4/5/2008 8pm
Herbst Theatre, San Francisco
Schubert Fantasy in F minor, Op.103
Ravel La Valse
Schubert Sonata in B-flat major, D.960
Leon Fleisher, Katherine Jacobson Fleisher, piano
五年前聽佛萊雪 (Leon Fleisher)，當時我連他名字也沒聽過，只見一老人用左手演一首我不認識的作品－－拉威爾《左手鋼琴協奏曲》，雷霆萬鈞狂掃落葉，看得我無地自容，肯定我用雙手也彈不出這樣的氣勢。過後翻資料才知大師佛萊雪七十年前已成名，事業巔峰之際右手失掉彈奏能力，四十年後（！）回復部份能力，2004年推出了唱片《雙手》，讓聽眾再次感受他雙手同奏的聲音。
這場演奏會的宣傳只說明佛萊雪會彈奏舒伯特最後的奏鳴曲，其他曲目稍後公佈。我抱著極大希望他可以全晚獨奏，節目短一點也沒所謂。最後公佈雖是他和妻子四手聯彈，但曲目是我最喜愛的舒伯特《幻想曲》和拉威爾《圓舞曲》，簡直是喜出望外。
希望越大，失望越大。「（少）妻憑（老）夫貴」，可能她彈現代作品很好，音色卻比音樂學院學生還差，硬繃繃的，《幻想曲》就被糟蹋了，佛萊雪在低音區如何努力營造音色均於事無補。拉威爾《圓舞曲》好不了多少，想跳舞也跳不起來。每到一些地方只有佛萊雪彈奏的，聲音頓時清晰起來，一轉眼高音部回來搗亂，又無眼睇、無耳聽。佛萊雪選錯拍檔！這樣的表現，是來騙我的錢嗎？叫你老婆專心彈現代作品吧，哼！半場的時候，滿腔不滿的我只好與鄰座搭訕，一抒鬱悶。
可能知道我要下火，下半場佛萊雪獨自上場演奏舒伯特奏鳴曲 D.960，一下手，我的火就滅了。柔柔的舒伯特，像對我說：「人生有很多事要做的，不要隨便勞氣！」這才是大師的音色！誠懇地牽著每位聽眾的手，走過那長二十分鐘的第一樂章，每一個「舒伯特式」的轉調都帶有深意。第二樂章，當大調的旋律出現，那是何其美麗的一刻！往後的兩樂章，已經不再眷戀世界，進入了真正出世的領域，佛萊雪就像告訴我們，他右手可以彈奏了，相比起來甚麼都不重要了！我看佛萊雪的右手跑手指沒有問題，只是不太能控制和弦，第三、四樂章常有錯失，但那又何妨呢？
聽眾的熱情鼓掌，讓佛萊雪進進出出後說了一句話：「這首偉大的作品之後，彈甚麼也是無意義 (trivial) 的。」接著他引了別人作結：「鼓掌應是收據 (receipt)，而不是帳單 (bill)。」
叫老婆專心彈現代作品吧，哼！
8 則留言:
You are obviously not a married person.
Peter
XD
you drew that red cross yourself
HAHA
you seemed really mad at her
anyway at least you enjoyed the second half =)
Peter: I would think twice if I were forced to play duet with an inadequate pianist...
Nat: I am really mad! I still am!
Cheng Kam Lung's late father studied violin under Ma Sze Chung in China. He said Mrs Ma would not let anybody else play the piano for him, but she was always half a beat late. You must not under-estimate how complicated life can get if the relationship is more than just musical! You must not think I exaggerate. But I think I have already said too much!
Two more stories: in his autobiography, Arthur Rubinstein, having read through the published letters of Clara Schumann, came to the conclusion that in view of her character, poor Robert must have had a hard time. On a lighter note, when in his 80's Pierre Monteux came in late for a rehearsal with the London Symphony, something that had never happened before. His explanation as he apologized: "force majeure: madame is in town, I must do my duty." Force majeure is an expression frequently used in legal documents. This was the best explanation of it I had ever came across. Believe me Leon Fleisher could most probably hear what you heard, but he had reasons for doing what he did.
Just thought of another musical wife: Cosima Wagner (nee Liszt, ex Mrs Hans von Bulow). Toscanini went to conduct Tristan und Isolde at Bayreuth. At a rehearsal he asked where was the cymbal clash he had expected to hear. The orchestra said there was no such part. Toscanini pointed to his score which was an edition published in Wagner's lifetime. It seems the cymbal part was removed by Cosima after Wagner's death because she didn't like it!
XD
Peter:
「音樂和愛情應該分開」，聽上去像「體育和政治應該分開」一樣無稽。
男女音樂家之間一定有曖昧，不然怎能拍檔？眾人都是這樣想的。
這個迷思，和「醫生和護士一定有曖昧」或「老細與秘書一定有曖昧」一樣，雖似無理，想想下又有理，實是騙倒不少缺乏自信的妻子，萬試萬靈。
張貼留言