風情比較重，Bliss傾向只取舞曲的節奏。
Because of the oboe’s timbre, an oboe quintet usually sounds not much different than an oboe concerto. Of the five British composers on this album, the two most famous ones (Vaughan Williams and Delius) made their appearance with a transcription made years after their death. The other three (Bax, Finzi and Bliss) are less recognized outside Britain but their 1930s oboe quintets are very much worth a listen, not because they are tonal music, but because they are well written tonal music, and I recommend them to those who have a weakness for melancholic music.
The Oboe Quintet of Bax (tracks 1-3) might be summed up as a pastoral piece. The first movement is daytime with rain patches. The slow second movement is like a moody dusk. The third movement is a sunny jig. Finzi’s Interlude (track 4) is a one-movement work with sections that could be regarded as variations. This piece is emotionally stronger than Bax but the sections are not as cohesive as I wish. I’m not so keen on the Bliss Oboe Quintet (tracks 11-13) because its character is less pronounced than Bax and Finzi. But somehow it is more akin to European Romantic music than your typical British pastoral fare. Like Bax, Bliss used the jig for the third movement, but Bliss’ borrowing is more of a rhythmic nature.