il Giardino Romantico

**The following article is in Chinese (Traditional) only.
**本篇文章僅以繁體中文撰寫
 
圖片來源：NSO國家交響樂團臉書粉絲專頁

Merry Christmas! 聖誕快樂！สุขสันต์วันคริสต์มาส メリークリスマス 
Joyeux Noël ¡Feliz Navidad! Buon Natale 
Fröhliche Weihnachten!
Thank you, family, friends, and readers of the blog, for your support throughout the year. I do apologize for being so lame at Christmas cards this year. If you did not get one you rightly deserve, please forgive me. I will be better prepared next year, I promise.  
Last year, I didn't have enough time to prepare for this, but I'm hoping this will become a tradition - to share one Christmas carol every year (until I get tired of it). This year, I decided to share with you 'The Holly and the Ivy.' Below the video clip are the lyrics to the song. The Chinese is a very crappy translation of the English. Enjoy. 
謝謝親朋好友以及各位讀者這一年以來的支持！今年卡片寄送的狀況實在不是很理想，還請大家多多見諒！明年我保證會更盡力！
去連來不及寫這個系列，今年趕快來補一下希望可以成為每年的傳統—聖誕歌分享！今年跟大家分享的是「冬青與常春藤」。希望大家會喜歡。影片下方有歌詞。中文部分是我自己胡亂翻譯，請大家多多包涵。


 

Only for about a month every year, are you allowed to listen to Christmas carols.  Every year, a different carol makes me want to listen to it over and over again.  I'd wanted to share 'We Three Kings' last Christmas, but as I was too busy handling course work and social life, I couldn't find time to write about it.  That's why it has been delayed until now.  Unlike the carols I've previously shared, namely, 'Once in Royal David's City' and 'In Dulci Jubilo', this one has less of a history.  Rev. John Henry Hopkins, Jr., composed this carol in 1857, New York.  A UK-fanatic like me, introducing a Christmas carol originating from the States?  Lord almighty, it must be one heck of a carol!
每一年只有大約一個月的時間可以聽聖誕歌。而每一年都會被不同首聖誕歌感動到百聽不厭。其實這一首『We Three Kings (of Orient Are)』在去年就想介紹了。不過礙於當時忙著兼顧學業以及社交活動，沒能來得及介紹。只好留到今年才與大家分享。這一首不同於前幾年介紹的『Once in Royal David's City』和『In Dulci Jubilo』，歷史上並沒有前面幾首來的要長久。作曲家Rev. John Henry Hopkins, Jr.在1857年的紐約創作了這首歌曲。天仙這個英國狂，竟然破天荒的介紹了一首出自於美國的聖誕歌，可見一定是相當好聽的吧！！

我可以一天不喝咖啡。但我不可以一天不聽貝多芬。其實我對古典音樂沒有多了解。就是喜歡聽。雖然寫過很多篇關於貝多芬的文章，但由於音樂是我不熟悉的領域。每一次寫新的一篇，好像都有許多不同新的認知與感觸。第一次被深深感觸到，是某天拖著疲憊的身體回家路上iPod上播放著『第五號鋼琴協奏曲 - 皇帝』。記得當時回家一看到某人就迫不及待的跟它說：我簡直不敢相信這世間上竟然會有這麼美妙的旋律！
用iPod聽了一陣子的貝多芬之後，也開始漸漸的學習去兩廳院聽現場演奏。不是幾乎，而是每一次聽，都要感動一次。過了不久，我的iPod空間全部都被貝多芬的曲目霸佔去了。如果一整天沒事，外出看書，我可以從第一號交響曲聽到第九號交響曲。隔天再從第一號鋼琴協奏曲聽到第五號鋼琴協奏曲。每一天隨著不同的心情選擇不同的曲目來作當天的開場曲。而每一次聽，都會有不同的新發現。但是對於一個不懂音樂理論的人來說，在怎麼聽也只是純脆欣賞。
某天我突發奇想的去圖書館搬了幾本關於貝多芬的書回來看。其實這不是第一次藉由書籍了解貝多芬。但這次是第一次以音樂而不是名人背景的角度去了解這位偉大的作曲家。我承認，書看完了，沒有很懂。但當我看到許多在他之後的作曲家紛紛因為他而受到影響，我不得不增加我對他的敬愛。其中最讓我感到訝異的是華格納對貝多芬的敬畏。我還是必須強調我是門外漢，但感覺上華格納對於其他作曲家的評論可以說是非常的嚴厲。但唯獨貝多芬是被他從頭到尾都敬佩著的作曲家。而無論華格納他承不承認，從他的音樂中真的可聽出許多貝多芬的成份在裡面。這一切的一切，最主要都是因為第九號交響曲對音樂界的影響。
在Chretien Urham的書中，作者提到第九號交響曲是貝多芬的『倫理自傳』。
天仙不負責任翻譯：『第一樂章，Urhan稱他為"災難之夜"的象徵。它是一個目睹貝多芬靈魂中所承受的暴風雨的作品。第二樂章呈現了作曲家活潑地在大自然前舞步著。而慢板則代表了一種純真卻又帶了一點憂鬱以及感傷的愛。在結尾中我們看到了作曲家駁回了唯物論，而在上帝的面前追尋著心靈上的慰藉。』
而華格納也寫到自己對於第九號交響曲後的反應：
天仙不負責任翻譯：『當我第一次看完樂譜，我立即的感受到了命運般的影響。從第一樂章開頭的純五度：這些音，像是發出自己內心深處般。此交響曲的確藏著所有祕密中的祕密。而我，忙碌的將樂譜抄了一遍。某次，在我徹夜抄譜之後，我記得我被我自己亢奮的狀態給嚇到，而躲進棉被裡大叫了一番。就像被鬼魂給嚇到般。』
其實我看不懂樂譜。從小到現在也因為陰錯陽差，什麼樂器也沒學到。但在認識了一個對音樂跟我對文學一樣有熱忱的Jason之後，我對音樂的看法變得很不一樣。因為一個耳鳴作曲家所創造出來的美麗旋律，感動了我。因為他，我也開始接觸及認識我最沒興趣的德文。
第九號交響曲還有一點值得欽佩的地方！如果你親眼看過現場的演奏，你就會知道第九號交響曲究竟要用到多少人才能夠順利的演出成功。而每一個表演者，包括了指揮家，需要花費多少力氣精神以及時間去跟所有其他的表演者配合著？在這種壯觀的場面下，聽著這完美無比的曲子，你會相信這是一位聽不見的作曲家創造出來的曲子嗎？

[NO PART of this essay may be reproduced or cited without the prior consent of its author! ]

With true art, comes endless inspiration. Shakespeare left us with not just 154 sonnets and 38 plays, but a fountain of never-ceasing inspiration, which have influenced many other artists in all realms.  An opportunity arose for me to view the operatic adaptation of two titles that would immediately be linked to Shakespeare – Julius Caesar, or Giulio Cesare, and Hamlet.  Both being composed and performed by world-class artists, offered a new light to the analysis of the original Shakespearean plays.
Julius Caesar, or Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Julius Caesar in Egypt), was written by George Fredrick Handel in 1724.  Its original Italian libretto was written by Nicola Francesco Haym, who had collaborated with Handel on many other occasions.  The version which will be discussed here was performed in English with Janet Baker as Julius Caesar and Valerie Masterson as Cleopatra.  Having little to do with the Shakespearean play, which mainly deals with the betrayal of his friend, Brutus, and his assassination long after his victorious moments in Egypt, this can be considered a prelude to it.  The plot begins with the exultation of victory in battle against Pompey, who has fled to Egypt.  Ptolemy, Cleopatra’s tyrannous brother sends Caesar a gift in the form of Pompey’s head.  The gift was meant to fortify the relationship between their two empires, however Caesar was mortified by the humiliation inflicted upon Pompey.  Cleopatra plans a trip to Rome and meets Caesar.  She is disguised as a servant girl and tells Caesar of Ptolemy’s tyrannous actions.  She also overhears Pompey’s widow, Cornelia, and her son talk of avenging their father’s murder.  She reveals her true identity to them and assures them that they will have her support.  In Egypt, Cornelia and Sesto are both caught and imprisoned.  While Cleopatra further seduces Caesar, she eventually reveals her identity to him.  However, a riot starts about the palace and forces Caesar to leave the palace.  With Cleopatra captured and Caesar’s legion seemingly defeated, Caesar despairs.  He soon discovers a few of his loyal and surviving soldiers and returns to save Cleopatra.  The opera ends with the coronation of the rightful queen of Egypt and yet another exultation of Caesar’s victory.
Since the plot is different, it would be meaningless to compare.  However, this baroque opera may not suit the taste of many Shakespearean scholars.  Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is depicted as the epitome of manhood, a true hero, and a prince who rose too high and thus had a great fall.  In Handel’s opera, the role is originally given to a alto castrato.  Since they no longer practice the act of castrating young men in order to preserve their high-pitched voices.  The role is now performed by a mezzo-soprano or even a soprano rather than a more robust and manly bass baritone, or perhaps a tenor.  That may be justified by the fact that Handel’s piece was more of a romance where a man’s effeminacy and sentimentality must prevail over all his other, more manly character traits. 
This piece was written no too long after the death of Shakespeare.  After considering all factors of influence, including history, politics, and artistic development, it can be said that this adaptation offers an interesting comparison to that of Shakespeare’s fall of prince tragedy.
The nineteenth century French composer, Ambroise Thomas composed the music for the French opera, Hamlet.  The libretto, by Michel Carre and Barbier, was based on the Shakespearean Hamlet, but also used the French adaptations by Alexander Dumas and Paul Meurice as reference. Being a mere dilettante in opera, I would have ignorantly dismissed this work if it had not been for Natalie Dessay’s role as Ophelia. 
Though this version diverges only slightly from the original, there are some interesting aspects to it that a stage play might not be able to apply.  The use of colors vastly intensifies the themes of the story and emphasizes each of the character’s overt personality and character trait.  Gertrude, for instance, has two outfits - one of them a bright golden yellow, the other a darkish purple, both colors of royalty.  On the other hand, Ophelia wears a white dress, which highlights her innocence and naivety.  The scene where she stabs herself creates greater feeling of horror and grievance in the audience because her red blood flows against the background of her white nightdress.  The same effect can be seen in an earlier scene where Hamlet spills wine on the white tablecloth after the players’ performance of the supposed murder of his father. 
Lighting also plays an important role in this production, especially during the parts where the ghost appears. At other times, it is an additional tool, which enhances the distance and relationships amongst the characters.  With the help of music and the brilliant voice performances of these world-class singers, the production becomes an interesting perspective to the Hamlet legend.
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, most of the major characters end up dead.  However, in Thomas’ version, the world is brought back to order through Hamlet’s killing of the usurper king, Claudius.  He remains alive, and is in the end, celebrated as the new king.  Hardly a ‘fall of princes tragedy’, is it?  Though, considering the fact that his only love has sacrificed her life for practically no reason at all, it is, nonetheless, still a tragedy in that perspective. 
It is not fair to juxtapose all adaptations of a certain work and crucify them for not remaining loyal to the original.  As stated in the beginning of this writing, true art should act as a medium of inflicting inspiration.  If this had been a stage play, a movie, or even a dramatized audio version, then perhaps it would be fair to condemn a production for diverting too far away from Shakespeare’s original.  Yet, in the case of an operatic production, there is much more than just the plot to be observed and ‘heard’.  The music should be the main focus, and the vocal performance should be the next important aspect to be judged upon.  Nonetheless, any kind of world-class production of Shakespearean plays offers the audience, and scholars, a new perspective on the characters, plot, and themes of the plays. 

Natalie Dessay sings the Bell Song from Leo Delibes's Lakme
最先因為這個aria迷上他的聲音。
這次又被她在『Hamlet』中飾演的Ophelia深深吸引到。雖然與莎翁作品同名，但內容有點不太一樣。莎翁寫的是悲劇。在劇中結尾大家都死光。不過在這個十九世紀作曲家Ambroise Thomas的版本裡，許多該死的角色都沒死。不能與原著的"fall of princes tragedy"混唯一談。
本版本裡的服裝有點現代感。起初會讓人有點覺得與劇情格格不入，看到後來會發現對於色彩、燈光的巧妙採用搭配的非常好。不過對一個不太懂現代藝術的我來說，剛開始的確是看得有點不太習慣。頻頻對自己大喊：『這不是莎老頭！這不是莎老頭！！』

又是一場去年錯過的音樂會。雖然票價遠遠超出我的預算...[本來還打算去4/1的Salvatore Licitra...]不過因為恰好就在我生日前天，乾脆就這天來提早過生日。這就是給自己的生日禮物啦！
演出曲目：
布拉姆斯：D大調小提琴協奏曲，作品77 (小提琴|齊奈德)
Brahms : Violin Concerto in D Major, Op.77 (Violin Nikolaj Znaider)
柴可夫斯基：B小調第六號交響曲，作品74《悲愴》
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op.74, Pathetique
透納吉：給漢斯的搖籃曲
Turnage：Lullaby for Hans
亨策：給弦樂的奏鳴曲
Henze: Sonata per archi (Sonata for strings)
明天還有！
購買3/19場次

記得小學至高中聽到的聖誕歌幾乎都是平時會聽到的那些：Deck the Halls, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, White Christmas...and the list goes on.
但似乎沒有一首是自己最喜愛的。
到了大學聽到Mariah Carey 的 All I Want for Christmas is You 以及 George Michael 的 Last Christmas，不知道是為了趕上潮流還是真的喜歡，不知不覺這兩首成了心中的最愛。
不過是一直到開始教書認識Jason後才漸漸的發現有winter songs, songs about Christmas, 以及 Christmas carol的差別。仔細想想還真的呢。
如果問台灣的非基督教小朋友聖誕節是什麼樣的一個節日，直覺上他們好像會告訴你是聖誕老公公的日子。雖然教學最好是不要與宗教信仰扯上關係，但聖誕節除了是許多西方國家重要的節日之外，更是基督教的盛大慶典。這，也是不可否認的事實。

"Oh you men who think or say that I am malevolent, stubborn, or misanthropic, how greatly you wrong me. You do not know the secret cause which makes me seem that way to you....Yet it seemed impossible for me to say to people, 'Speak louder, shout, for I am deaf.' Ah, how could I possibly admit an infirmity in the one sense which ought to be more perfect in me than others..."1

---

237年前，貝多芬出生了。他的一生過的並不快樂。身為一個音樂家，卻漸漸的耳鳴。到最後，幾乎什麼也聽不到。但在我心裡，就是因為這樣使得他更偉大。

The reason why everything tangible is obsolete is because that is the natural order of this universe.  For everything, there is birth, and then there is death.  For that makes up the universal duality. 
The birth of my passion for classical music was impregnated by my first iPod - iPod shuffle.  It was the best investment I had ever made.  It helped me discover Vivaldi's invigorating depiction of the four seasons, the spell-bounding symphonies of Beethoven, and later it became my very own private tutor of Spanish, Italian, German, and even French.
After  a continual complaint about not being able to see the details of the songs I'm listening to, a new iPod soon came into my life - iPod Nano.  It was just as good, but even better.  I continued to let it inspire me.
I love not being able to decide whether I should read and listen to a symphony, or do a half-hour language session every day as I leave for work.
I love that my little personal orchestra plays exactly what I ask it to play and whenever I want it to play.  Karajan, Corelli, Kempf, and Menuhin, always at their best and at my disposal.  Just a click and turn, and they will all promptly perform their magic on me.  I am the queen in this world.
But as the days go by, the acoustics slowly fade away.  The inspiration that first started out as a fierce blazing fire, now dimming down to the last flicker.  However well they play, the mind seems to have forgotten what it felt like.  Inspiration, in the words of the Romantics is a spontaneous overflow of very powerful feelings.  Like a waterfall.  Powerful.  Unstoppable. Well, now, it dribbles drop by drop like a broken tap. 
Time to celebrate the birth of a new inspiration.  The trumpets will blow and hats will be taken off in honor of the old worn-out earphones.  They have served me well. 
Bidding farewell is indeed, difficult.  Nevertheless, sorrow ends as soon as the new arrives. 
Today my orchestra is revived.  Once again, Bartoli's Lascia Ch'io Pianga is able to squeeze out a droplet of tear.  I am the rider of the Valkyries.  The canvas of dusk in this chaotic city becomes another masterpiece of God, as my choir sings Missa Solemnis into my ears.
The concept of aesthetics is not elusive.  But you do need the right tools to help you get a good start.  I walk bravely onward from my past into the future as my mechanical pendant, my amulet, hangs blessing-fully around my neck.  No matter how the world should overwhelm me with the most nefarious sounds, I will be ready.  It is my shield and my sword.  Polished and renewed.  It's exactly the thing I need to  become even more secluded than I already am, from the rest of the world.