12月16日 星期三 雪

雪天，一杯星巴克在手，聽電臺里傳出的熟悉而美妙樂曲，紀(jì)念貝多芬誕辰250周年！

貝多芬為每一種心情都提供了一些東西--在冥想時刻的舒緩旋律，伴隨運(yùn)動的活潑節(jié)奏; 有時兩種風(fēng)格在同一作品中醞釀共存。 

《月光》奏鳴曲是貝多芬去世后從一位批評家那里獲得的名字，這位評論家將其第一樂章的柔和色調(diào)與瑞士琉森湖上閃爍的月光進(jìn)行了比較。然而，在奏鳴曲的最后樂章，沉靜的水面上伴隨著月光的音樂發(fā)生了巨大的變化，仿佛岸上的冥想者被樹林中一只熊的出現(xiàn)嚇了一跳。瘋狂的最后樂章伴隨著意想不到但非常有必要的沖刺，朝著通往安全的月光小道前進(jìn)。

貝多芬為每個人都提供了一些東西。他的創(chuàng)造力不僅僅屬于他自己的時代和地域，而且是全世界和所有時代的遺產(chǎn)。他的某些旋律已廣為人知，以至于它們似乎永恒。《第五交響曲》的開場白和《第九交響曲》的輝煌的“歡樂頌”大結(jié)局是全世界共同音樂遺產(chǎn)的一部分。

對于我，一個幾乎沒有什么音樂知識的聽眾來說，辨別哪些樂器對管弦樂作品的綜合音色做出貢獻(xiàn)是一個巨大的挑戰(zhàn)。不過，欣賞交響音樂會的樂趣之一，就是觀察樂團(tuán)不同位置的音樂家演奏，尤其是在聆聽演奏熟悉作品的時候。

當(dāng)大多數(shù)樂團(tuán)成員正在演奏時，嘗試辨認(rèn)來自某一種樂器的音樂很有趣。那些受過音樂訓(xùn)練的人會理解各種樂器如何混合以產(chǎn)生我們聽到的交響聲音。富有創(chuàng)造力的天才在腦海中聽到原始的聲音，并且知道如何結(jié)合管弦樂隊(duì)的樂器來產(chǎn)生這種聲音。

貝多芬就是這樣的大師。他的作品獨(dú)具匠心，以至于他最有才華的繼任者，勃拉姆斯、門德爾松和馬勒等偉大的作曲家都對跟隨貝多芬的演奏感到膽怯。

由于對音樂、樂曲的長度和所需的樂隊(duì)規(guī)模比較熟悉，在辛村音樂廳聆聽貝多芬《第九交響曲》的演出是一次令人著迷的體驗(yàn)。提供作品名稱為“合唱”交響曲的合唱出現(xiàn)在第四/最后樂章中。合唱者在舞臺上站立了四分之三的時間后，終于等到了他們的發(fā)聲機(jī)會。長號演奏家并不那么顯眼。研究表明，此交響曲利用了三個長號，在第二和第四樂章中發(fā)出聲音。從我的角度來看，我只注意到一個孤獨(dú)的長號演奏者，直到交響樂的最后樂章才看到他舉起樂器。這表明貝多芬想要的聲音的特殊性。他知道長號可以做出的貢獻(xiàn)，并且知道何時需要它。

貝多芬第九交響曲“歡樂頌”大結(jié)局表達(dá)的主題之一就是歡樂將人們凝聚在一起。這種音樂經(jīng)常被用來表達(dá)人類的兄弟情誼。音樂本身就是這個主題的一個很好的例子。它令人愉悅的聲音已經(jīng)成為全世界人們都熟悉的主題。當(dāng)擁有共同的文化試金石時，沒有兩個人會是完全陌生的人。

關(guān)于“歡樂頌”的主題，鮮為人知的是，萬民的這種結(jié)合是在慈愛的上帝的注視下進(jìn)行的：

擁抱吧，萬民！

這一吻送給全世界！

兄弟們，星空的高處，

定住著慈愛的天父。

萬民，可曾跪倒？

可曾認(rèn)識造物主？

越過星空尋找吧，

他定在星際的盡頭！

貝多芬憑借著神似的音樂才能和無所不知的精神，權(quán)衡了樂團(tuán)各個組成部分以及合唱團(tuán)的貢獻(xiàn)，并將它們組合成永恒的藝術(shù)品。這為人類提供了一個典范，將他們天賦的才能結(jié)合起來，創(chuàng)造一個更美好的世界。

音樂是上天給人類最偉大的禮物，音樂可以解放思想、振奮精神、傳播友愛、并溫暖人心；生日快樂，路德維希·凡·貝多芬！

Cold and snowy day. A cup of Caffè mocha at hand. Music from the radio, celebrating Beethoven’s 250th anniversary.  

Beethoven offers something for every mood - soothing melodies for meditative moments and rousing rhythms to accompany exercise. Sometimes both styles exist within the same piece.  

The "Moonlight" Sonata acquired its name after Beethoven's death from a critic who compared the soothing tones of its first movement to moonlight shimmering on Switzerland's Lake Lucerne. But by the end of the sonata's three movements, the music that could accompany contemplation of moonlight upon quiet waters changes quite dramatically. It is as if the meditator upon the shore has been startled by the emergence of a bear from the woods. The frenzied final movement could accompany an unexpected but quite necessary sprint up a moonlit path to safety.

Beethoven offers something for every person. His creative output is a legacy that is for not just his own time and place but for all the world and all time. Some of his melodies have become so well known that they seem eternal. The portentous opening notes of the Fifth Symphony and the glorious "Ode to Joy" finale of the Ninth Symphony are part of the common musical heritage of the whole world. 

For a listener with little musical knowledge, it can be a supreme challenge to discern what instruments are contributing to the combined sound of an orchestral work. One of the joys of attending a symphony concert, particularly during the performance of a familiar work, is observing when musicians in different sections of the orchestra play. 

It is fun to try to isolate the music originating from a single instrument while most of the orchestra is playing. Those with musical training understand how the various instruments blend to produce the symphonic sound that we hear. It is the creative genius who hears an original sound in his head and knows how to combine the instruments of an orchestra to produce that sound.  

Beethoven was such a master. His works were of such originality that even his most talented successors, great composers such as Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Mahler felt intimidated trying to follow Beethoven's act.

Attending a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is a fascinating experience because of the familiarity of much of the music, the length of the piece, and the size of the orchestra required. The chorus that provides the work's name of the "Choral" symphony does not contribute to the performance until the fourth and final movement. For three-quarters of an hour they stand and wait for their opportunity to be heard.  Not as conspicuous are the trombone players. Research indicates that this symphony utilizes three trombones that lend their sound during the second and fourth movements. From my vantage point, I noticed only one lonely trombone player - and I did not see him lift his instrument until the final movement of the symphony. This indicates the specificity of the sound that Beethoven wanted.  He knew the contribution that the trombones could make and he knew when he wanted it.

One of the expressed themes of the "Ode to Joy" finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is that joy brings people together. The music has often been used to express the brotherhood of mankind. The music itself is an example of that very theme. Its joyful sound has become a theme that is familiar the world over. No two people can be complete strangers when they have such a cultural touchstone in common.

What is less well remembered about the theme of the "Ode to Joy" is that this union of all peoples takes place under the watchful eye of a loving God:

Seid umschlungen, Millionen!

Diesen Ku? der ganzen Welt!

Brüder, über'm Sternenzelt

Mu? ein lieber Vater wohnen.

Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?

Ahnest du den Sch?pfer, Welt?

Such' ihn über'm Sternenzelt!

über Sternen mu? er wohnen.

Be embraced, you millions!

This kiss is for the whole world!

Brothers, above the canopy of stars

must dwell a loving father.

Do you bow down before Him, you millions?

Do you sense your Creator, O world?

Seek Him above the canopy of stars!

He must dwell beyond the stars.

Beethoven, with his God-like musical talent and omniscience, weighs the contributions of various components of the orchestra, along with the chorus, and combines them into an eternal work of art. This provides a model for humankind to combine their God-given talents to create a better world.  

Music is the greatest gift God has given to mankind. Music can free your mind, lift your spirit, spread your love and warm your heart. Happy Birthday, Ludwig van Beethoven！