One of Britain’s most prestigious orchestras has performed to a rather unusual audience — row upon row of plants, in an attempt to see whether the music helps them grow.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performed a three-hour recital in Cadogan Hall in London two weeks ago, with 33 musicians playing pieces including Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor, it announced Thursday.
In front of them were more than 100 different varieties of plants and bulbs including geraniums, fuschias and perennials.
Photo: AFP
照片：法新社
“We’ve played some unusual recitals before but this has to be one of the strangest,” said the orchestra’s conductor, Benjamin Pope.
“The audience was the most fragrant we have ever played to although it was slightly unnerving to see row upon row of bowed heads instead of applauding human beings.
“Hopefully the sound of classical music resonated with the plants and will result in a genuine growth spurt over the spring months.”
The recital was organized by shopping channel QVC to test the contested theory that the reverberation of sound waves stimulates protein production in plants and may lead to increased growth.
A 45-minute album based on the performance, The Flora Seasons: Music to Grow To, is available free to download to allow keen gardeners to make up their own minds about its influence.
The plants are also available to buy.
(AFP)
英國最具威望的樂團這回演奏給很奇特的聽眾─一排排的植物，主要是為瞭解（古典）音樂是否對植物生長有所助益。
皇家愛樂管弦樂團上週四宣布，該樂團三十三位團員在兩週前於倫敦卡多根音樂廳，演奏包括莫札特G小調第四十號交響曲等多首曲目，時間長達三小時。
在他們面前是超過百種植物與鱗莖，包括天竺葵、吊鐘花與多年生植物。
樂團指揮班傑明‧波普說，「我們以前舉辦過一些別開生面的演奏會，不過這次是最奇特的。」
他說，「演奏完後面對的是一排排植物而非鼓掌人群，雖令人有些不安，不過它們是我們演奏對象中最香的。」
他說，「希望古典音樂的聲響能與植物產生共鳴，並且在春天的月份裡讓它們實質地快速生長。」
購物頻道QVC為測試遭受質疑的理論─音波回響會刺激植物產生蛋白質並且增加植物生長─主辦這場演奏會。
長達四十五分鐘的演奏專輯《花季：音樂讓百花盛開》（暫譯）可供免費下載，讓熱衷園藝人士自己決定它的影響力。
植物也可供購買。
（法新社／翻譯：林亞蒂）
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