THE SHANGHAI QUARTET: CONQUER THE WEST WITH WESTERN MUSIC

THE SHANGHAI QUARTET: CONQUER THE WEST WITH WESTERN MUSIC

Among the most active quartet groups in the world, The Shanghai Quartet is no doubt one of the best. They are like diplomats who travel between China and the west, but they do it with music. Western audiences are often amazed by this group of Chinese who has so profound understanding of the Western music, while audiences from their home country learn from them that what it takes to enter the world stage, the extreme preciseness and confidence from the depth of the heart.

Text by Brooke Yan Translation by Bian Jiajin& Yishan Photos by Zeng Jian & Xu Tao

上海四重奏：用西方音樂征服西方

當今活躍在世界舞臺的四重奏里，上海四重奏，無疑屬于最頂級的組合之一。

他們就像一群游走在東西方之間的音樂外交家。西方觀眾驚嘆于東方人可以對自己文化理解如此深刻，東方觀眾驚嘆于世界舞臺的博大而能真正走入其中央的人，原來需要這樣精準的步伐與深沉的的自信。

At 8 p.m., Nov 18th, in the middle of the stage at Xinghai Concert Hall, there were nothing more than four music stands, four chairs, and one spotlight.

Among them four gentlemen in tuxedos who stepped towards the chair. They opened the score and signalled with eye contact, the Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 6 in F minor started.

The almost empty stage, at all a sudden, was filled with the vigourous melody and precise and elegant performance. Everyone's eyes and ears were attracted by the four people on the stage at a very time. The process took place neat and without redundant move.

The performance was The Shanghai Quartet Chamber Concert that have been put up on stages over 100 times all over the world. The four players have already got used to the process of marvelling audiences who have no idea what will happen with a fabulous, neat, and elegant start. In China where chamber music is still enjoyed by a niche of people, few audiences know that this quartet group with distinct Chinese mark has already been one of the best in the world.

“Once we played Haydn on a cruise ship. An Austrian old lady asked me seriously after she saw our show: 'How could you understand our music so thoroughly?' And another foreign artist said, what you are playing is what I can not draw.” The second violinist Jiang Yiwen says with a smile.

As an easterner, it's not easy to touch the western audience by performing the western music. “We don't have such kind of historical background, or such cultural popularization among the whole people as Meiji Restoration in Japan. When people hear our name, it's not Jewish or Japanese, they don't expect too much from us. In other words, if you just do as well as others, they still don't take a glance. But when you do much better than others, they have to pay attention and show some respect.” Says one of the founders and the first violinist of Shanghai Quartet, Li Weigang. “It's pretty much the same as language speaking. If you can just poorly say hello, it sounds absolutely not authentic enough. When you hear a westerner speaking better Chinese even than yourself, you think it's so impressive.”

“If not exposed to western culture, not able to master the language of music, we actually wouldn't have the right taste for the work, or say, we cannot feel the 'smell' of that person. Playing the violin is basically like communicating with an instrument. But when you can use only one sound, one gentle sound, or use only one level of strength, it's not possible to interpret different works. It's so-called the not-pure.”Says Jiang.During the rehearsal, the members were almost speaking English all the way. But someone who uttered some Chinese was the only American - cello Nicholas Tzavaras.“He is now learning Chinese, for he comes to perform in China very often, and he wants to know more about how the audience think.”says the viola, Li Honggang.

Now they have already experienced how to interpret western culture, and have wider and freer application of quartet. In 2003, Jiang Yiwen recomposed 24 Chinese folk songs and released the album Chinese Folk Songs, and this is till now their best-seller. “At first I tried to recompose for fun just because I missed my hometown so much. I didn't have an intention to spread Chinese culture among the Westerners. But if your work is good, you don't need to force anything and it will be appreciated. Just like the top Chinese art pieces in the auction house, people bid for them no matter how expensive they are.”Says Jiang.

Li Weigang explains,“ I think working on something is not for entering others' world. When you have an impure ambition, you cannot reach what you want. I believe everyone loves good music. We hope strongly that chamber music and quartet can gradually reach a high climax in China. Each has three or four groups, competing with each other. Because it's beautiful. As long as they are well performed, there are great shows and professional organizers, the audience will be cultivated."

2016年11月18日晚8:00，星海音樂廳的舞臺中央，四個譜架，四張椅子，聚光燈打在正上方，沒有任何多余。

三位東方面孔、一位西方面孔的紳士，身穿燕尾服走到臺前，翻開譜子、拉開樂器，簡單的眼神示意后，一起分毫不差地拉下《門德爾松：F小調四重奏作品80號》的第一個音。一瞬間，原本略顯簡單的舞臺，立刻光芒四射，充盈著激蕩飽滿的旋律與精準優雅的演奏。所有人的聽覺、視覺都緊緊地被舞臺上這四個人吸引。這整個變化過程，不需要任何多余。

每年在全世界演出近100場的上海四重奏，已經非常習慣中國觀眾的這種變化——從無預期瞬間變為驚艷。在室內音樂還沒有被太廣泛了解的中國，很少有人知道，眼前這幾張中國面孔以及名字中有明顯中國標記的四重奏組合，其實已經是世界公認的頂級水平。

“我想這需要一個過程，等他們聽過世界上各種優秀的四重奏組合后，就會對我們有一個更公正的評價。”第二提琴手蔣逸文微笑著說，他對此有足夠的自信。“有一次我們在一個郵輪上演奏海頓的作品，一個奧地利老太太聽完很嚴肅地問我：‘為什么你們可以對我們的音樂理解得這么透徹，而我們卻對你們的文化完全不了解？還有一個外國畫家說，你們演奏出來的顏色是我畫不出來的。”

要用西方的音樂打動西方觀眾，這個過程相當不容易。“中國沒有相關的歷史背景，也沒有類似日本明治維新的全民普及西方文化的過程。一開始，在國外演出時，人們聽到我們的團名，不是猶太人，也不是日本人，都不會抱著太高的期待。可以說，你如果跟別人演奏得一樣好，別人都不會朝你看一眼。你要比別人好很多，別人不得不看你，才能讓別人心服口服。”上海四重奏的創始人之一、第一小提琴李偉綱說，“就像說話一樣，如果只會洋腔洋調地打個招呼“你們好不好”，一聽就不像懂的。只有當一個西方人講中文講得比我還好，你就覺得好牛。而我認為，我們的優勢是最尊重作曲家原意，把偉大作品用我們覺得最恰當的方式，把它重新還原成活的東西。”

“如果沒有浸泡在對方的文化里，沒掌握到對方音樂的語言，其實就是沒有味兒（作品的味道），或者說有人味兒（造作感）。拉琴實際是用工具在說話，你要是只會拉一種聲音，只會用一種柔音，只會用一種力度，那就不能表達不同的文化背景作品，就是所謂的不地道的味道。”蔣逸文說。

在彩排現場，成員們基本全程用英文溝通，反而是唯一的美國大提琴手尼古拉斯·薩瓦拉斯偶然會冒出兩句中文。“他現在在學習中文，因為常常要來中國演出，他想了解觀眾們在想什么。”中提琴李宏剛說。

如今的上海四重奏早已過了只關注地道西方味的階段，而有了更寬廣的創作自由。2003年，蔣逸文改編了24首中國名曲發行了《中國歌謠》，這也是他們迄今最暢銷的一張專輯 。“最初我是因為懷念家鄉就試著改編著玩，并不帶著向西方人去傳播什么的目的。強迫人家去聽，像喂飯一樣肯定是不行的。好的東西你不用強制，別人都會來拿走。就像拍賣行里那些頂級的中國藝術品，再高的價也會有人買回去。”蔣逸文說。

“我覺得去做一個東西，不是為了進入別人的世界。你的目的不純，就做不到的。其實人都是喜歡好的音樂。我們特別希望在中國慢慢掀起演奏室內樂、四重奏的高潮，每個樂團都有三四個，大家爭先恐后的。因為它很好聽，只要拉得好，有高水平的演出，專業的組織者，就可以培養出觀眾。”李偉綱說。

30多年前，這幾位少年懷揣著對西方音樂殿堂的向往，從中國遠赴歐美踏上學習之路；30多年后，成為世界一流的他們，把理解到的西方音樂和西方文化精華，演繹“翻譯”給正在慢慢成長的中國觀眾——這樣一段人生歷程，一如它發生的時代充滿精彩。

“AS LONG AS YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLD, YOU WILL BE APPROVED BY EVERYONE”

NIHAO: Are there any troubles for Chinese people when learning Western classical music? Li:My thought is always that Western classical music is in nature not Chinese music, it's others. Therefore, it sets no limitations for me at all. I simply learn from anything great from them, regardless from Germany, Austria, or France, and that may result in a better accomplishment. While we were performing in Germany, some of the audience said that we should become German citizens, because what we played were totally authentic. And when we were performing in Hungary, the audience said we should become Hungarian honorary citizens. Hearing this, we feel very happy. The language may not be able to integrate, but at least the musical integration has been somehow realized.

NIHAO: Performing Chinese music in the western way, is it a good read of popularizing Chinese culture? Jiang:Actually I didn't think so much. Good music or good language which are easy to be understood will definitely be comprehended and then liked by others. I never thought of exploiting music to break out western culture, or to express something from China. When we self appreciate it, the audience will also like it. The songs that I decided to recompose were all widely known in 1970s, but many people would feel the beauty in the music is different, for there was no ensemble to interpret it or possibility to play it in different voice parts at that time like there is today. I am not purposely showing off that it is a Chinese song and must be played by Chinese to emphasise its roots. When the music wants to be globally recognised, it should have the nature to be played by anyone from any culture. He or she knows everything when having a first look at the music score, and there is no need to imitate anything. The features of Chinese folk music lie in the pentatonic scale, the glide and the like. Thus, these featured techniques are better just marked on the music score, but should not to be overacted to please the public. I just don't think that could realise the so-called Chinese tradition.

Li:The violin is in fact a very expressive instrument, especially in the quartet, for it includes four instruments. The advantage of Jiang is that he has been immersed in it for so many years. The rhythm, the accompany, and the detailed alternatives in the music have already become an instinct for him. He can freely express something by playing in a quartet, without the limits of styles and instruments. Furthermore, he's originally Chinese, and we all love this kind of music since we were young. Sometimes, nostalgic has it's own merits. As a girl puts on many vintage items, the colours and how they match are controlled by her, so the overall feel is still elegant. It has always a margin of aesthetics. When you cross the end, it becomes kitsch. At last, what we are pursuing is beauty.

NIHAO: What's changed most by the western world to you? Jiang:I believe it's the logics and the way of thinking. The criterion of excellence in western culture is your contribution to the world, rather than becoming the top class. There is no point of forcing others to recognise your work. As long as you think it's good, not only to your nation, but also to the whole world, everyone will finally approve you. And you don't even need to care about this approval. As long as that's really what you want to do, others' opinion has nothing to do.

Li:I think it's the attitude toward the world. After going abroad, I realised that there are different kinds of points of view. The conflicts between many cultures result from religion. People stick to their own viewpoints and regard others as wrong. Why not live together? Why are we always competing against each other?

“只要對世界有貢獻，誰都會來承認你”

NIHAO：中國人學習西方古典樂會不會有障礙？李：我的理念一直是西方古典樂本身就不是中國音樂，是別人的東西，這反而讓我沒有界限。只要好的我都學，不管是德國、奧地利、還是法國的，所以很有可能最終達到的高度更高。就像我們在德國演出，有聽眾說你們應該成為德國國民，因為聽到你們演出來的德國作品味道是最正宗的；到了匈牙利演出，又有聽眾說你們應該是匈牙利的榮譽國民（笑）。聽到這些挺開心的，語言未必可以達到完全的融入，但音樂是可以實現的。

NIHAO：用四重奏演繹中國音樂，會是傳播中國文化的好方式嗎？

蔣：其實我沒想那么復雜。好的音樂大家都容易懂，會自己領會，自己決定是否喜歡。我沒有想過利用它去突破西方的什么，表達中國的什么。我自己覺得好聽的，就覺得觀眾也會覺得好聽。我改編的一些中國70年代家喻戶曉的曲子，但很多人會感覺聽起來的美感非常不同，因為過去沒有用重奏的方式來解讀，加入不同聲部。我并不愿意刻意去突出，一定要中國人才能把它拉出中國味道。你既然要被國際上認可的話，應該是各種族的人都可以拉。他看了這個譜子就應該知道，而不用刻意去模仿什么。中國民樂比較獨特的地方比如說五聲音階、滑音，這種特別的技巧在譜子里標記出來就好，而不需要嘩眾取寵式地弄得全是這種滑來滑去的音，這不是我認為的中國味道。

李：小提琴其實是一種相當有表現力的樂器，四重奏表現力更強，因為它有四種樂器。蔣老師的優勢是多年浸泡在里面，不光是旋律，不光是伴奏，中間有很豐富的枝節變化，已經成為一種本能，可以很自由地用四重奏的形式去表達，不受原來的曲風、樂器的限制。而且，他骨子里還是一個中國人，我們也都喜歡這些從小就聽到的音樂。有時候，土的東西很有味道，你看有的女孩全用土布的東西，還是很漂亮，它的顏色、它的搭配有自己的語序，整體還是很雅的。它有一個基本審美的邊緣，過了那條線就是俗。

NIHAO：西方對你們改變最大的是什么？

李：我覺得是看世界的角度。出國后我發現，原來從這個角度可以看，從那個角度也可以看。很多文化之間的矛盾，都是你有你的宗教，我有我的宗教，但互相之間在固執自己的是對的 ，別人的是錯的。為什么不共處呢？為什么一定有高下？

蔣：我想是思維上的。西方衡量優秀的標準不是成為最頂級的，而是看你對世界的貢獻是什么。不用強迫別人去承認你的東西，只要這個東西是好的，是你發自內心想做的，而且不光對你的民族，對世界都是有貢獻的時候，誰都會來承認你。

The Shanghai Quartet and there Biography

上海四重奏和它的紀錄

Established:The Shanghai Quartet is formed at the Shanghai Conservatory in 1983.

成立：上海四重奏1983年成立于上海音樂學院。

Regularly tours:They regularly tours the major music centers of Europe, North America and Asia. Recent festival performances range from the International Music Festivals of Seoul and Beijing to the Festival Pablo Casals in France, Beethoven Festival in Poland, Yerevan Festival in Armenia and Cartagena International Music Festival in Colombia, as well as numerous concerts in all regions of North America. The Quartet has appeared at Carnegie Hall in chamber performances and with orchestra; in 2006 they gave the premiere of Takuma Itoh's Concerto for Quartet and Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

巡演：30多年來每季度前往歐洲、北美和亞洲的主要音樂中心舉行巡演，參加過首爾國際音樂節、北京音樂節、法國卡薩爾斯音樂節、波蘭貝多芬音樂節、亞美尼亞耶列萬音樂節、哥倫比亞卡塔黑納國際音樂節、澳大利亞墨爾本音樂節等。該團在卡內基音樂廳舉辦過多場室內樂演奏會、2006年在其大廳首演了伊藤琢磨為四重奏與樂隊所作的協奏曲。

The most distinguished artists they worked with:they have performed with the Tokyo, Juilliard and Guarneri Quartets, cellists Yo-Yo Ma and Lynn Harrell, pianists Menahem Pressler, Yuja Wang, Peter Serkin and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, pipa virtuosa Wu Man and the male vocal ensemble Chanticleer.

合作過的頂尖音樂家：瓜內利四重奏、朱利亞四重奏、東京四重奏、馬友友、林·哈雷爾 、梅納海姆·普萊斯勒 、彼得·瑟金 、讓-伊夫帝·博戴、吳蠻和香緹克利爾合唱團等。

Recordings:The Shanghai Quartet has an extensive discography of more than 34 ranging from the Schumann and Dvorak piano quintets with Rudolf Buchbinder to Zhou Long's Poems from Tang for string quartet and orchestra with the Singapore Symphony (BIS). Delos released the Quartet's most popular disc, Chinasong: a collection of Chinese folk songs arranged by Yi-Wen Jiang reflecting on his childhood memories of the Cultural Revolution in China. In 2009 Camerata released the Quartet's recordings of the complete Beethoven String Quartets, a seven-disc project.

唱片：總共發行34張唱片，包括與魯道夫·布赫賓德合作的舒曼和德沃夏克鋼琴五重奏、周龍為四重奏與管弦樂團譜寫的《唐詩》、2003年發行的迄今最暢銷的專輯《中國歌謠》、2010年七張全套貝多芬四重奏等。

Media projects:Including a cameo appearance playing Bartok's String Quartet No. 4 in Woody Allen's film Melinda and Melinda to PBS television's Great Performances series. Violinist Weigang Li appeared in the documentary From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China, and the family of cellist Nicholas Tzavaras was the subject of the film Music of the Heart, starring Meryl Streep.

媒體項目：在伍迪·艾侖的電影《雙生美蓮達》中客串演奏、參演美國PBS電視臺的系列片《偉大的演出》。李偉綱曾出現在奧斯卡最佳紀錄片《從毛澤東到莫扎特：斯特恩在中國》，由梅麗爾·斯特里普主演的電影《弦動我心》故事來自大提琴手尼古拉斯 ·薩瓦拉斯的家庭。

Serves Position:They serves as Quartet-in-Residence at the John J. Cali School of Music, Montclair State University, New Jersey, Ensemble-in-Residence with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and visiting guest professors of the Shanghai Conservatory and the Central Conservatory in Beijing. They are proudly sponsored by Thomastik-Infeld Strings.

職務：目前是美國新澤西蒙特克萊爾州立大學的駐校四重奏、上海交響樂團的駐團四重奏。他們還出任上海音樂學院和中央音樂學院的室內樂客座教授職務。