Beethoven-Liszt: Symphony No.5
Beethoven: Pathétique Sonata, Moonlight Sonata
Niu Niu (piano) (Decca)
(scroll down for English review)
牛牛本來在今屆藝術節演出兩場，其中獨奏會會彈李斯特改編貝多芬《命運》，最後還是取消，現在可在這張新唱片聽到。兩三個月前聽過黃慈的《田園》，且看牛牛會如何展現李斯特的鋼琴改編。
開碟頭四軌便是《命運》，第一樂章，牛牛不是只求大聲，他很注重和弦的勻稱及音符比重，所以力量及顏色並非從蠻力而來。他也算模倣到不同樂器的質感，例如長笛演奏的旋律會有飄逸感，銅管也會恰如其份的尖銳。第二樂章啟首的低音弦樂旋律，牛牛的連奏非常出色。
當然彈貝多芬交響曲改編版，不是模倣樂器大賽。第二樂章，平時我已聽到麻木，但牛牛這個演奏，或者會有很多人感到太慢太刻意，但就令我重新記起這樂章的主導情緒其實是黑暗，它和逐漸抬頭的樂觀感覺一直角力。只是第三樂章彈得比較呆滯，第四樂章其實應該彈得更舒暢，始終鬱悶早被驅走。
至於牛牛《悲愴》及《月光》的演奏就不夠他的《命運》值得聽，該緊張及猛烈的地方有點漏氣，緩慢的地方又會太鬆，但牛牛的發音很有質感，絕不水過鴨背，也不是等到大聲才轟下去。
This is Niu Niu’s first disc on Decca to be released internationally, a Beethoven programme with the Liszt arrangement of the Fifth Symphony (tracks 1-4) receiving the spotlights. It’s clear from the first movement that Niu Niu wasn’t a pianist of brute force, he voiced the dense chords meticulously. He was able to play orchestrally, for instance the flute melodies were tender and soaring, and the brass punctuations had power. In the second movement, I was especially drawn to his legato playing that rendered the lower strings’ melody impeccably.
Surely playing a Beethoven-Liszt arrangement isn’t all about instrument imitation. The second movement in its original form was already blasé to me, yet Niu Niu gave me a renewed impression. Some might find his interpretation too slow and mannered but he was able to stress the dark nature of this movement, with a contrasting sense of hope fighting against it. Sadly, Niu Niu’s third movement was too dull and the finale didn’t have enough élan, as if the somber sentiments still lingered.
His Pathétique and Moonlight were less worth my time. The tense moments were a bit feeble and the slower moments lacked tension. But a remarkable point was that Niu Niu’s tone had body, his touch was solid.