New York Times, Anthony Tommasini (16.12.2005)

The classical music critics of The New York Times select the year's most notable CD's.

這是一篇刊登在NEW MUSIC BOX的文章

到了一種"無我"的境界了

I Don't Know What I Don't Like

Frank J. Oteri這段話給了我ㄧ點感想

Because for years my response to encountering music I don't like has been to keep listening to it and the best way to do that is to buy a record of it. I usually blame the "tastelessness" of my record collection and subsequent listening time on the influence of John Cage, although he would undoubtedly have been horrified by much of what I keep on my walls. (Indeed, he was horrified of recorded music in the first place despite the myriad compact discs of his music that are now available for public consumption.) But Cage's full emancipation of all sound as potential music must mean that if everything is music, so is "bad music." ......... How can you possibly have your mind open to a brand new piece of music if the only music you'll allow into your life is music that you already like?

一開始看到綠的那段，還以為他有強迫購物症。怎麼不愛聽的偏要買？後來看到藍色那段，想了一下。也頗能理解 。舉古典音樂為例，我幾乎很少聽莫札特、舒伯特、華格納他們的東西，當然剛入門（假）認真的時候，也是要聽一點這些人的東西。但是就是怎麼樣也不對我脾胃，莫札特的器樂、舒伯特的歌曲和華格納的序曲都算好一點。不過其他的像歌劇類和舒伯特的交響曲，幾乎都是＂謝謝！再連絡！＂的結局。更慘的是布魯克納，幾乎到了每放任一曲，１０分鐘內必想睡的地步。記憶中只有５號還能讓我撐著聽完。最後一次聽到他的曲子好像是７號（？），應該要找個時間把他的交響曲全集找來聽ㄧ次看看。

至於其他樂種，也該嘗試嘗試。有沒有好心人願意提供一些片單之類的東西。感恩～～～　

這是在TIMESONLINE看的一篇文章The truth of making sweet music
全文如下:

June 18, 2005 The truth of making sweet music By James Bone Oboest bares her soul - and more - to expose musical casting couches A PROFESSIONAL oboist has lifted the curtain on sex, drugs and nepotism in the world of classical music. Blair Tindall, who played with the New York Philharmonic, offers an unseemly tour behind the scenes in a book entitled Mozart in the Jungle. Tindall claims that sex played a decisive role in her musical career. She says she was simultaneously involved with three leading New York oboists — two married — who gave her work in their orchestras. One had a maxim: “The section that lays together plays together.” She describes leaping naked into a hotel pool with a leading member of a touring Andrew Lloyd Webber production who subsequently made love to her in his hotel suite as “exuberantly” as he performed music. He then lit a postcoital cigarette and offered her a job on Lloyd Webber’s new Aspects of Love in New York. “Why, I thought, did I bother with an answering machine?” Tindall writes. “Between XXX and my former oboist boyfriends, I got hired for most of my gigs in bed.” Although Tindall’s 25-year music career included such highlights as working with Leonard Bernstein, she also had to make money recording Karaoke music, and got so bored on Broadway that she would read magazines on her music stand while playing in the orchestra pit. Now in her mid-forties, she says she dated “almost every classical musician around my age” — as well as some who were not, including two of her high-school music teachers. “Instrument players had a sexual style unique to their instrument,” she writes. “Neurotic violinists, anonymous in their orchestra section, came fast. Trumpet players pumped away like jocks, while pianists’ sensitive fingers worked magic. French horn players, their instruments the testiest of all, could rarely get it up, but percussionists could make beautiful music out of anything.” One man not granted anonymity in the book is the Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart. Tindall claims that she had sex with him and that he invited her to Salt Lake City, where he was music director of the Utah Symphony. “The night before my departure he called to cancel because his wife was suddenly visiting him to get pregnant,” she says. Mr Lockhart has issued a statement insisting that the relationship was “at no time anything more than friendship”. Disenchanted with the classical music world, Tindall went to Stanford University to study journalism and has written for The New York Times.

這位前NYPO的雙簧管演奏家大爆古典音樂界內幕.像:性常常作為換取演出的工具.也不如表面上的氣質翩翩.大鍋炒.嗑藥胡搞瞎搞在這圈子是常見的事.

我想這本書 Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music 破除一些古典樂界的光環.說起來.古典樂界也不過是穿起西裝禮服的流行音樂圈吧.兩邊會做的.都做了

不過這段有好笑到.特別另外選出來:

“Instrument players had a sexual style unique to their instrument,” she writes. “Neurotic violinists, anonymous in their orchestra section, came fast. Trumpet players pumped away like jocks, while pianists’ sensitive fingers worked magic. French horn players, their instruments the testiest of all, could rarely get it up, but percussionists could make beautiful music out of anything.”

實在是帥呆了!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blair Tindall的玉照(正熟女!!)

個人網址http://www.mozartinthejungle.com/

從Sequenza21看到了這篇研究 A Survey of Classical Music Critics at General Interest and Specialized New Publications in America 裡面是分析在北美古典樂評的各種統計數據.據稱是第一次這麼大規模的統計.這種東西在台灣就不大搞的起來.日本應該還可以.....

(繼續閱讀...) ]]> http://blog.roodo.com/cloningtw/archives/231405.html http://blog.roodo.com/cloningtw/archives/231405.html 新聞 Fri, 27 May 2005 00:56:56 +0800

一圖勝萬言

Telegraph 這篇報導是一個老話題.裡面提的一些音樂家或多或少都想透過照片吸引一些人.這手段有像bond辣妹的身材誘惑.有像阿格麗希的羞澀微蹙.有陳美的性感造型.卡拉揚的單邊臉(其實我一直不懂.這是啥玩意兒?可以吸引誰?).貝爾的憂鬱詩情....反正封面用上人頭的比例越高.這企圖就是越明顯.至於音樂裡頭的"性元素".那是老生常談了.也沒什麼創新之見.

但是本文重點通通不是這個.重點是它裡頭這網站.(作者有抱怨一下這網站沒有男性音樂家.然後又是女性主義音樂研究者對19世紀古典音樂中父權的.....等等等.這也是老生常談.)

把裡頭的音樂家看了一下.我有的錄音.鑑定一下我自己潛意識是不是被"封面"所左右

1. Anne LeBaron (我今天才知她長這樣....cd封面沒她啊!)

2. Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (有3張在koch出的)

3. Kaija Saariaho(2張.不過一直覺得她長的一點都不美啊!還是icram裡她最美?)

4. Unsuk Chin (dg-1張.今天第一次看到.)

5. Gisèle Ben-Dor (4張koch.1張confeir.我是這位的粉絲)

6. Sharon Isbin (1張TELDEC.是買了之後才知道長相)

7. Victoria Jordanova (2張.也是買後才知長相)

8. Anne Sofie von Otter (DG3張.不過她蠻男子氣概的...)

9. Cecilia Bartoli (DECCA5張以上........封面都有她)

10. Magdalena Kozena (DG3.4張吧?.不過有張封面沒她的.我還真的沒買....)

11. Bidú Sayão (SONY MASTER系列2(3?)張.封面有她)

12. Natalie Dessay (EMI3張 .封面有她.不過她的首張裝扮頗ㄙㄨㄥˊ)

13. Anne Sophie Mutter (DG-不知道幾張 .封面都有她.那時年紀輕很愛買她的.這樣看來.....)

14. Midori (SONY2張.特價99買的.封面有她.不過看起來頗像小孩子..)

15. Pamela Frank (ARTE NOVA1套 看她是GOLDBERG的學生買的.不過封面有她)

16. Rachel Barton (CEDILLE 2張.2張封面都有她)

17. Viktoria Mullova (PHILIPS2張.封面都有她)

18. Anna Gourari (KOCH3張.封面1張有她.不過這是看過她照片才想買的)

19. Hélène Grimaud (DENON1張 TELDEC2張 封面2張有她)

20. J.Y. Song (PROPIANO1張.封面有部份她.不過我是看江文也買的.)

21. Lera Auerbach (BIS1張.封面無她.買過才知她長相)

22. Mitsuko Uchida (PHILIPS3-4張 .這.......)

呼~~~~~~~聲樂那邊選比較少.因為懶的選.這類比較特殊.隨便買都是(女高音等等).

不過這網站還選一堆古人(連長相不詳的都有)......實在是有惡搞到.

帝王指揮家 落難入凡塵

林采韻/專題報導 　(20050410)

近兩個月來，世界樂壇最勁爆的新聞莫過於義大利史卡拉歌劇院所爆發的「慕提事件」。在樂界享有「指揮霸王」之稱，慕提為了劇院人事，與樂團工會正面衝突，4月2日終於宣告辭去長達19年的音樂總監職務。 雙方衝突的導火線起於今年2月，慕提策動史卡拉董事會開除總經理馮塔那（Carlo Fontana），準備拔擢自己人，萬萬沒料到，管理階層的事務居然引起樂團團員、劇院員工大規模反彈，而且以強烈的連續罷工大力抵制，最後不僅引起國會議員出面調查，董事會也決定不再為其後盾，以致他最後不得不主動請辭以保住顏面。

霸氣指揮 風光不再

相較19年前慕提剛登上史卡拉歌劇院，歡迎酒會上名流雲集以及團員對他的愛戴，也難怪現在面對外界詢問，慕提只能說：「我在史卡拉工作近20年，以目前我和樂團的關係，已經失去互信，很難再度一起工作。」

值得注意的是，慕提的難堪遭遇並非特例。近幾年來，指揮名家受窘的情況隨處可見。他們的威權被挑戰，權力被剝奪，薪水被削減，終究黯然下台。連氣勢凌人的慕提，也有被逼退的一天，樂壇不禁感嘆，指揮大師稱霸的時代，似乎已正式譜下休止符。

MUTI的個性早就不得人緣.從他在費城.愛樂這幾個樂團都是鬧到不歡而散.

大師貪欲 引爆衝突

事實上，「再見，指揮大師」的說法，早在8年前，英國樂評人萊布列希特在「誰殺了古典音樂」一書就做過預測。他指出，「洲際間便利的旅行、大師的貪欲，都造成音樂總監一年待在樂團時間少於4個月，指揮只偶爾展現領導能力，他不固定的介入反而對樂團產生干擾。」在在讓指揮的專業權威形象大受影響。

如今一連串的案例，已驗證了萊布列希特的說法並非空穴來風。兩年前指揮名家杜特華被迫離開服務25年的蒙特利爾交響樂團。當時杜特華計畫開除兩位團員，遭到工會撻伐，不但抨擊他的獨裁作風，並且控告杜特華對部分團員有騷擾之嫌，終讓杜特華選擇離去。

後來造成一堆指揮抵制這個樂團.到現在還沒有一個音樂總監.只有客席指揮肯特中野(還是在2006年才要當音樂總監.)在被抵制的那段時間蒙特利爾有說想跟杜特華和解.不過人家可是被日本請走了

此外芝加哥交響樂團音樂總監巴倫波因也對當前指揮處境極為不滿，日前宣告2006年任滿後不再續約。在聲明中，他指出：「經過自我探尋過程，我了解在美國作為一位音樂總監必須承擔許多非藝術的責任，對此我沒有氣力也沒時間去應對。」

他不想參加社交活動跟贊助人哈啦.況且他自己在德國也有樂團.早就不想兩地跑囉 .這樣還能扯進來這篇?

而近年德國政府為了解決財務危機，大幅刪減劇院預算，並計畫合併柏林3大歌劇院，也讓指揮們忐忑不安。去年5月，柏林德意志歌劇院音樂總監提勒曼便提出縮減任期的要求，對當局表達最大抗議，因為他要求的預算，最後被批准的不到一半。

德國失業率破新高.本來就是刪刪刪.連大學學生上到大三.結果整個系都被刪.只好轉系.其他社會福利被刪的更多.要拿來這篇說嘴也實在是......

揚言求去 沒人慰留

但不管巴倫波因或提勒曼，讓這些指揮名家最難堪的是：他們的揚言離去，居然沒有獲得劇院、團員慰留，當局也不買帳。芝加哥交響樂團馬上展開尋找下任總監的動作，身為柏林之子的提勒曼也沒獲得家鄉父老挺身相助。

巴倫波因本來就是斬釘截鐵要走.而且他當的也夠久了.還來慰留什麼的?該不會以為非要當到死不可?提勒曼有他的立場.可是德國就是沒錢.就是只好縮減.難道說種大環境的改變要牽拖到指揮魅力什麼的?

管理階層 水漲船高

隨著指揮身價暴跌，在商業行銷掛帥的當代，管理階層的地位反而水漲船高，這方面指揮本身也難辭其咎，因為當代指揮不像過去的大師能把心力投注於單一樂團，「卡拉揚與柏林愛樂」、「奧曼第與費城管絃樂團」的神話，早就被「空中飛人」型的指揮所取代。他們猶如蜻蜓點水到處客席演出，宛如蝴蝶般在世界各地採蜜留情，對於自己掛名的樂團付出甚少。

如此一來，為團員爭取權益，為樂團設想未來的責任，全落在行政管理階層身上。行政總監的氣勢越高，相對也削弱指揮權力。

凡此種種，終於讓指揮們看清現實。在古典音樂市場萎縮、錄音充斥的今日，大師光環早已不再漂浮在當代指揮頭上。因此即使貴為世界頂尖樂團柏林愛樂音樂總監的拉圖，也得放下身段進行音樂教育推廣活動。此外面對全球經濟不景氣，樂團賣座不振，過去高高在上的指揮，今日也得放下身段募款，適應不良的如巴倫波因只好掛冠求去。

好吧!看這篇好了.這些是美國各大樂團的現任指揮.他們的年薪有哪一個管理階層比的上?這篇裡頭指揮最便宜的是亞特蘭大交響樂團的Robert Spano.年薪多少?505,615美金.管理階層最高薪的是波士頓交響的Mark Volpe.多少?349,923.那年薪最高的指揮馬傑爾是多少?2,280,000!!!當然要說紐愛的總管梅塔拿的也是600,000 and 150,000 in benefits.但是梅塔本身是前任指揮.偶爾還可以代打才有這價碼.

至於拉圖的音樂教育推廣.早在他在伯明罕時代他就喜歡做這種事.柏林愛前任指揮阿巴多也喜歡.柏恩斯坦也喜歡.一大堆本文所謂的帝王指揮都喜歡.至於募款問題.有人喜歡社交生活.有人不喜歡社交生活.巴倫波因喜歡去巴勒斯坦開大師班.無償演奏鋼琴給那些在炮火下成長的孩子聽.他覺得快樂.又何嘗不可?如果說把這套在"放下身段"理論的話.那巴倫波因簡直就是低到不能在低.問題是.他做他覺得有意義的事.一個台灣的記者居然能說他不做他不願意做的事是適應不良.

歸去來兮

家鄉擁戴

如今，高薪指揮的時代正進入尾聲，由於預算縮減票房不佳，團方寧願選擇一位薪資合理、遵從團方的新生代指揮，2007年將接任瑞典廣播交響樂團的哈定（Daniel Harding）、2006年接任芬蘭赫爾辛基歌劇院的法蘭克（Mikko Franck）皆屬此類。

簡單的說.這兩個樂團的地位能開出什麼價碼?

至於擁有響亮名聲的指揮未來命運如何？從韓裔指揮鄭明勳的下場可窺出端倪。與巴士底歌劇院和羅馬聖塞琪莉亞管絃樂團不歡而散後，上個月鄭明勳在同胞熱情簇擁下，接掌首爾愛樂，立志要把該團打造成亞洲第一樂團。慕提離開史卡拉之後，樂界傳言，他可能回到家鄉拿坡里棲身於當地歌劇院。

看不懂這段在說啥?舉兩個例子就可以說明星指揮回鄉嗎?怎麼不說夏伊不爽大會堂沒先跟他提續約的事..決定跑去當萊比錫布商大廈樂團的頭頭?

近來紐約愛樂遴選下任音樂總監的作法，更讓自視甚高的指揮大傷顏面。紐愛現任總監馬捷爾最近宣告2009年之後不再續約，與此同時，紐愛公佈3位客席指揮名單，分別是慕提、瑞典皇家愛樂的吉伯特以及美國指揮羅伯森，他們將從2006年輪番上場，紐愛行政總監梅塔表示不排除從3人中挑選下任音樂總監。

以慕提為例，2000年他曾以高姿態婉拒紐愛音樂總監職務，沒想到才過短短幾年，他卻必須和後進指揮一起較勁，參與一場如同「模特兒選美」的音樂總監選拔。

所以我就是是穆提他個性的問題啊!

總之，除了客觀環境已不容「帝王」型的指揮之外，隨著樂團整併、倒閉的風潮席捲歐美，未來指揮想要謀個好位置，在專業條件之外，還需具有帶來金錢收益的實力。如今他們正淪為拍賣品，擺在拍賣台上，讓「買家」評估其附加價值及未來增值潛力，真是情何以堪。卡拉揚、貝姆等前輩大師如果死後有知，看到當今同行的悽慘處境，可能會掩面痛哭。至於仍憧憬大師風采的樂迷，只好從嗶嗶剝剝的歷史錄音中去追憶了。

這篇文章實在是莫名奇妙的很.現在國外就是奇缺明星級的指揮.像李汶之前也是慕尼黑愛樂.大都會歌劇院跑.幕尼黑怕他烙跑還簽"不烙跑"條約.不過波士頓交響還是選上他.最後慕尼黑當局怕他兼三職.品質下降.才跟他解約.樂團整併等等.其實根本不礙這些大牌指揮的地位.樂團經理還要怕自己找來的指揮不夠大牌.票房下跌.自己交出管理職呢!

指揮這個行業的薪水分佈可以說是金字塔中的金字塔.大牌的就是錢多地位高.小牌的是四處奔走.只求一樂團糊口.把慕提的那個個性潔癖的個案給放大成這篇文.我也只能說"聯想力也太豐富了吧!"

(繼續閱讀...) ]]> http://blog.roodo.com/cloningtw/archives/231383.html http://blog.roodo.com/cloningtw/archives/231383.html 新聞 Mon, 11 Apr 2005 02:59:15 +0800  

By ANNE MIDGETTE

Published: March 27, 2005

I'VE developed a bad habit: I dump new CD's onto my iPod and then digest them at my leisure. True,
the iPod's sound quality is inferior to that of a CD. But there are also unexpected benefits. The
other week I pressed "Play" and was brought up short: what on earth is this?

The world of the iPod offers no liner notes; no lyrics; no radio announcer's stentorian voice at
the piece's end; not even, on the uninformative little screen intended to tell you what you're
listening to, the name of the composer.

So what do you do? You listen.

The CD was "Action, Passion, Illusion," the second recording by the Estonian conductor Anu Tali, 32, and her Nordic Symphony Orchestra (Warner Classics). Ms. Tali's approach to a career is not unusual in her age group. She wanted to make music, so she went out and formed a band (well, an orchestra) together with her twin sister, Kadri Tali, who runs the operation.

Listening to her CD without the cocoon of context classical-music listeners are accustomed to, I also found that her approach to sound reflected her age. The first piece on "Action, Passion, Illusion" is called "Zeitraum" (that much my little screen did reveal), and it opens with a great groan of brass instruments that initiates a slow process of waking up, as if the music were pulling itself out of molasses, prodded by driving rhythms from the determined strings.

And once "Zeitraum" had traversed its titular space of time, succumbed to gravity and died out in a sighing exhalation, the next track opened with a burst of brass bombast followed by, of all things, a narrator, burbling fruitily over romantic film-score tones from the orchestra. I did recognize at this point that I was listening to Sibelius's "Wood Nymph." I was also thinking that this was a piece of great kitsch, the aural equivalent of a plastic 1960's hanging lamp, and that the disc was turning out to be a really cool CD.

If I had had the liner notes handy, I would have read up on Erkki-Sven Tuur, the 45-year-old Estonian who composed "Zeitraum" and the CD's title triptych, "Action, Passion, Illusion." I would have thought about the disc's Nordic theme. (It concludes with three choral arrangements of Russian folk songs by Rachmaninoff, which sound just as funky as the Sibelius against Mr. Tuur's rhythmic fragments). In short, I would have armed myself with some knowledge.

That is what we do in the classical music field. We spend a lot of time listening to music from eras other than our own, and it is an article of faith that the more you know, the more you will enjoy it.

Your average newbie may not be sure why he or she should want to sit through a 30-minute symphony 200 years old, and the field devotes a lot of energy to trying to explain the reasons. Its methods include program notes, preconcert lectures and, increasingly, thematic programs that set out to illuminate the wonders of Beethoven or Charles Ives or Nordic music (whatever that is).

But all of this runs counter to the way more and more people listen to music today. Witness the popularity of features like the iPod Shuffle, which yanks music out of context by randomly combining tracks into a musical stew. It's not about the idea; it's all about the sound.

In fact, I suspect that classical newcomers are the people least likely to read program notes that seek to enlighten them. And this suspicion is furthered when I see people at concerts listening without being sure of what it is that they are hearing (looking, for example, at the wrong program in the playbill). Too often, all those notes and lectures and, yes, even the concert hall itself effectively create an additional barrier, making the concert experience feel more like a college class than an evening of enjoyment.

So you want to win new audiences? How do you grab and hold people's ears? There are all kinds of gimmicky answers: have Ms. Tali play the Beacon Theater, perhaps. But a successful result may involve not so much lobbing facts at listeners' heads as getting more tracks of imaginative programs and compelling performances like Ms. Tali's on more iPods.

Some arresting orchestral CD's for the iPod: Anu Tali, "Action, Passion, Illusion"; Michael Torke, "Color Music" (the CD is also called "One") at www.michaeltorke.com; "The Ligeti Project II"; and Luciano Berio, "Sinfonia."

       一切都是從Kyle Gann貼出這篇文章Importance Greatly Exaggerated開始.主要是在思考學生所回的

“You mean just in academia, right? That music(12音) didn’t get played much outside of colleges, did it?”

       而這位作曲家教授David Toub寫的這篇the cult of 12-tone music...  從Gann舉的那個(聽說最近S.E.M. ensemble演出 Webern’s Op. 21 Symphony是紐約市的第三次演出)來切入.自承是這種忽略12-tone music的一份子.他說

Many audiences HATE 12-tone music, and I think that's partly because of its dissonance and complexity, as well as some of the 12-tone composers who came after the Second Vienna School. Serializing everything (going beyond even what Messiaen dabbled with in "Mode de valeurs et d'intensitis") can easily lead to music that is rigid and expressionless.

       當然他之後也說了一些關於使用12-tone這些作曲家的好話.可是對我來說12-tone就是入門門檻太高.雖然個人對於Webern的好感度要遠大於梅湘.但是想到要搞懂這些技法的問題.頭就有點大(應該是說搞懂的機率=0).單單就曲子聆聽的感想來說.往往又要面對上面說的 dissonance and complexity .所以很多時候就是絕對憑著自己的感覺來決定哪首曲子比較能感動我.就這樣對一些12-tone的東西有著不能體會它重要的焦慮.還好Kyle Gann最後這麼說

Since I can say almost the same things for myself (with certain notable exceptions) and realized years ago that that stuff is basically dead in the water, I replaced it with another, much more amusing, topic: Plunderphonics.

 後面那個Plunderphonics是屬於他的個人喜愛.不過對前面的dead 我是蠻有同感的.哈哈!!

NATURE在這篇Musical imagery: Sound of silence activates auditory cortex 中提到人類大腦對聲音的記憶能力.可惜本篇NATURE沒有全文可供參考.但是透過這篇報告的第一撰稿人David Kraemer在Dartmouth News上的Dartmouth researchers find where musical memories are stored in the brain這篇文章的一些話.大概可以發現是怎麼一回事.

"We played music in the scanner [fMRI], and then we hit a virtual 'mute' button," ............... "We found that people couldn't help continuing the song in their heads, and when they did this, the auditory cortex remained active even though the music had stopped."

另一撰稿人William Kelley說:

"It's fascinating that although the ear isn't actually hearing the song, the brain is perceptually hearing it,"

另外一個發現是

The researchers also found that lyrics impact the different auditory brain regions that are recruited when musical memories are reconstructed. If the music went quiet during an instrumental song, like during the theme from the Pink Panther, individuals activated many different parts of the auditory cortex, going farther back in the processing stream, to fill in the blanks. When remembering songs with words, however, people simply relied on the more advanced parts of the auditory processing stream. "It makes us think that lyrics might be the focus of the memory," says Kraemer.

雖然這一點是還未經證實的的假設.不過回想一下自己腦中記憶的旋律時.有歌詞的是多數?還是無歌詞的是多數? 腦中有多少秘密還未被瞭解?這點在fMRI的使用後.未來可以讓我們更能即時知道.我們的腦子到底在想什麼?不過侷限於fMRI大多為臥式.一般演奏家演奏時的腦部變化要如何得知呢?在日本綜合腦功能研究中心主任中田力就是設計了一台坐式的fMRI.讓演奏家一邊演奏可以一邊拍攝腦部變化.有興趣的可以參考日語維基上的這篇人間の条件‐脳と言語、そして音楽‐

另BBC也有一篇關於Nature那篇文章的報導.請看How tunes get stuck in your head

Getting an earful

這斗大的字體就是Ed Siegel對BSO現代曲目的建議.為何會有此建議呢?遠因是Levine之前雖然有被詬病他的音樂節目安排上現代曲目太少的問題.近因應該就是這些被他選出的現代曲目都是讓一般樂迷很難enjoy起來的.選的有那些?

在這段

Levine offers something else, a quid pro quo. It's as if he's saying, ''I'll give you Mozart in exchange for Ligeti. Sibelius in exchange for Babbitt. A Beethoven's Third for two Elliott Carters. "

而這位樂評何以對他選這些作曲家表示不滿?至少有2/3是美國人.應該也滿足美國人推廣自家音樂的需求啊?在看下去..原因出在

Today, there are few composers who still work in a strict serialistic or 12-tone style, but most of those contemporary composers favored by Levine, such as Elliott Carter and Milton Babbitt, have little patience with anything that smacks of tonality or emotional catharsis.

為什麼不喜歡用序列和十二音技法作曲的作曲家呢?其實在我看來.也是能認同這位作者的思路.當然我不是認為這些(序列.12音)沒有價值.他們有著時代的意義.但是對於長時間進入音樂廳.佔據了一般聽眾對現代音樂所能接觸到的首次印象.似乎並不像是Schoenberg大言不慚的說" 讓德國音樂在領先世界幾十年".而是這幾十年來幾乎把聽眾給趕光了.剩下來的那些還要仔細思考剛剛聽到的東西到底有什麼意義.而這不容易讓人享受的音樂就盤據這BSO的節目單上.這也難怪Ed Siegel要碎碎唸了.

那還有那些現代音樂可以排上節目單?Ed Siegel選了一些.像Copland.John Adams.Stravinsky.Osvaldo Golijov, Jennifer Higdon, Thomas Ades, Christopher Rouse這幾位.當中有幾位都是作品頗獲樂評讚賞外.也有不少聽眾喜愛.當然美國樂壇的精神指標Ives也可以加入(有不少聽眾會聽煩了吧?!而且他也不需要再推廣).

那如果讓聽眾來選呢?我可能會安排

1. Gloria Coates的交響曲
2. George F. Makey的管絃樂
3. Lou Harrison的管絃樂
4. Mosolov的鋼鐵工廠
5. Steve Reich的管絃樂
6. Kamran Ince的管絃樂

這些應該比被Schoenberg的徒子徒孫們連續攻擊要爽快的多.也有趣多了.

不過這樣一想.那我又何苦多買一個Schoenberg的東西呢?還有定了的那張Boulez作品集(說真的是看封面帥氣訂的)?

]]> http://blog.roodo.com/cloningtw/archives/231371.html http://blog.roodo.com/cloningtw/archives/231371.html 新聞 Sat, 12 Mar 2005 09:39:34 +0800 ===================================================
轉載於華音網站 http://bbs.huain.com/viewthread.php?tid=30529
===================================================

對現代音樂的美學思考(文:周海宏)

在這篇Synaesthete makes sweet music中.科學家首次證實了聲調與味覺之間的關連性.

Synaesthesia這一現象.已經被證實出現在由聲音感覺到顏色這一件事.像著名作曲家史克里亞賓和梅湘都具備著這樣的能力.而這篇報導則証實除了聽--->顏色之外.也有可能會出現聽-->味覺.

這裡的表格就是這位特殊能力者對各種音調所觸發他味覺出現的不同感受.

不過實驗過程等等.因為沒辦法看全文.就不多說了.

如果有搭配MRI觀察.應該比較能驗證吧?

Norman Lebrecht最為著名的是他寫的那本Who Killed Classical Music?: Maestros, Managers, and Corporate Politics (中譯本為誰殺了古典音樂？ ).這本書是講一些古典音樂界的"真相".在把古典音樂圈視為另一種較為XX的生物的人看了的話.可能會覺得驚愕.痛心之類的負面情緒.但如果把這視為"一種行業"那倒是沒什麼了不起.BUSINESS IS BUSINESS.不管是誰都難逃"名"."利"二字.把古典音樂給崇高化是大可不必.

他另外一篇引起喧嚷大波是他在2003年底的Look who's been dumped 裡頭的這段

You may wish to jot this in your diaries and upbraid me with it in twelve months' time but I am about to make the rock-solid prediction that the year 2004 will be the last for the classical record industry.

這篇除了在r.m.c.r引起大論戰外.還在2004.2月New York Times的樂評ANTHONY TOMMASINI還寫了篇No Requiem for Classical CD's, Please(因紐約時報閱讀期限的緣故.我還有收在這裡).這篇除了反駁他的04年古典產業完蛋之說外.還藉機在標題上故意跟Lebrecht的一篇舊文(2001.7)Requiem for the classical record 針鋒相對.

他的文章常用誇張的比喻.或者是下一個恐怖標題還是結論.這種言不驚人死不休的風格.已經嚇不了我了.不過他最近的這一篇文章卻讓我看見他的另外一面.裡頭他先從一部風靡法國的電影- Les Choristes (中譯:放牛班的春天)談到法國合唱團體的現況.再到合唱之美.最後這段

These choral societies need our support – not, for heaven’s sake, in the form of a Royal warrant or taxpayers' subsidy, but in recognising their importance to our communities as a bastion of liberty, fraternity and occasional riotous anarchy. Support your local choir. You never know when it might save your sanity.

雖然還是有點英式幽默.但也不難看出他對地區合唱團體的關心.這點倒是我從未去做的事.在GOOGLE打下"高雄市 合唱團".結果在高雄市社教資訊網有20幾個合唱團體.有提供鍵結的.都是死結.也只能多注意看看文化中心的公佈欄了.不過曲目可能會是我打退堂鼓的原因之一....