波蘭音樂的跨世代感通:齊瑪曼重現齊馬諾夫斯基作品神采
一九七九年年底,波蘭卡托維治國立高等音樂學校(Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Muzyczna w Katowicach)升格為音樂學院,校名也再度變更,成為「齊馬諾夫斯基音樂學院」(Akademia Muzyczna im. Karola Szymanowskiego w Katowicach)。作曲家齊馬諾夫斯基(Karol Szymanowski)與這所學校並沒有直接的淵源,學校在一九二九年成立的時候,齊馬諾夫斯基因為被診斷出罹患急性肺結核,不得不辭去華沙音樂學院院長職位前往瑞士休養。一九三六年,齊馬諾夫斯基有意到這所學校教書,卻在次年不幸病逝,年僅五十五歲。雖然沒有明確關聯,但是為了表示學院升格後,對於傳承與發展波蘭音樂傳統的重視與承諾,最終決定以這位波蘭二十世紀最著名的作曲家命名,而齊瑪曼(Krystian Zimerman)正是該校最後更名前的畢業生。
齊瑪曼很早就對齊馬諾夫斯基的作品感到興趣,夢想有一天不只演奏,還能錄製這些音樂。一九七五年得到第九屆蕭邦國際鋼琴大賽金牌後不久,齊瑪曼受邀前往拜訪剛從舞台上退休的前輩阿圖‧魯賓斯坦(Artur Rubinstein),並且在魯賓斯坦家裡小住近一個星期。透過密集交談與近身觀察,還有接下來五、六年的交流,齊瑪曼不但明白如何精進與改善演奏技巧,也從魯賓斯坦口中聽到許多他和過往音樂界大人物往來的逸事,包括齊馬諾夫斯基。這些第一手消息對於理解齊馬諾夫斯基作品非常有幫助。一九八○年七月,齊瑪曼與小提琴家丹裘夫斯卡(Kaja Danczowska)錄製法朗克與齊馬諾夫斯基的小提琴與鋼琴作品,而且得到極好的評價。
礙於當時齊馬諾夫斯基在市場的名氣還不夠,唱片公司不可能把他的音樂放在錄音第一順位,更別說是錄製一整張齊馬諾夫斯基的作品。齊瑪曼以「可能會再彈這位作曲家的作品」為由,說服DG讓他於一九九四年五月在哥本哈根提沃里音樂廳(Tivoli Concert Hall),錄製齊馬諾夫斯基一九一六年的作品《面具》。母帶一放就是二十多年過去,唱片公司歷經改組、出售經營權與搬遷,檔案室裡的《面具》似乎沒有重見天日的時候。別忘了,齊瑪曼還欠DG一張蕭邦鋼琴奏鳴曲錄音,任何人都會希望他先履行這張合約吧?
二十八年後,也就是二○二二年,齊瑪曼在日本廣島福山藝術文化廳(Fukuyama Hall of Art & Culture, Reed & Rose)演出齊瑪諾夫斯基的作品時,赫然發現它的音響效果很適合齊馬諾夫斯基。雖然音樂廳的檔期已經安排其他演出,但是他們同意深夜讓齊瑪曼使用。於是齊瑪曼自己架設麥克風,以自己的設備,利用只有自己獨自一個人的數個長夜,錄下齊瑪諾夫斯基早期受到史克里亞賓影響的前奏曲,晚期融合無調性技巧的馬祖卡舞曲,還有學生時期的大型作品《波蘭民歌主題變奏》,以一張專輯呈現齊馬諾夫斯基音樂風格的演變與多樣性。齊瑪曼把母帶交給DG,加上全長不到二十五分鐘,靈感來自拉威爾《夜的加斯巴》並且帶有普羅科菲耶夫風格的《面具》,一張完整的齊馬諾夫斯基鋼琴獨奏作品專輯終於出版。
《波蘭民歌主題變奏》是讓齊瑪曼積極完成錄音的主因。它是齊馬諾夫斯基學生時期的作品,導奏、主題加上十段變奏,全長不到二十四分鐘,但是從它不斷轉調以及強烈到幾乎是為了效果而效果,為了誇張而誇張的戲劇張力,都可見齊馬諾夫斯基年輕時期的勃勃雄心。和拉赫曼尼諾夫的作品一樣,齊馬諾夫斯基的一雙大手也讓後來的演奏者苦於與大跨度的和弦對抗。但是當一般演奏者把注意力集中在解決技巧困難時,結果很可能是音樂感消失無蹤,只剩下隆隆的轟響。然而在齊瑪曼手中,遊刃有餘的演奏技巧使《波蘭民歌主題變奏》不但展現從簡單到宏偉的大幅動態,也有精緻的聲響、多種對比性強烈的情感交織與藝術深度。
齊瑪曼很少對唱片感到滿意,但是他以「自豪」來形容這張唱片。收到DG寄送的成品時,齊瑪曼興沖沖的想用手機拍攝,把這個好消息傳給友人。不料拍攝的瞬間,手機螢幕卻跳出「可能有人眨眼」的警示(某牌手機的特有功能)。印刷的封面上會有人眨眼嗎?齊瑪曼認為,莫不成這是作曲家齊瑪諾夫斯基正給他使眼色呢?齊瑪曼樂昏頭的表現,可見一斑!
In 1979, the State Higher School of Music in Katowice was elevated to academy status and renamed the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music. Though composer Karol Szymanowski had no direct ties to the school, naming it after him symbolized the institution's commitment to preserving and advancing Poland's musical heritage. Krystian Zimerman, one of the last graduates before the name change, has played a key role in keeping Szymanowski's legacy alive.
Zimerman's fascination with Szymanowski's music began early in his career. After winning the 1975 International Chopin Piano Competition, he visited legendary pianist Artur Rubinstein. Their discussions provided Zimerman invaluable insights into performance techniques and Szymanowski's works, deepening his understanding of the composer.
In 1980, Zimerman recorded violin and piano pieces by Franck and Szymanowski with violinist Kaja Danczowska, receiving critical acclaim. However, Szymanowski's lack of market prominence at the time delayed further recordings. A 1994 recording of Szymanowski's "Masques" languished unreleased for decades, overshadowed by contractual priorities like a Chopin sonata recording.
In 2022, while performing in Japan, Zimerman found the acoustics of Fukuyama Hall ideal for Szymanowski's music. During late-night sessions, he personally recorded a selection of Szymanowski's works, including early preludes influenced by Scriabin, later mazurkas incorporating atonal techniques, and the ambitious "Variations on a Polish Folk Theme." He combined these with "Masques" to create a comprehensive album showcasing Szymanowski's stylistic evolution. This long-awaited recording was finally released by Deutsche Grammophon.
The highlight, Variations on a Polish Folk Theme, captures Szymanowski's youthful ambition with its dramatic tension and wide-ranging dynamics. While its technical demands challenge most pianists, Zimerman's masterful interpretation reveals its emotional depth and artistry.
Zimerman, known for his high standards, described this album as a source of pride. Amusingly, when photographing the album cover, his smartphone's "blink detection" alerted him, prompting him to joke that Szymanowski himself might be winking at him.
*This English version is a concise summary of the original Chinese article.*
SZYMANOWSKI Preludes, Masques, Mazurkas, Variations on a Polish Theme
Krystian Zimerman (piano)
May 1994, Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen (Masques)
June 2022, Fukuyama Hall of Art & Culture, Reed & Rose
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