今天在The China Beat博客上看到一本新书叫Gourmets in the Land of Famine,讲述了从1937年开始到41年最高峰的广东饥荒的来龙去脉。虽然按照Emily Hill的书评所述这本书有史料不足结论过于大胆之处,但是其将广东人对大米的挑剔作为饥荒的一个重要因素这一观点至少很有趣,恰好应验了“不食广东米”这句歇后语。莫非除了“嫌米贵”之外,“嫌米贱”也同样不知死活?——就好像“嫌钱腥”一样。书中也对当时的国民政府在农业问题上过于书生气(technocracy)而进行了批评,于是也可牵强地谓之“食贵米”了。
Not only the fermata but also pauses between the movements of a composition in several parts are far from unimportant for the “logic of musical time”. Every teachre who has seen a thing or two in his time will remember the pupil who plays in public and who, either from stage fright or a businesslike approach begins the second movement — a sombre adagio — when the sounds of the first jolly allegro have hardly died away. Thus, entirely different and perhaps even contradictory moods and emotions knock into each other as a result of such haste. Or on the contrary, the performer seems to go into a very long brown study; the pause between movements becomes an interval; you can smoke a cigerette or talk to the friend next to you. My advice to pupils: silence, pauses, etc., should be heard; they, too, are music.
The andante also found a favour, but particularly the last allegro because, having noticed that all last allegri here opened, like the first, with all instruments together and usually in unison, I began with two violins only, piano for eight bars only, then forte, so that at the piano (As I had expected) the audience said “Sh!” and when they heard the forte began at once to clap their hands.
I have been considering this matter of applause, a relic from the Dark Ages, a survival of customs at some rite or ceremonial dance in primitive times. When the request program blanks are circulated toward the close of the season I may incorporate a questionnaire on the applause topic and ask for you opinion.’
Now, if any of you in the audience are newcomers to classical music, and aren’t sure when to applaud, don’t be nervous. Apparently, President Kennedy had the same problem. He and Jackie held several classical-music events here, and more than once he started applauding when he wasn’t supposed to. So the social secretary worked out a system shere she’d signal him through a crack in the door to the cross-hall. Now fortunately, I have Michelle to tell me when to applaud. The rest of you are on you own.
假鼓掌在十九世纪的音乐会场一度十分普遍。音乐厅和经纪人们为了提高音乐会或艺术家的身价,估意制造炙手可热的假象。例如故意请人把空位置坐满以制造“满场”的假象,故意花钱请很多马车夫在音乐厅门外排列,造成“许多名流会聚一堂”的假象等等。至于假鼓掌者(“claqueurs”)则更加常见,以至大家都心知肚名了。这些claqueurs除了要热烈鼓掌、起立、大喊bravo外,还要感动得落泪,比得上专业演员。美少妇落泪的情景,在诸如Heifetz、Szigeti等的演奏视频里经常看到。就算不落泪,也要作被征服状。似乎如果不是这些镜头的话,观众不知道现在该为乐曲感动。这些算得上是MV了。在这些MV的拍摄中一个经常出现的情况是乐团或钢琴伴奏的间奏部分被用于插入一些剧情。例如Heifetz演奏维尼亚夫斯基的波罗涅兹的视频里,中间一段钢琴伴奏的部分,镜头从Heifetz的小提琴上移开,听众席有一个人中途离场,跑到音乐厅外面的草众上大喊“Heifetz’s giving a free concert!”然后草地上休闲的人们闻声而跑入音乐厅,然后镜头又回到Heifetz的小提琴上,正好乐曲这时小提琴要进来了……Heifetz甚至参演过一个电影叫《They Shall Have Music》(1939),在电影里他扮演他本人。电影是讲述一个不良流浪儿在一次无意中的机会看了Heifetz的表演之后决定学音乐,加入了一个财政困难的穷人音乐学校的故事。Heifetz在电影里的表演了完整的圣桑《引子与回旋曲》,镜头几乎没离开过Heifetz,唯一离开的空当是中间一段纯乐团伴奏的部分,电影转而展示了不良少年的bad concert etiquette——乐曲中途离场。