<![CDATA[Li-Chun Su - Reviews]]>

首次在Wolfenbüttel：令人振奮的時光之旅——走進首架Hammerflügel的世界
Gottfried Silbermann的Fortepiano在Prinzenpalais——附講座與音樂會
在Prinzenpalais博物館區域內，文化倡議組織TonArt憑藉其豐富的收藏，吸引了眾多訪客。這些收藏包括超過20架鍵盤樂器，從早期的Clavichord、浪漫時期的Hammerflügel，到現代音樂會鋼琴。不僅如此，該組織還為學生提供了樂器製作歷史的深刻見解，並借助原始樂器，以正宗演奏方式舉辦鋼琴講座。
2025年，以Hammerklavier歷史起源為主題的紀念音樂會將帶領人們回顧其發展歷程。大約自1725年起，當時稱為“Fortepiano”的樂器便在音樂會生活中逐漸嶄露頭角，直至今日。其中關鍵人物是來自Freiberg的Gottfried Silbermann——以管風琴和大鍵琴製作聞名。他在意大利的Christofori發明的Fortepiano基礎上進行了重要改進，賦予樂器更多可能性，極大豐富了音樂會的演奏形式。
在紀念系列的第二場音樂會中，TonArt成功邀請到這種樂器複製品的製作者，攜帶其Silbermann Hammerflügel來到Prinzenpalais，由專業技術嫻熟的演奏家，通過一場充滿歷史韻味的音樂會，展示這台傳奇樂器及為其創作的作品。
Kerstin Schwarz在Halle和Berlin學成後，繼續在義大利和英國深造，如今已因18世紀多種鍵盤樂器的卓越複製技術而聞名。在引言講座中，她詳細解釋了Silbermann樂器的創新之處，並通過Hammermechanik模型，展示其與Bartolomeo Christofori前身樂器的相似之處及重要改良之點。她還談及Johann Sebastian Bach對Silbermann鋼琴的興趣，儘管起初心存疑慮，但後來對其全新的音色充滿熱情，甚至為Silbermann樂器向波蘭銷售提供支持。
特別引人入勝的是，Kerstin Schwarz在講座中提到，Silbermann在Hammerflügel改良過程中受到不同靈感的激發，例如來自小提琴家兼揚琴大師Pantaleon Hebenstreit的影響。Hebenstreit以其超大型揚琴聞名，圍繞樂器舞動，用不同的“槌子”創造出各種音效，這些表演在歐洲引起轟動——而這些樂器正來自Silbermann的工坊！
隨後的音樂會上，歷史鍵盤樂器專家蘇立群（台灣/柏林）以Silbermann Hammerflügel進行了一場精彩的演出。樂器中特別設計的“Pantalon”裝置，使她的演奏風格生動而富有感染力，例如，在Bach的前奏曲與賦格曲中，多聲部的表現更加色彩斑斕、對比鮮明，超越以往的聽覺體驗。蘇立群帶領觀眾踏上一段時光之旅，深入探索音樂史上一個關鍵時期——正是在這個時期，新的表達方式開始萌芽，展現出比現代鋼琴更豐富的音色變化，突破了現代音樂會鋼琴完美均衡的限制。
在這場演出中，蘇立群展現了對這台陌生樂器的嫻熟掌控，憑藉獨特的表現力，帶來扣人心弦的詮釋。在Johann Sebastian Bach的前奏曲與賦格曲中，蘇立群巧妙運用當時尚未裝備踏板的抑音解除裝置，使多聲部效果獲得全新聲響。在Domenico Scarlatti和Baldassare Galuppi的慢板樂章中，旋律線條充滿甜美歌唱性，而在Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach的奏鳴曲及其《Folia d’Espagne》變奏曲中，動感而節奏鮮明的元素則展現出令人振奮的音樂活力。
紀念系列的第三場音樂會“300年Hammerflügel的演化”將聚焦Frédéric Chopin的兩件摯愛樂器——Pleyel和Érard鋼琴。來自先前FortePiano節的知名藝術家Sheila Arnold將於6月29日演奏Chopin和Brahms的作品，為本系列畫上圓滿句號。

For the First Time in Wolfenbüttel: An Enthralling Time Travel into the World of the First Hammerflügel
Gottfried Silbermann’s Fortepiano at the Prinzenpalais – with Lecture and Concert

In the museum area of the Prinzenpalais, the cultural initiative TonArt has attracted numerous visitors with its rich collection of over 20 keyboard instruments, ranging from early clavichords and romantic hammerflügels to modern concert grand pianos. Additionally, the initiative has provided students with valuable insights into the history of instrument making and has enabled piano recitals with authentic performance practice using original instruments.

The year 2025 marks a retrospective on the historical origins of hammer pianos through anniversary concerts. Starting around 1725, the instrument known as the “Fortepiano” began its unstoppable rise into concert life, continuing to the present day. A key figure in this development was Gottfried Silbermann from Freiberg—renowned as an organ and harpsichord builder—who significantly improved the Fortepiano, originally invented by Christofori in Italy, adding essential features that enriched concert practice with new possibilities.

For the second concert of the anniversary series, TonArt successfully invited the builder of a replica of such an instrument to bring her Silbermann Hammerflügel to the Prinzenpalais. A skilled specialist performed on this legendary instrument, presenting a program featuring works originally composed for it.

After completing her studies in Halle and Berlin, Kerstin Schwarz furthered her education in Italy and England, becoming well-known for her exceptional reproductions of various 18th-century keyboard instruments. In her introductory lecture, she thoroughly explained the innovative features of Silbermann’s instrument and demonstrated, using a hammer mechanism model, the similarities and significant advancements compared to Bartolomeo Christofori’s predecessor instrument. She also discussed Johann Sebastian Bach’s interest in Silbermann’s pianos. Despite initial reservations, Bach later became fascinated by the new tonal possibilities, composed works for the Fortepiano, and even supported the resale of Silbermann’s instruments to Poland.

One particularly captivating point in Kerstin Schwarz’s lecture was the reference to various influences that inspired Silbermann’s development of the Hammerflügel, such as the violinist and hammered dulcimer virtuoso Pantaleon Hebenstreit. Hebenstreit became famous throughout Europe with his oversized hammered dulcimer, performing while dancing around the instrument and creating a wide range of sound effects with different “hammers”—instruments made in Silbermann’s workshop!

The subsequent concert featured Li-Chun Su (Taiwan/Berlin), a specialist in historical keyboard instruments, performing impressively on the Silbermann Hammerflügel. The instrument’s specially designed “Pantalon” stop allowed her to shape her performance in a vivid and expressive manner. For instance, in Bach’s preludes and fugues, the polyphony became more colorful and contrasting than usual. In this way, Li-Chun Su took the audience on a time journey, offering a previously unknown insight into a pivotal epoch of musical life when new expressive possibilities emerged, providing a greater variety of sounds than the perfectly balanced modern concert grand piano.

During this performance, Li-Chun Su demonstrated her masterful handling of the unfamiliar instrument, evoking captivating interpretations with remarkable expressiveness. In Johann Sebastian Bach’s preludes and fugues, she skillfully used the damping release—still not operated by a pedal at the time—to create new sound dimensions. In the slow movements by Domenico Scarlatti and Baldassare Galuppi, the melodies conveyed a tender, singing quality. In contrast, the motoric and percussive elements, as found in the sonatas of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and his variation work on the “Folia d’Espagne,” were presented in a rousing manner.

The final concert of the anniversary series “300 Years of Hammerflügel Evolution” will focus on Frédéric Chopin’s two favorite instruments—the Pleyel and the Érard grand pianos. Renowned artist Sheila Arnold, known from previous FortePiano festivals, will perform works by Chopin and Brahms on June 29, bringing the series to a successful conclusion.