Percy Leung:香港古典樂季精選

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菲利普.昂特蒙明年 6 月來港演出。 圖片來源:Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images
(翻譯內容以英文版本為準)

上一篇專欄中,我談及城中旗艦級管弦樂團,香港管弦樂團新樂季的精選,文章刊登後,我又想到,為何不談談香港新的古典樂季呢?以下是我的推介,門票欲購從速!

1. 羅馬聖切契利亞管弦樂團
(2018 年 11 月 22 及 23 日,於香港文化中心音樂廳)

香港人對著名的西方管弦樂團十分熟悉,譬如位於歐洲的柏林愛樂樂團、維也納愛樂樂團和倫敦愛樂樂團;美國的芝加哥交響樂團、波士頓交響樂團,以及三藩市交響樂團,在香港都是家喻戶曉的樂團。

然而,歐洲和美國仍有很多港人從未聽說過的優秀樂團,與上述的樂團一樣赫赫有名、享譽西方。來自意大利的交響樂團 —— 羅馬聖切契利亞管弦樂團 —— 正是其一,而他們將於 11 月來港演出兩場音樂會。羅馬聖切契利亞管弦樂團以其突出的歌劇光碟錄音,以及意大利作品的演奏聞名,不過他們在港只會演奏三位俄羅斯大師(拉赫曼尼諾夫、柴可夫斯基、葛令卡)和貝多芬的作品,連一首意大利的作品也沒有,這使我十分意外。

撇開他們出乎意料的表演曲目,這次樂團請來的獨奏家是現代最優秀的鋼琴家之二:丹尼爾.特霍諾夫和趙成珍。對我而言,趙成珍雖然年紀輕輕,絕對是位鋼琴大師,他觸鍵的風格最是輕柔動人,而他在鋼琴上展現出來的音樂才能、以及他的冷靜沉著和成熟都令人驚嘆。去年他跟隨柏林愛樂樂團來港的演出是絕對全年亮點,我肯定香港的觀眾將會再次為他的才華而喝采!

2. 高大宜弦樂四重奏
(2018 年 11 月 26 日,於香港大會堂音樂廳)

香港觀眾有甚多機會去觀看各種交響音樂會和獨奏會,但是能接觸傳統室樂的機會就少得多了。在國際享負盛名的高大宜弦樂四重奏將於 11 月來港舉行音樂會,這是此四重弦在本世紀第一次在香港表演,而且表演曲目也令人萬眾期待:包括海頓、莫札特、貝多芬的弦樂四重奏。觀眾可以欣賞到這三位第一維也納學派作曲家不同風格的作品,也能藉此體會貝多芬到底如何受到海頓和莫札特影響。

高大宜弦樂四重奏他們溫暖、親切和深情的音色聞名,亦因此受到主流刊物如「BBC 音樂雜誌」、GramophoneAmerican Record Guide 的青睞。此外,他們亦曾獲得不少著名的獎項,包括李斯特獎、巴爾托克獎,以及匈牙利優秀藝術家獎。

而令我最驚喜的是這次演奏會的票價便宜得很,我希望這會鼓勵港人購票的意欲。

3. 菲利普.昂特蒙與香港城市室樂團
(2019 年 6 月 26 日,於香港大會堂音樂廳)

當我知道菲利普.昂特蒙會在明年 6 月來港時,真的是喜出望外。由於香港人熟悉的多是年輕或中年的鋼琴家,我敢說只有很少人(甚至沒有人)聽說過昂特蒙。他精彩的鋼琴生涯在 1952 年開始,60 年來一直都是鋼琴家中的翹楚,而他將會以 85 歲的高齡來港演出。

上世紀,昂特蒙與不少傳奇指揮家合作過,包括伯恩斯坦和奧曼迪,昂特蒙曾與他們一同灌錄拉赫曼尼諾夫、柴可夫斯基和聖桑的鋼琴協奏曲,至今仍被譽為上佳的演繹。

昂特蒙不只是出色的鋼琴家,同時也是傑出的指揮家,擔任過很多一流樂團的首席指揮,例如維也納室樂團、丹佛交響樂團及以色列室樂團。

除此之外,昂特蒙也在很多首屈一指的鋼琴比賽中做過裁判,包括蕭邦國際鋼琴比賽、范克萊本國際鋼琴比賽和利茲國際鋼琴比賽就有他的蹤影。這次音樂會所演奏的全都是貝多芬的作品,分別是「普羅米修斯的創造物」序曲、「第四鋼琴協奏曲」,以及「第三交響曲」。昂特蒙已 85 歲,近年他也漸漸減少演出,香港樂迷應該好好珍惜這次機會,去欣賞這位傳奇音樂家的演出。


Photo: Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia/Facebook

Highlights of Hong Kong’s Current Classical Music Concert Season

In my previous article, I listed the highlights of our city’s flagship orchestra’s (Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra) new season, then I thought why not also talk about the highlights of Hong Kong’s current classical music concert season! Below are my recommendations – get your tickets quickly!

Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia – Roma
(22-23 November 2018, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall)

Hong Kongers are familiar with notable Western orchestras like the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic and London Philharmonic Orchestras in Europe, as well as the Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony and San Francisco Symphony Orchestras in the United States; these orchestras are household names in our city. What Hong Kongers often don’t know, is that there are also many hidden gems in Europe and America that they simply have never heard of. Yet, these orchestras are as famous and reputable in the West as the ones I have listed above. Among them, is a symphony orchestra from Italy – Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia – Roma – which will visit Hong Kong with two concerts in November. While this orchestra is noted for its operatic recordings and performances of Italian works, its performances in Hong Kong actually only include works by three Russian masters (Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky and Glinka) and Beethoven. It is surprising, to say the least, for the orchestra not to even bring an Italian piece on tour. Irrespective of their bizarre programming, the soloists that the orchestra has engaged are two of the finest pianists of our time – Daniil Trifonov and Seong-Jin Cho. Cho, for me, is an absolute virtuoso with a most delicate and beautiful touch on the piano; his musicality, calmness and maturity at the piano are simply remarkable. Indeed, his performance with the Berliner Philharmoniker in Hong Kong in 2017 was a highlight of the year. Be prepared to be dazzled by him again!

Kodály Quartet
(26 November 2018, Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall)

While Hong Kongers are always spoiled with a wide array of symphonic concerts and instrumental recitals, they have relatively little chance to engage with traditional chamber music. This November, the internationally-renowned string quartet – Kodály Quartet – will perform in Hong Kong for the first time this century, with a most pleasing programme containing string quartets by three masters of the First Viennese School, namely Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Audiences would have the opportunity to appreciate the stylistic differences among these three composers, and also to ponder how much was Beethoven actually influenced by Haydn and Mozart. The Kodály Quartet is well-known for its warm, embracing, gracious and affectionate sound, and has received most favourable reviews from major publications around the world, including the BBC Music Magazine, Gramophone and the American Record Guide, as well as awards such as the Ferenc Liszt Award, the Bartók-Pasztory Award and the Artist of Merit of the Hungarian Republic. I am genuinely surprised by how cheap the tickets are at this concert, and hope that this would produce a concert hall packed with audiences all eager to enjoy what promises to be a legendary concert from the Kodály Quartet.

Philippe Entremont + CCOHK
(26 June 2019, Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall)

When I heard that Philippe Entremont is visiting Hong Kong next June, I was thoroughly surprised and overjoyed. While Hong Kongers would be familiar with the performances of many young or middle-age pianists, I daresay only a very few (or more likely, none) would have heard of Entremont, who, having begun his stellar career back in 1952, was at the top of his game for more than 60 years and would perform in Hong Kong at the ripe age of 85. Entremont has collaborated with some of the most legendary conductors of the 20th Century, including Leonard Bernstein and Eugene Ormandy, and his recordings of concerto by Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky and Saint-Saëns with these two maestros are still considered to be some of the finest interpretations of all time. Not only was Entremont an outstanding pianist, he has an equally distinguished career as a conductor, having held the chief conductorships of many leading orchestras around the world, including the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Denver Symphony Orchestra and the Israel Chamber Orchestra. Several years ago, I was reminded of Entremont when he appeared on the Jury of the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in 2015 alongside Professor John Rink, who was my (and many other students’) favourite academic at the University of Cambridge. Additionally, Entremonet has also been on the juries of many other leading piano competitions in the world, including the Chopin、Van Cliburn and the Leeds competitions. In Hong Kong, Entremont will perform an all-Beethoven programme, which includes the Third Symphony (Eroica) and the overture to The Creatures of Prometheus, as well as the Fourth Piano Concerto, which Entremont will also serve as soloist. Entremont is already 85 years of age, and Hong Kongers should really treasure this invaluable and rare opportunity to see this legend on stage. Don’t miss it. If you do, you will regret it.

※ 此欄文章為作者觀點,不代表本網立場。 ※

Percy Leung is a British cultural historian. Having received his PhD from the University of St Andrews, he is now teaching at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and London.