Stravinsky: Rite of Spring, Fireworks, Scherzo fantastique, Scherzo à la Russe, Funeral Song
Paavo Järvi / NHK Symphony (RCA)
(scroll down for English review)
P約菲和NHK交響樂團的第二張史特拉汶斯基專輯，主曲目為《春之祭》，之前的半小時是四首管弦樂曲，其中三首是《火鳥》之前寫的，亦即是史特拉汶斯基成名及成形前的作品。軌一《煙花》用來開碟是很好，簡單扼要地追求管弦炫技，軌二《幻想諧謔曲》較長又較長氣，不過迪亞基耶夫當初就是聽過它，才會邀請史特拉汶斯基跟他合作，改寫了音樂史。
軌四《葬禮之歌》就是幾年前才重新發現，寫來悼念恩師林姆斯基高沙可夫的那首，此曲已有幾個錄音，我沒刻意比較，但覺得約菲這個演奏份外醒神，在於他採用較流動的速度，也會在高潮去得較盡，其他人指揮此曲，我往往覺得太機械及壓抑。
《煙花》、《幻想諧謔曲》及史氏中後期作品《俄羅斯諧謔曲》（軌三）的演奏，我覺得約菲的手法上都和在《春之祭》（軌五至18）相近。他不會長期保持高音量，細節不一定會奏得大聲，但一定要清楚，所以不同層次混合出來的效果又會和別人有點不同，而不需從原音樂器或演奏法中尋找另類的聲音。不算是爆棚的演奏，但驚愕點會出得很小心而突然，我會將這個演奏當成另類示範，平時我最想跳過的第二部份開頭（軌13至14）卻是這個演奏我最喜歡的。
Paavo Järvi’s second album with the NHK Symphony saw him pairing the Rite of Spring with three early orchestral works. Fireworks (track 1) is a concise showpiece, while the Scherzo fantastique (track 2) has a fast-slow-fast structure. It’s somewhat long-winded but it was precisely this work that resulted in Diaghilev’s invitation to write an original ballet, thus changing music history.
There have been several recordings of the Funeral Song (track 4) since its rediscovery in 2015, and I’m very pleased with this one. Järvi avoided the caution and the metronome-like tedium of many conductors, and built up a moving climax.
Järvi’s approach to these three works, the 1940s Scherzo à la Russe (track 3) was mostly precision and the avoidance of rough edges. Those in for shock or violence in the Rite of Spring (tracks 5-18) would be disappointed, but this performance is a very worthy one in my opinion. Järvi wouldn’t overemphasize details, but they had to be rendered to their full value, as the work is more than a few details, such meticulous calibration yielded a sound mix that is anything but commonplace. It’s not a loud performance but some explosive spots were sharply delivered. Personally I most enjoyed the beginning of Part Two (tracks 13-14), sections I usually ignore.