Quicksilver
03/01/2014
St. John's Presbyterian Church, Berkeley, CA
The Early Moderns - Extravagant and inventive new music of the 17th century from Italy and Germany
CASTELLO: Sonata decima a 3 (Book II)
FONTANA: Sonata decimaquarta
NERI: Sonata quinta a 4, op. 2
MARINI: Ballo secondo, op. 22
PICCININI: Toccata
MARINI: L'Aguzzona
CASTELLO: Sonata decimaquarta
ROSENMUELLER: Sonata
KERLL: Sonata a 2
KERLL: Passacaglia
BERTALI: Sonata a 4 in d minor
VIERDANCK: Canzon in C, No.21
WECKMANN: Sonata No.2 a 4
Robert Mealy and Julie Andrijeski, violins
Greg Ingles, trombone
Dominic Teresi, dulcian
David Morris, cello and viola da gamba
Charles Weaver, theorbo and guitar
Avi Stein, harpsichord
這場音樂會是緊接著前一天Mitzi Meyerson場後又再度衝去Berkeley，是頗拼命的行為，偏偏2013－2014音樂季我常幹這檔子的事。光看Quicksilver要演奏的曲目，要古樂迷不流口水都難。這晚他們表演的是十七世紀早期巴洛克來自義大利和德國的音樂。這些作曲家，除非是有認真在鑽研古樂的人，不然一般人會聽過的機率不高。
音樂會採取簡單的二分法，上半場是義大利音樂，下半場是德奧音樂，也算有個前後因果關係可以遵循。上半場的曲目，由裡面最前衛的作曲家Castello開場和收尾。Quicksilver表演的第一首，來自他第二冊的第十首奏鳴曲，不論在節奏與速度上，都是不斷地在改變的曲子。裡面還有許多快速的跑句(run)，有時是高音部的兩小提琴在進行齊奏(unison)，都顯示出表演該曲的挑戰。Quicksilver的團長Mealy和Andrijeski的小提琴音色乾淨和緊密，音頭(attack)雖不一定會下得很重，但聲音飽滿，強弱分明，戲劇化的對比很顯著，是張力十足的演奏。
上半場其餘大部份的曲子，為十七世紀初的義大利奏鳴曲。單樂章的曲子，由不同情境的多段落組成；而這些合奏曲，因為樂器聲部不斷地交織呼應，情緒強烈且持續緊繃直到曲子終了。而這些作曲家中，唯獨Fontana那首，無法好好與我造成共鳴。不知道什麼原因，Fontana始終沒能和我來電。而Castello，則是大大相反：起初接觸他的音樂本來是無感的，但現在則是讓我愛不釋手的十七世紀作曲家之一。
另外，上半場還有Marini一首組曲和臨時加入的Piccinini觸技曲。這兩首的性質和其餘的奏鳴曲不大一樣，算是為曲目帶來一些變化。組曲中的舞曲，有輕快的節奏和旋律，和嚴肅的奏鳴曲形成對比。而Charles Weaver的Piccinini獨奏，讓聽眾體驗撥絃樂器的優美。
下半場輪到德奧作曲家上場。Bertali雖然原本是義大利人，但他之後定居維也納，所以也算是半個奧地利人了。其餘的作曲家，不是在義大利留過學，就是深受「大舉入侵」德奧宮廷的義大利作曲家的影響。Quicksilver表演的第一首，也是曲目更動而另外加上的Rosenmüller奏鳴曲，選自他1682年出版的那冊。這首動用了全部的Quicksilver成員，演奏上對比強烈還有突然的靜止，都彰顯出十七世紀出「新音樂」的特色。小小美中不足的是，David Morris的古中提琴容易在全團合奏時被蓋過去。就算買到了第一排座位票的我，也挽救不了這個問題。
接下來他們演奏了兩首Kerll的曲子，一首三重奏鳴曲以及一首鍵盤曲。奏鳴曲裡，兩小提琴聲部有許多長的獨奏樂句，給予演奏者充分表現技巧與音樂性的機會。而二小提琴相差三度音程合奏時，散發出一種和諧的美。Kerll的鍵盤Passacaglia，如同許多早中期巴洛克的音樂，有和聲上的探索與半音階方面的實驗。Avi Stein的技巧雖出色，但處理上讓我覺得還是過於小心而不夠大膽。
音樂會唯一之前沒聽過的曲子，是Vierdanck的那首canzona。這首的氣氛相當鼓舞，Quicksilver在樂句有imitation（模進）的地方，鮮明的大小聲，讓音樂極具動感，令人愉悅。這和Bertali奏鳴曲哀傷的開頭很不一樣。Bertali的這首四聲部奏鳴曲，除了給每件樂器自己獨奏的時間之外，還有不同樂器合奏的組合，該是該曲最美麗的地方。
下半場最後一首，是同樣為四聲部的Weckmann奏鳴曲。壓軸的曲子，由Quicksilver全團合奏，四個主奏樂器外，還有Morris，Weaver，以及Stein共同演奏數字低音半奏。除了兩把小提琴高音部，還有兩個等重的低音部，是早期巴洛克奏鳴曲特有的渾厚音色。一場令人陶醉的音樂會，在熱鬧的Weckmann劃下最終的句點。
This Quicksilver concert was attended immediately following the Mitzi Meyerson concert the night before. There was a lot of this during the 2013－2014 concert season, something I now look back as rather insane. However, a mere glimpse of Quicksilver's program was enough to make me excited. Featuring a lineup of 17th century Italian and German composers, most of them who passed away before J.S. Bach was even born, this is a real treat for hardcore early music lovers.
The program was separated conveniently and according to nationality: the first half the Italians and the second half the Germans. There's a bit of chronological order here in this arrangement, as the Stil Moderno originated from Italy and later spread to the German-speaking nations. Opening and closing the Italian half were two sonatas by Catello. The tenth sonata from his second book opens with the treble parts in unison and quickly go through multiple sections of rhythm and tempo changes, some with demanding runs. Quicksilver is led by violinists Mealy and Andrijeski, whose tone generally refrains from sharp attacks, but they deliver a full and rich sound and provide good dynamical contrasts, and the result is music-playing of great drama and gripping intensity.
Most of the first half's music are consistent with the style of the early Italian Baroque sonatas. These multi-section single-movement pieces often include imitation writing, but also places where the voices blend together and create a kind of tension, extremely moving and hauntingly beautiful, that is binding until the last note sounds. The only composer whose music I failed to strike a chord with, figuratively and literally, was Fontana. At the opposite end of the spectrum is Castello, whose innovative and radical music has come to be a favorite of mine.
A few other pieces thrown into the mix are a Marini ballo and program change, adding in a Piccinini toccata. The Marini ballo features several short light dance pieces, providing temporary relief from the solemn tone of the sonatas. Similarly, the Piccinini offered the audiences a moment of tranquility in a plucked string solo.
We move onto the German-Austrians in second half, with the exception of Bertali, who was Italian by birth but eventually settled in Vienna, making him an honorary Austrian. The remaining composers either studied in Italy at some point or were heavily influenced by this "Italian invasion". Opening the second half was another program change, a Rosenmüller sonata from his collection of 1682 sonatas. Featuring the entire force of Quicksilver, the piece is filled with great contrasts and abrupt stops, showcasing that "modern" style of early 17th century. The only issue I thought was a small pity was that David Morris's gamba would be drowned out in the tutti passages. This still posed a problem even for someone who had a front row seat.
Rosenmüller was followed by two Kerll pieces, one trio sonata and a keyboard piece. The trio sonata (labeled in the original score as a Sonata a 2) features 2 violins which are given their own extended passages at times, providing opportunities for the soloist to demonstrate both skill and musicality; at other times, playing together a third apart blended harmoniously. The Passacaglia, like early-mid Baroque music, had interesting experiments with harmony and chromaticism. Avi Stein's playing was technically immaculate, but I felt that his treatment was a little careful and could have pushed it a bit more.
The only piece I've not heard prior to this concert was the Vierdanck canzona. With an upbeat atmosphere right from the get-go, Quicksilver, especially in imitation passages, executed obvious dynamical variations, really made the music move forward and highly enjoyable. The Bertali sonata, in contrast, opened with a melancholy mood. The four instruments are given their own time, but the different combinations of them are the prettiest moments.
The music that concluded the concert was another Sonata a 4 by Weckmann. To go out in style, it featured the entire cast of Quicksilver, with the 4 solo instruments and Morris, Weaver, and Stein on the continuo. The two violin treble parts were joined by two bass parts of equal weight, a feature of the early Baroque sonata that gave it its rich and full texture. And with such a festive piece, this enchanting concert came to an end.
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