February 23rd, 2005 城市發展與音樂

MS 問我，如果有機會訪問李歐梵，會問甚麼?
我想知道他對樂團和城市發展的關係有甚麼看法。
十九世紀出現越來越多的大城市，致令很多交響樂團的蓬勃發展。
但二次大戰以後，資本主義繼續盛行，人民生活水平上升，
但是卻越來越多交響樂團出現困難？

十九世紀初的巴黎和十九世紀的巴黎真的很不同。
世紀之初，巴黎還沒有輻射式的交通網絡，
後來拆了很多舊樓，擴建大型的 Boulevard 。
從馬車到汽車、火車的出現。
蕭邦的時代主要在私人 Salon 表演。
而德布西經常蒲咖啡店。可見商業化的迅速。
到後來越來越多 concert hall,越來越多橫跨歐洲的巡迴表演。
報紙和樂評的興起，
巴黎歌劇院最初從法國式的輕歌劇，到後來被華格納的大型歌劇蓋過。
因為火災付諸一炬，之後竟然被 Stravinsky 的 Ballet 主導。…
不同年代的音樂家的生活實在太不同了。
誰又敢說甚麼會是永恆的經典？
到了今日，所謂的作曲家再不會寫譜，而在電腦打譜，還一樣嗎？
是否有些東西已經喪失了，消逝了？

Only in the late 19th century, can we see such giant designer, who write for large orchestra, large opera groups like Wagner. It is in fact related to the development of metropolis, industralization and capitalism. It is the modernistic thinking that the civilization must advance, and an elite, a great designer (or say dictator) should design everything, and other people just enjoy their design.

Yet we see a break down of moral believes, from the violence, sexual and brutal scenes from Salome, Elektra, Pelleas et Melisande, etc. We know that it is the best moment, yet the worst moment of western civilization. It is going to fall until the big disasters in 20th century.

Now, communism is gone, and capitalism remains, however, everything comes to boredom, we are just bourgeoise - capitalism wins? but it is still bringing disaster to human beings.

Waltz in the middle 19th century is something eligant, noble, like those written by Johann Strauss “noble”. However, the Waltz has become distorted in Richard Strauss and Ravel’s music - the elegance become something strange in the modern world.