Today marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of French composer Claude Debussy (1862-1918), and there is to be a music festival, the “Debussy Touch,” themed on Debussy’s piano works starting tonight.
Led by music critic Chiao Yuan-pu as the music director, the festival will feature five top pianists — Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Dang Thai-son, Yen Chun-chieh, Pascal Roge, and Frank Braley — with a complete offering of Debussy’s works for solo piano in five marathon-like programs, in a series of 10 concerts in Taiwan over the course of three months, beginning tonight until mid-November. Given Chiao’s fascinating insight, the festival, which is the first of its kind in Taiwan, will be a great opportunity for quality-conscious music lovers.
French pianist Bavouzet — best known for his authentic interpretation of Debussy’s works — will kick off the music festival on the evenings of Debussy’s birthday today in Greater Taichung and Friday in Taipei. His magnificent two-hour performances will include a program of First Arabesque, Preludes, Book II, Images, Book I, Etudes, Book I, the Asia premiere of his own transcription of Debussy’s late ballet piece Jeux, and others.
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Known for his unique harmonic freedom and musical colors, Debussy did not want his works be categorized. Nevertheless, many of the titles he chose for his works — such as La Mer, with a rich depiction of the ocean; “Reflets dans l’eau” in Images, Book I; “Poissons d’or” in Images, Book II; ”Pagodes” and “Jardins sous la pluie” in Estampes; “Voiles,” “Des pas sur la neige,” and “La fille aux cheveux de lin” in Preludes, Book I; and “Brouillards” and “Feux d’artifice” in Preludes, Book II — suggest that visual experiences were often the starting point for Debussy’s compositions.
According to the organizers, Debussy’s palette transcends the sense of colors and the play of light and shade to allude to scenes that no modern technology can fully describe. Debussy’s music was ahead of its time and remains as potent today as when it was first written. His works are not only frequently performed, but are also often used in films, television shows and advertisements. Debussy is known for being one of the most ubiquitous classical music composers today.
Besides Bavouzet, the subsequent concerts will feature five more pianists: Dang, first-prize winner at the International Chopin Piano Competition, will explore the exotic quality and oriental landscape of Debussy’s music, such as Estampes, from an Asian poet’s perspective. Yen, third-prize winner at the Prokofiev International Competition, will interpret the differences and similarities between Debussy and his contemporary Joseph-Maurice Ravel (1875-1937). Roge, first-prize winner at the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud Competition, will reconstruct the young Debussy and the shimmering effects of light projected through water ripples from Debussy’s pen. Roge will also share the stage with his wife Ami to play a rarely performed four-hand piano transcription of La Mer.
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Lastly, Braley, first-prize winner at the Queen Elizabeth Competition, will make his Taiwan debut in November. He will explore the unique perspective of Debussy — one of the most instinctive musicians whose innovations started the breakdown of the old system, placing him well ahead of his time. For the complete concert programs and ticketing information, visit Asia Music & Arts at www.asiamusicarts.com.tw.
(Lin Ya-ti, Taipei Times)
今天是法國作曲家克勞德‧德布西(一八六二年─一九一八年)一百五十歲生日,而一系列以德布西鋼琴音樂為主題的「德布西150 Debussy Touch音樂節」,也將於今晚揭幕。
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在音樂節音樂總監焦元溥策劃下,五位國內外頂尖鋼琴家尚─艾弗藍‧巴佛傑、鄧泰山、嚴俊傑、帕斯卡‧羅傑與法蘭克‧布雷利,將從今晚起至十一月中旬的三個月期間,連番登「台」獻藝,以五套曲目、十場音樂會演完德布西鋼琴獨奏作品全集。透過焦元溥獨到之見,這場堪稱國內創舉的音樂節,將會是愛樂者聆賞優質音樂會的好時機。
被譽為演奏德布西權威的法國鋼琴家巴佛傑,將在德布西冥誕的今晚於台中與週五於台北,帶來長達兩小時的壯麗演出,為音樂節揭開序幕。曲目包括《阿拉貝斯克》第一號、《前奏曲》第二冊、《印象》第一冊、《練習曲》第一冊等,還有巴佛傑親自改編德布西晚年的芭蕾舞作《遊戲》。
德布西並不希望自己自由的音樂和聲與色彩被任意歸類,但是從其作品標題來看,不免讓人聯想,其音樂創作與視覺經驗的關聯性。例如對海有豐富刻畫的作品《海》、《印象》第一冊中的「水中倒影」、《印象》第二冊中的「金魚」、《版畫》中的「塔」與「雨中庭園」、《前奏曲》第一冊中的「帆」、「雪上的足印」與「棕髮少女」,以及《前奏曲》第二冊中的「霧」與「煙火」等。
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主辦單位表示,德布西以音符,便能造出連現代科技都無法描繪出的色彩和光影,不僅穿透時代的目光,其作品更是歷久彌新,除音樂會經常被演出外,也是許多電影、電視及廣告配樂的最愛,堪稱最接近當代大眾生活的古典音樂作曲家之一。
巴佛傑之外,陸續登場的還有五位鋼琴家:蕭邦國際鋼琴大賽首獎得主鄧泰山將以亞洲詩人之眼,探索德布西音樂裡的異國風情與《版畫》裡的東方山水;普羅高菲夫國際鋼琴大賽季軍的嚴俊傑,將詮釋身處同一個時代,兩位奇才德布西與約瑟夫─莫里斯‧拉威爾(一八七五年─一九三七年)的異與同;隆─提博大賽冠軍得主羅傑將重現德布西青年時代及其筆下波光瀲灩的水色,並與鋼琴家妻子亞美合作演出罕見的四手聯彈版交響詩《海》。
最後,十一月首度訪台的伊莉莎白皇后大賽桂冠布雷利,將一窺意念勝過曲式並永遠活在未來的德布西,獨特的時代視野。音樂節曲目及購票資訊,請洽亞藝藝術www.asiamusicarts.com.tw.
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(台北時報記者林亞蒂)
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