연주곡 Wedding March - Horowitz

[산소같은 나]

호로비츠가 1946년 11월 22일 직접 연주한 멘델스존/호로비츠의 'Wedding March'입니다.
이 곡은 호로비츠가 멘델스존의 곡을 직접 편곡한 곡으로서 리스트의 편곡과 상당히 다르죠.
볼로도스는 1998년 10월 21일 카네기홀 데뷔 공연에서 앵콜로 호로비츠가 편곡한 이 곡을 연주했었는데,
멘델스존의 원곡에서 scherzo 와 love theme을 편곡한 부분은 빼고 연주했죠~
볼로도스와 호로비츠의 연주를 자세히 비교한 글을 첨부하니 관심 있으신 분은 읽어보세요 ^^;

Figure 1


Figure 2


Figure 3


Figure 4


Wedding March (arranged by Horowitz)

1) Vladimir Horowitz (rec. Nov 22, 1946, RCA 7755)
2) Arcadi Volodos, 4'19" (rec. Oct 21, 1998, Sony SK 60893)

Arcadi Volodos made his Carnegie Hall debut on October 21, 1998, and the event was released on a Sony CD entitled Arcadi Volodos Live at Carnegie Hall his second CD. It contains most of the pieces he played at that recital: Liszt/Horowitz Hungarian Rhapsody No.15, four pieces by Scriabin, three pieces by Rachmaninoff, Schumann Bunte Blatter Op.99, and Mendelssohn/Horowitz Variations on the Wedding March. (There is at least one piece that is not included on the CD, namely Volodos own Variations on a Theme from Glinka Russlan and Lyudmilla. Fortunately, it can be viewed at the Volodos web site at http://www.volodos.com.) In my opinion, this disc is far superior to his first CD released in 1996. Here, I compare the Wedding March from that CD with Horowitz's own recording made in 1946, and we will see that V (=Volodos) beats H (=Horowitz) with his more lyrical and thoughtful approach.

The RCA CD refers to this piece as "Mendelssohn-Liszt-Horowitz: Wedding March and Variations", while the Sony CD calls it "LISZT: Variations on Mendelssohn's 'Wedding March' (after Horowitz)". However, this work actually has very little resemblance to Liszt's transcription, and therefore I prefer to call it "Mendelssohn/Horowitz's Wedding March".

Volodos played this piece as an encore, and the audience laughed when they recognized it. I don't like the way V starts the piece - he uses too much pedal. Other than that, V is better than H in the first minute or so. In this section of the piece, the main theme comes up three times. Both H and V play the first appearance of the theme softly. In the second time around (H0:31, V0:29), H is already banging, but V is much more restrained, playing mf only, holding his energy in check until the third time (H0:58, V0:56). I particularly like the way V teases the audience in the second time around. He plays the first chord (V0:29) quite loud, and the first time I listened to this recording I anticipated that he would play the rest just as loud. But he surprised me by hitting the second chord (V0:30) much softer, and the rest of that phrase even more softly (see Fig.1).

In H's recording, when the introduction is over, there is an extended section (H1:11-2:59) with the scherzo and love theme from Mendelssohn's original Wedding March. In V's performance, however, this entire section is deleted. In my opinion, this is a clever move. This work is a set of variations based on a theme presented in the first minute. The scherzo and love theme don't show up again in the subsequent variations, and are therefore superfluous. By cutting out this section, the piece is now neatly organized into three parts: the theme, the variations, and a grand finale. Nevertheless, there is some nice playing in this "superfluous" section in H's recording, especially the love melody, which he sings out beautifully. In H's version, the transition from this "superfluous" section to the first variation is an awkward triplet at H2:58. V replaces this whole section and this lame transition by repeating V0:22-0:29, and then jumping right into the first variation.

V is better than H everywhere in the variations (H3:00-4:46, V1:16-3:04). First, V improves the measure at H3:05-3:06 (V1:21-1:22) and again at H3:28-3:29 (V1:44-1:45), which doesn't make much sense in H's version, by adding syncopated notes in the left hand (see Fig.2). In addition, V's playing is more lyrical, gentle, expressive and relaxed than H's. For example, compare V1:35-1:38 with H3:19-3:22, the left hand at V1:53-1:56 with that at H3:37-3:40, V2:10-2:15 with H3:55-3:59, and the double notes in the right hand at V2:40-2:52 with those at H4:23-4:34. H seems to be playing mindlessly, rushing through the notes without giving much thought, and sometimes even with brute force. Not only V beats H in interpretation - he also seems to be better in terms of technique. For instance, V's right-hand fast single notes at V2:28-2:40 are considerably more even than H's at H4:11-4:22, which are chopped up into groups of six notes each as he tries to use the weight of his hand to help the relatively weak 4th and 5th fingers. V's thirds in V2:52-2:57 (H4:35-4:39) are also much more precise than H's, which are actually rather sloppy. These thirds are followed by more fast single notes, and V slows down slightly during these fast notes. I don't know whether he did this purposely or because he was unable to maintain the fast tempo. All I know is, such a slowdown is incredibly exciting! V executes the glissando at V3:03 (H4:45) much better than H as well.

For the rest of the work, H is in general better. This section of the piece is filled with octaves, which are H's forte. In comparison, V's octaves sound sluggish and monotonous. H holds the A in the left hand at H4:47 (V3:05) (as circled in Fig.3) longer than does V, and I like that. H brings out the lower notes at H4:59-5:04 (V3:18-3:23) better than V, and the chords at the top are also connected into a melody more skillfully by H. However, I like V at V3:34 (H5:15), where he strikes the bass octave more clearly and forcefully. I also like V in the measure at V3:58 to V3:59 (H5:38-5:40), where he suddenly speeds up, and the octaves in the left hand sound so electrifying! H seems to speed up a little too, but it is not obvious. V beats H again at V4:12 (H5:51), by hitting the four descending octaves in the left hand harder than when they appeared the previous time (at V4:10, or H5:49) (see Fig.4, with the second group of octaves circled). In contrast, H plays both groups of octaves the same way. At H5:53-5:55 (V4:13-4:16), V's interlocking octaves are slightly cleaner, although H's are more exciting.

From this comparison, it is clear that Volodos and Horowitz are two very different musicians. Volodos is more like a poet, excelling in his lyricism, whereas Horowitz is a virtuoso with demonic octaves and a thunderous sound (but of course these are not the only things Horowitz had!). Therefore, I think it is unwise of Volodos to copy Horowitz's repertoire. He should choose works that suit his temperament. I think the Schumann Bunte Blatter on this CD fits him perfectly, and I hope in the future he will play more similar pieces. Otherwise, he will always be thought of as a Horowitz wannabe, and his own voice will not be recognized.

Valery Kuleshov, second prize winner at the 9th Van Cliburn competition, recorded this work on his "Homage to Horowitz" CD on BIS CD 1188. Unfortunately, I haven't heard it yet.

(Nov 5, 2000)

[보라가 조아]

흐미~ 산소!!언니의 능력을 시험하시는건 아니지???그냥 음악만 들을께^^좋으네~ 14년전 그날두 생각나구~