1/12/2014
Le Petit Trianon Concert Hall, San Jose, CA
Curiose e Moderne Invenzioni
"The new, early Baroque music Schütz (Schuetz) found when he re-visited Venice in 1629"
MONTEVERDI: Zefiro torna
MARINI: Gagliarda prima a 3
MONTEVERDI: Armato il cor
MARINI: Sonata seconda a 3
MONTEVERDI: Exulta filia Sion
CASTELLO: Sonata seconda a 2
GRANDI: Bone Iesu verbum Patris
PICCININI: Toccata cromatica
MONTEVERDI: Chiome d'oro
SCHÜTZ: Güldne Haare
FROBERGER: Toccata III
SCHÜTZ: Anima mea liquefacta est/Adiuro vos
FARINA: Sonata detta la Fiamma a 2
SCHÜTZ: Exultavit cor meum
FARINA: Sonata detta la Cingara a 3
SCHÜTZ: Es steh Gott auf
Magnificat Baroque Ensemble
Laura Heimes & Jennifer Ellis Kampani, sopranos
Rob Diggins, & Jolianne von Einem, violins
Warren Stewart, cello
Michael Leopold, theorbo
Jillon Stoppels Dupree, harpsichord
趕稿趕到2014年了！希望有寫作動力可將2013－2014這季參加的音樂會心得寫完～～
2013年參加的最後一場音樂會是Magnificat Ensemble的威尼斯彌撒。當時聽完的感想覺得非常普通，沒有強烈的印象。2014年初，看到Magnificat又有一場離家不遠的音樂會（大部份古樂音樂會都在舊金山附近，最南頂多到半島（Peninsula)，鮮少會在南灣）。原本去的意願其實不大，但我看到Voices of Music晚禱音樂會的兩位女高音也在演出陣容裡，就立刻有興趣了～～事後證明這個決定是明智的。
這場音樂會的標題為Curiose e Moderne Invenzioni，來自義大利早期巴洛克作曲家Marini作品八的標題，不過這晚音樂會的主角不是Marini，而是德國作曲家舒滋(Schütz)。舒滋是十六世紀末幾位到義大利「取經」的眾多德國作曲家裡最重要的一位，更是在巴哈之前德國出過最偉大的作曲家。他十六世紀末時先到了威尼斯和大師Giovanni Gabrieli學習過，是舒滋這一輩子唯一對外承認的老師。十七世紀中期，曲風不斷改變更新的年代，舒滋於1628－1629又去了威尼斯一趟，和當時最重要音樂家們互向砌磋，也是這場音樂會的主軸。
上半場的音樂都是義大利作曲家，其中更是以Monteverdi為首，光是他的音樂就有四首之多。除了Exulta filia Sion那首是由Kampani女士獨唱之外，其餘的三首都是給兩位聲樂家以及樂器伴奏的二重唱。Magnificat在演奏Zefiro torna和Armato il cor及中間Marini的Gagliarda舞曲是連續沒有間斷的，背後的意義會稍後再解釋。
Zefiro torna這首我在Les Sirenes的音樂會第一次聽到，夏康舞曲節奏是聽過就不會忘記的，因為和Bertali的夏康有相似之處。這首可算是Monteverdi二重唱裡面我最喜歡的一首，不但節奏輕快，二聲部的旋律，以及它們交會融合地實在是太優美了。Kampani和Heimes對於音色和音量的控制，可謂幾乎是完美的，特別在要飆高音時，卻不會讓人感到刺耳。而Armato il cor的節奏，讓人很難不聯想到和打仗的關係。仔細好好看歌詞，發現只對了一半：是要打仗沒錯，但是在情場上爭戰。Kampani和Heimes的唱腔一改Zefiro torna的甜美，轉為激動。
Chiome d'oro，在VOM那場晚禱音樂會就聽他們表演過了，只那場他們利用contrafactum(舊曲新詞)的手法包裝。當時聽到這首時覺得似曾相似，後來才知道Chiome d'oro才是「正牌」的。而Exulta filia Sion，則是一首宗教歌曲，氣氛歡欣鼓舞。Kampani唱得特別高昂，並且在樂句重覆時，也做出回聲效果，表達的方式精彩生動。
上半場另一首聲樂曲，是Alessandro Grandi的一首經文曲。Grandi的音樂，在大約一個月前的Voices of Music音樂會有了深入的體驗。在那篇格文中，我有簡述Grandi的生平以及他音樂如何影響了舒滋。這晚又再次聽到Grandi的曲子，一方面很高興又有這樣的機會，一方面更是確定了他音樂的歷史定位。這首Bone Jesu verbum Patris，音樂在二人聲和二樂器間取得漂亮的平衡，Kampani和Heimes也再次展現完美的技巧和音樂性。
下半場的聲樂曲則是完全放在在舒滋上。Monteverdi對舒滋的影響有多深，光從Magnficat Ensemble表演的幾首曲子便能清楚瞭解到了。第一首Güldne Haare，根本就是Chiome d'oro的德文版，除了音樂幾乎一模一樣，歌詞的相似度也極高。再來是最後一首Es steh Gott auf，雖然是從1647年舒滋出版的宗教音樂Symphoniae Sacrae II，但音樂分別取自Monteverdi的Armato il cor和Zefiro torna，可以明顯看出他向這位義大利大師致敬。這也正好解釋，Magnficiat Ensemble為何在上半場開頭選擇將Armato il cor與Zefiro torna合在一起表演（而且刻意與Es steh Gott auf的借用順序顛倒）。
另外三首，則是取自舒滋稍早1629年第一冊的Symphoniae Sacrae I。Anima mea liquefacta和Adjuro vos filiae Hierusalem兩首是合在一塊演奏的，而歌詞取自Song of Solomon(雅歌)，歌頌男女之間的愛情。雅歌似乎在許多作曲家眼中很受歡迎，有可能是因為題材有別於聖經其他章節，更有音樂作創的發揮空間。Magnificat Ensemble演奏時用風琴當伴奏，保留了宗教音樂的莊嚴感，配上甜美的旋律，象徵了昇華式的愛情。Exultavit cor meum，則是首正統的宗教歌曲，換Heimes當獨唱的角色。
穿插在聲樂曲中間的則是和舒滋大約同時期作曲家的器樂曲，除了Froberger是德國人之外，其餘皆為義大利人。三聲部的曲子有Marini和Farina的奏鳴曲，後者的音樂我也曾經在此篇介紹過。Farina那首我原本就非常喜愛，能聽到現場表演更是高興與期待。Diggins和von Einem小提琴的的聲音交融得很漂亮，修飾樂句方式也有效地維持其張力。獨奏的奏鳴曲，有Farina另一首曲子和Castello的奏鳴曲，後者的音樂更是近來越聽越如癡如醉。二位小提琴家也展現其獨自的技巧和音樂性，不忘將曲子的戲劇性盡可能地發揮出來。
最後，伴奏樂器Theorbo(大魯特琴)和大鍵琴，不忘給自己獨奏的時間。Piccinini的Toccata cromatica，是早期巴洛克喜歡試驗半音階的眾多曲之一。這首觸技曲，是整場音樂會最靜謐的四分鐘，音樂一直進行到後半段方有起色。而Froberger的首觸技曲，我曾聽過我老師彈過。Dupree是老師的好朋友，我幾年前也曾有機會上過她的大師班。她的彈奏也是屬於細膩，有巧思，而不流於呆板的。音樂廳的音效其實相當不錯，大鍵琴在合奏曲時本身就已經有存在感了，獨奏時聽得則是更佳清楚。
這場音樂會，器樂和聲樂兼具，曲目的安排太合適了。和VOM的那場晚禱音樂會，有許多相似雷同之處。某方面而言，Magnificat Ensemble選的音樂比VOM那場還要再更為動聽，但VOM則以多樣性取勝。當初Les Sirenes的音樂會，我曾自問何時能在聽到「如此動容的聲樂表演」，而這晚給我聽到了～～～
後記：音樂會結束時，我跑到後台和Jillon Dupree打了招呼，她居然還記得我，讓我受寵若驚。
Le Petit Trianon Concert Hall
My much belated concert reviews have finally crossed into the year 2014. With some more momentum, maybe I can finish my remaining 2013－2014 season reviews.
The last concert of 2013, Magnificat Ensemble's performance of the Venetian Mass, left me with something to be desired. When I saw that Magnificat was performing again at the start of 2014, I was initially hesitant. However, upon finding out that sopranos Laura Heimes and Jennifer Ellis Kampani (the two magnificent singers from the Voices of Music Venetian Vespers concert) were singing, I immediately became interested. The added impetus was that the performing venue was a rare occasion of the Le Petit Trianon in San Jose (and most early music concerts barely take place south of the Peninsula), which was minutes away from home. In hindsight, this could not have been a wiser choice.
The program title of the concert is called Curiose e Moderne Invenzioni, the title of Marini's opus 8, reflecting exciting times in the development of music in early 17th century. However, the main character of the evening was not Marini, but Heinrich Schütz, the most influential German composer of the late 16th and early 17th century. He first went to Venice to study with G. Gabrieli at the end of the 16th century. By mid-17th century, amidst the rapid changes to musical styles taking place in Italy, he made another trip in 1628－1629, almost certainly putting him in direct contact with the leading composers of the time. This second trip to Venice provides for the theme of this night's concert.
The first half was dedicated to the Italians, led by none other than Monteverdi. His pieces comprised almost half of the half, all vocal pieces. Other than Exulta filia Sion, sung by Kampani, the remaining three pieces were duets with instrumental accompaniment. Zefiro torna and Armato il cor, along with Marini's Gagliarda in between, were played without a break, the significance which I will get to later.
Zefiro torna was a piece I first remembered hearing at the Les Sirenes concert. The lively chaconne rhythm is unforgettable and is reminiscent of the later Bertali chaconne and the less well-known Storace chaconne. Zefiro torna could have been the piece which started the trend. It is arguably one of my favorite Monteverdi's chamber duets, with the catchy bass and the two beautifully interwoven vocal lines. Kampani and Heimes demonstrate exquisite control of their voice, a great indicator being not feeling irritated by the high notes. Armato il cor's rhythm evokes war, but here it is a battlefield of love, and the previous sweetness of Zefiro torna is now supplanted by agitation.
Chiome d'oro was another case of déjà vu, as I swear I heard it not long ago. Turns out, it was at the VOM Vespers concert performed under the contrafactum Puer Natus, and Chiome d'oro was the true original! Exulta filia Sion was the only sacred vocal music of Monteverdi performed this evening, is a piece of rejoice, and Kampani certainly delivered that feeling. Furthermore, her echo effects provided an additional layer of touch.
The other vocal piece of the first half was composed by none other than Alessandro Grandi, the focus of that VOM Vespers concert. In that concert review I briefly summarized Grandi's life and his important influence on later composers like Schütz. I was glad to hear a performance of his music again, which really goes to show his importance in the development of western music. Bone Jesu verbum Patris is a perfect example of the concertato style, with two voices and two soprano instruments reaching a great balance. Kampani and Heimes deliver a delightful rendering along with the other members of the Magnificat Ensemble.
The second half's vocal pieces were then entirely devoted to Schütz. Monteverdi's influence runs deep, demonstrated by the first and last piece of the half. Güldne Haare, in essence, is the Germanized version of Chiome d'oro, matching it almost note to note, and the texts being similar as well ("golden hair"). Es steh Gott auf, from Symphoniae Sacrae II, on the other hand, pays homage first to Armato il cor and in the second half, Zefiro torna. It's now evident why Magnificat Ensemble chose to couple these two Monteverdi duets to open the concert. (Interesting, they reverse the order in which they are borrowed by Schütz).
The other three remaining pieces are from his earlier collection Symphoniae Sacrae I. Anima mea liquefacta and Adjuro vos filiae Hierusalem are performed together, its texts originating from from the Song of Solomon. The peculiar book of the Bible praises love between a man and a woman. Evidently, the Song of Solomon was rather popular among composers even in the 16th and 17th century, as its interesting theme and texts provide opportunity for more humanistic expressions in the music. Magnificat Ensemble stuck to an organ continuo to preserve religious solemnity, and in combination with the sweet musical lines, they depicted the type of love that was sublime. Exultavit cor meum was then a more typical sacred vocal piece, with Heimes singing the solo voice.
In between the vocal pieces were instrumental pieces written by Schütz's contemporaries. With the exception of Froberger, the remaining composers were, not surprisingly, Italian. There were two sonatas for three voices, by Marini and Farina. I've written about Farina in a previous entry, and the Sonata detta la Cingara was a piece I've always liked. I built up expectations leading up to the piece, and Diggina and von Einem did not disappoint. Their instruments blended well together and overall articulation was great in keeping and holding the tension. The solo violin sonatas were represented by Farina and Castello. Castello has gradually been a favorite of mine, his music characterized by frequent and sudden mood changes. As soloists, Diggins and von Einem deliver well-phrased and shaped performances, never failing to bring out the dramatic potential in the music.
Last but not least, the continuo instruments have solo moments of their own. Piccinini's Toccata cromatica is one of the many instrumental pieces of the late Renaissance/early Baroque to experiment with chromaticism. It was the most intimate four minutes of the concert, and it didn't start to really cook until the second half of the piece. As for the Froberger toccata, I've heard Elaine play it before. Jillon Dupree is a good friend of Elaine, and I've even had the opportunity to attend her masterclass many years ago. Her playing is delicate and thoughtful, of great musicality. I also have to add that the acoustics of Le Petit Trianon are actually quite good, as the presence of the harpsichord could already be felt in the ensemble pieces, and it was even clearer when it came time for the Froberger.
This Magnificat Ensmble concert had a great program with a mix of vocal and instrumental pieces. In many ways, it was very similar to the VOM Vespers concert. However, I enjoyed the vocal pieces of this one more so than the VOM concert, where was VOM gets the slight advantage in terms of variety. Back when I attended the Les Sirenes concert, I wondered when I would be moved again by a great vocal performance. I can proudly say that this Magnificat Ensemble did just that.
Jolianne van Einem, Jillon Stoppels Dupree, and Rob Diggins
No comments:
Post a Comment