Violinist on roaming 漫遊提琴手

Live Performance Charles Ives Sonata Nr. 4 by Yin & Huei Chiang

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:41:00 +0000

Charles Ives Sonata for Violin and Piano Nr. 4 Children's Day at the Camp Meeting

Violin: Huei Chiang 江蕙

Piano : Yin Chiang 江瀅

Live Performance- Yin & Huei Chiang playing Cowell's Sonata

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:32:00 +0000

Henry Cowell Violin Sonata

Violin: Huei Chiang 江蕙

Piano: Yin Chiang 江瀅

Mr. Schubert at the sea

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 16:53:00 +0000

“There must be something strangely sacred in salt. It is in our tears and in the sea.”
~Kahlil Gibran

A present for my dear friend- Guy. The poem is also dedicated to everyone who has experienced the changes in the dragon year 2012

Walking on the sand,

In front of me, there lies the so called

Sea

In such a wonderful sunny day,

Birds singing, wind blowing

I can’t stop my tears

Running down.

Started to walk faster and faster,

The strong wind against my face

The desire of crying

Drowning my heart

“Easy mind, light heart. A mind that is too easy hides a heart that is too heavy”

Tears all over my face,

I tasted my own sorrow,

Salty and bitter:

Salt- from my body

Bitterness- so many mixed feelings which are difficult to describe…

Walking towards the sea

Could sea wash off my sorrow?

She doesn’t answer me,

Like God never answers my prayer

“Every night when I go to bed, I hope that I may never wake again, and every morning renews my grief”

I finally tasted the sea

I tasted my tears

I simply give up

I surrender.

There is always an end for everything.

A funny fine line when love ends and death begins, when death ends and life begins.

“When I wished to sing for love,

It turned to sorrow

And when I wished to sing for sorrow,

It was transformed into love”

Time moves ahead,

My steps go forward,

Is there something sacred in salt that our tears and the sea taste the same?

Don’t look back,

Eurydice was drowned in the dark world of the dead,

Lot’s wife was transformed into a pillar of salt.

蘋果日報: 江蕙將登台拉小提琴

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 21:33:00 +0000

江蕙將登台拉小提琴　是真的！

C- Camerata 音樂會相關閱讀

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 09:18:00 +0000

鋼琴家江瀅也與你們聊聊她的Cage 經驗,一篇輕巧有趣的文章!

Dear readers 親愛的讀者們!

前幾天和一位好提到關於我們 14/09, 15/09 兩場音樂會的節目,她問我: John Cage 是誰呢?

我並不訝異,我想一般人已經很少接觸古典音樂了,

更何況是古典樂中的當代音樂領域。因為,
古典音樂和我們生活脫節(很可惜的事實),說真的不聽音樂也可以生活的很好,更何況這位John Cage,其實也沒真正寫下一首有名的旋律(Nokia 的主旋律還更為人知呢! ),他最有名的一曲竟是"無聲曲" 4, 33秒,你說這位頑童有趣不有趣?

我想我沒有必要詳細介紹他的生平,但是可以引申一些閱讀的資料,
希望能吸引大家對他有點認識, 因為我們的音樂會曲目是以影響過他的,及環繞其身邊的作曲家為主,讓大家可以依循一條捷徑來認識他和他的音樂。

John Cage 簡言之是現代音樂的先驅。大家有時在畫廊看到一種現代畫,
白白的一塊畫布上只有一黑點,或是一整塊黑布上卻是不同的黑色,你這時想著: 哈,這我也能畫! OK,現在假設是音樂,John Cage 就有點類似...我們都以為自己也能辦到,這樣的畫或音樂我們都能做, 但我們都不是那大膽的第一美術家或音樂家,而John Cage 在近70年前帶給世界的震撼就在於此。以下資料來自維基百科:

約翰·米爾頓·凱吉（英語：John Milton Cage Jr.，1912年9月5日－1992年8月12日），美國先鋒
派古典音樂作曲家，勛伯格的學生。他最有名的作品是1952年作曲的《4'33"》，全曲三個樂章，卻沒有任何一個音符。他是即興音樂（aleatory music，或「機遇音樂」，chance music）、延伸技巧（extended technique，樂器的非標準使用）、電子音樂的先驅。雖然他是一個具有爭議的人物，但仍普遍被認為是他的年代中最重要的作曲家之一

凱吉的作曲理念

使用任何環境下的聲音，包括雜音
運用「機遇」（如拋硬幣、算卦等）選擇順序
徹底放棄形式結構
運用沉默
廣泛使用各種電子以及視覺手段

加料鋼琴

凱吉在音樂上的一大「貢獻」是發明（或至少是大大推廣）了「
加料鋼琴」（又稱「特調鋼琴」）這種樂器。更早的作曲家如考埃爾甚至薩蒂雖然也曾有過類似實驗，但毫無疑問凱吉是這一樂器的正式創造人。這種樂器的「製作過程」就是在普通鋼琴弦里插入各種物品，以產生特殊的聲音效果。

東方哲學

凱吉對東方哲學有濃厚的興趣。尤其是《易經》，
他經常用其來做即興音樂創作。

即興音樂

即興音樂（即「偶然音樂」）
是讓表演者可隨著不同演出場合自由發揮的音樂創作技巧，即興音樂的表現方式以下面三種最為常見：（1）不跟步驟的隨性作曲；（2）讓表演者自行選擇如何演繹曲子；（3）使用非傳統或全新的創作組合、樂譜或音符，讓表演者可跳脫出原曲目規則，得以盡情詮釋曲子。從二十世紀中葉以來，即興音樂因約翰·凱吉的推廣而廣受歡迎。

我們二重奏的曲目以 Henry Cowell 開場, 之後是Charles Ives 的奏鳴曲, John Cage 作品,下半場以Cahrles Ives 的三重奏作收場。
Henry Cowell 曾是John Cage 的老師,而Cowell 是Ives 的推崇者,也曾為Ives 寫過傳記。

我個人非常喜歡Ives的音樂,
我曾經在講座裡介紹過他的生平和一些重要的作品,他的三重奏是他最有名的室內樂作品,你們若不為John Cage 的名聲來,就位這首精彩的三重奏來吧! 我相信你們會喜歡的! 他具有個人風格,且結合傳統及現代,是首非常好的曲目!

15/09 的音樂會中,我將演出Lou Harrison 的小提琴及打擊樂協奏曲,對我而言是首有趣,有挑戰性的新曲,
你們能想像光是小提琴,不加上樂團,卻只有打擊樂樂團的協奏曲嗎?
這首節奏性強,小提琴部分能發揮許多音色的改變,
我第一次聆聽時讓我聯想到史特拉文斯基的"春之祭典",我在此也附上link 讓你們參考一下!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUlIeXVUh1w

你們觀察一下是怎樣的打擊樂器在做表演呢? 很有意思吧!!!

以下為整套節目的時間表:

20世紀音樂界的發明家　約翰•凱吉百年展

9/12 （三）10：00～16：00

工作坊探討曲目

John Cage：Six Melodies for violin and keyboard

John Cage：Fontana Mix

9/13 （四）10：00～16：00

工作坊探討曲目

Charles Ives：Piano Trio

Charles Ives：Children’s Day at the Camp Meeting

9/14 （五）14：30

學生室內樂音樂會

開放學生樂團或個人報名參加，不限樂器，

演出曲目以20世紀為主，

演出參考曲目，請參考十方樂集官網：

www.musforum.com.tw。

9/14 （五）19：30

室內樂音樂會

小提琴：江蕙／鋼琴：江瀅／大提琴：張智惠

1. Henry Cowell：Sonata for Violin and Piano

2. Charles Ives：Sonata No.4 for Violin and Piano

Children’s Day at the Camp Meeting

3. John Cage：Fontana Mix

4. John Cage：Six Melodies for violin and keyboard

5. Charles Ives：Piano Trio

9/15 （六）19：30

擊樂作品音樂會

小提琴：江蕙／鋼琴：江瀅／擊樂：十方樂集

1. John Cage & Lou Harrison：Double Music

2. John Cage：Amores

3. John Cage：Third Construction

4. John Cage：Child of Tree

5. Henry Cowell：Pulse

6. Lou Harrison：Concerto for Violin with Percussion 江蕙獨奏
工作坊講師／演出者：

洪崇焜、董昭民、江瀅（鋼琴家）、江蕙（小提琴家）、張智惠（

大提琴家）

工作坊／音樂會地點：

十方樂集音樂劇場（台北市大同區民族西路187巷4號，電話：0

2-2593-5811）

工作坊報名費用：新台幣3000元整

工作坊報名方式：請逕洽十方樂集

工作坊報名截止日期：2012年8月31日

9/14、9/15晚場室內樂音樂會票價：300元／每場
誠摯的邀請你們前來工作訪的曲目介紹及14/09, 15/09兩場音樂會,相信會是兩場新奇,
與眾不同卻又能感動人心的音樂會!

與我們一起分享對音樂的愛

江蕙http://www.hueichiang.com
C- Camerata
https://sites.google.com/site/
cameratataipei/
敬邀

Blue ink fiddler

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 11:27:00 +0000

After sending my latest article "Love and something close to love" to some friends, I received a response from my writing friend Patricia (we've exchanged poems and she has helped me translating my poems into Spanish).

Have fun reading it, and please don't hesitate to share whatever brings to your mind, as one of the actions of love is sharing :)

This is her e-mail to me:

Dear Huei, thank you for sharing your thoughts, I'm utterly moved and wrote a little bit myself after reading your words. I hope you don't mind:

Blue ink fiddler by Patricia Albornoz

Clueless but curious, like the white cat

Words about rebirth arrived unexpectedly in virtual paper

Obvious wreckage but not havoc in sight

What could have happened to her-- to them

If you leave, keep your head off your sleeve

Warm breeze

When you write, keep the heart in blue ink

Puzzled but relieved like open played violin string

Her words about love and egocentric rage

Afraid still of the damaged walls and derby all around

Sound derby all around him-- them

When you leave, keep your eyes off your sleeve

Quiet sleep

When you write, I know you'll write- keep the mind in blue ink

The only way out would be through, the given advice

Not assuaged ears nor anesthetized heart to react

Not love inside but outside, in the mind, love inside the mind

Black words printed on unsympathetic paper I've got

Now that you've left, keep your head off the sleeve

Breath in, breath out to heal

When you write, keep the heart in bright blue ink

Love,

Pati

Love & something close to love

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 08:26:00 +0000

I still remember a conversation with my friend years ago, when I was a little girl.

I didn’t like the pop music of that period of time in Taiwan. I started to study the piano and the violin around age 4 or 5, and I always asked my parents to put on classical music at home and in the car.

I simply found that classical music was more graceful, beautiful, and elegant to listen to.

One day I was chatting with my good girl friend- Chia Chun (I think we were about 10 back then), I said, ‘Why is pop music always the same? It’s always about men and women; whether they love each other, or one leaves another, or one is in love but is not loved by the other… isn’t that boring? Like there is nothing else in the world but love!’

My clever friend answered, ‘but, don’t you realize that it’s the same in classical music? The operas and songs were also inspired by love, and that’s what they talk about.’

Her answer somehow awakened me; I had to admit that she was right.

Every piece of art, music, dance… were all created because of love, although there can be different types of relationships involved in the work, but the essence is always about this four letter magical word.

I didn’t pay much attention, nor did I think about the meanings of love, until the moment I suffered because of love; in other words: from the moment I suffered from something I thought was love, something similar to love, or something one has to go through in order to understand what love is.

Talking about love or trying to define love, is like talking about “Tao”; there are different aspects of love, but there is only one true love.

How do parents love their children? Is it unconditional love?

If the children don’t follow their parents’ wish to become someone they want them to be (I’m not talking about killers, nor thieves), the parents start to hurt them by saying harsh, aggressive words, to threaten them in order to make them change their decision: is that love?

When the parents have their own children only because they want to continue and spread their family name and blood (it’s a very typical Chinese tradition), and to have someone to take care of them when the parents grow old, is that love?

Is missing someone “love”?

We miss something or someone because we like their regular presence in our life; “missing” is because “we don’t have”, so is “wanting”.

When we miss someone it can mean that we like and are used to this person’s presence, we are accustomed to see or to be around that person, so when this person is not nearby anymore, we miss him. Missing is one of the expressions of love, but love itself is not “missing”.

There is real love, and the “feeling of love” or the “sensation of love”: we thought that we’re in love with someone, want to be with that particular person all the time, but in fact it’s because we’re attached to the sexual relation, we feel the sensation of love and being loved, and the whole body vibrates in harmony. In a way we are imprisoned by our physical desire, there is no freedom within us. We confuse love with pleasure, fear, jealousy, possessiveness, domination, aggressiveness… Attachment is also not love.

Wanting to control someone is not love. To let someone do whatever he wants when it’s self destructive, is not love. To be attached to someone is not love. Sex is not love. The sensation of love is not love. To tell a lie in order to make someone you love smile is not love. To do something you hate but you continue doing it because you want to make others happy, is not love. You think you’re in love with someone, or you love someone (a family member, partner, a close friend, your teacher or mentor, guru or guide, god…) you respect and love that person so much and gradually his opinions become yours, you’re influenced and you don’t think with your own brains anymore, it’s also not love.

Is total devotion love? If a mother devotes all her time to her child and her family, ignoring her own interest and emotion needs, is that love? The devotion to a god or a religion, the devotion for a career or a profession, being devoted to an idea or a person, is that love?

I’m just curious about how we understand love, everyone feels love (or something close to love), but I think it’s interesting to reflect on this subject which is so basic and important in our daily life.

On the 16^th of June I attended a Holotropic Breathwork workshop in Barcelona (the date is somehow important because I feel it was my “rebirth day”); it was an amazing experience, helping to release my hidden anger and sadness. We were blindfolded, lying on the ground; the idea is that that you start to breathe in and out as fast as you can with the music. There were moments where I felt numb in my upper body, moments when I cried or shouted, moments of dreaming and sleeping, and towards the end I received the sensation of peace.

The facilitators came to me when the “breath session” was finished. They asked how I felt, I said that since some days ago, I have this feeling of tension in my lower abdomen, and they asked if I’d like to work on that area. I said “yes of course”. Fransesc, one of the guides started to put pressure on the area, and asked me to breathe quickly as I did before in the session.

I reached the point where I started to shout and cry again (my abdomen was in pain and I was so sad). Magda (the other guide) helped to open my mouth, so I could shout without biting myself or start to hurt anyone around me. They encouraged me to release as much anger as I could (to shout, swear, cry…), and said that no one there would judge nor criticize my behaviour.

And god, I never cried and shouted so much in my life before.

It was a total relief.

What really moved me was that Fransesc hugged me for a very long time afterwards. For no reason I just cried and cried in his embrace, like a new born baby.

Right there, I felt this great love between human beings, that we don’t know each other’s history but deep down, we do know how each other feels, that the experience I’ve lived, they also have lived, that we are connected - by love.

Maybe because the position was similar (lying on the back), I suddenly remembered the time right after the car accident years ago, while I was in the hospital waiting to be x-rayed. There was this nurse whose name I didn’t even know, taking care of me by my side. She knew about our accident; I was in such great pain that I couldn’t move (I didn’t move at all till the fireman came to get me out of the van, then I was lying down for a total of 3 days in the hospital), and I was afraid that my spine might be broken and would have trouble playing the violin. I was cold, in shock, the nurse held my hand and asked how I felt, I couldn’t express my feelings and she asked: if you feel like crying, just do it!

And it was like a water gate opening; my tears were pouring out till there were no tears left…And all that time she was holding my hand, giving me warmth.

Back then it was the very first time I felt this “love” between people, between people you don’t know and basically you don’t have anything to do with in your life, and both these experiences moved me enormously. The nurse may see me as her daughter or even herself while she held my hand, Fransesc may hold me as his own child, but what I received is pure love, the love of accepting, understanding, caring, encouragement, warmth and comfort.

Years ago, when I first fell in love strongly, a wise lady friend was so happy for me, she said to me: you know what relationship is about? It’s 1+1=1!

In the last 10 years I put the emphasis on ‘1’ in my love relationship; I was perfectly independent but whenever there was a decision to make, I (or we) always made the decision for Us, not for what I wanted to do. What’s not right in this case, is that the pattern would be 0.5+0.5=1 and not 1+1=1.

It’s hard, isn’t it? You cannot lose who you really are in a relationship, yet if two people are egocentric, 1+1=2; it’s two people on parallel roads and not sharing the same view.

Another symbol of balance is Yin and Yang (to describe a woman and a man). To be honest I don’t like this concept of relationship, it feels like that we are in constant search to find the other half (and I am just a half), that a woman is the Yin part, and the Yang presents the male part, and the people have to find the perfect match, or to work on the relationship so that the two parts become one in harmony. Can the Yin and the Yang add up to One on their own? Yes, but it’s not what you imagine.


By Paolo Coelho

1+1=1 can apply to every relationship, between family, friends, and lovers; it can apply to oneself with the world. It is harmony, balance, connection, love.

Love is to feel the connection with everyone and everything alive on the earth - this is neither a theory nor something we read, but sooner or later, we experience it!

Love is total attention (awareness) and yes, there is nothing else in the world but Love.

Play how you feel!

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:36:00 +0000

http://www.ruggieroricci.com

http://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/200712/7851/

I wanted to start writing this article a month ago, as homage to my former violin teacher Ruggiero Ricci for his 94^th birthday (24^th July), but I was held up by other things. Weeks after, today we are notified that Mr. Ricci died of heart failure on the 6^th August 2012.

It doesn’t come as a big surprise because for a long time we knew that he was suffering with a lot of health problems. In the last few weeks he hadn’t been eating nor speaking to anyone; he spent most of the time in bed. Nothing was wrong with him, his body just gradually stopped working because of his age…

I spoke to my ex-husband (violinist Chris Nicholls) and found him in tears. Mr. Ricci has been his long time mentor and our teacher in Salzburg, Chris was also Mr. Ricci’s teaching assistant when I studied there. He said, ‘at least he is not suffering anymore’.

No he is not: and yet what a life he had lived as a great musician!

I have been thinking about him a lot recently because I was preparing for an orchestra audition in Vienna - after so many years of playing the Mozart concerto for the first round, this time in my preparation I reached a point where I felt this total freedom and could just play the way I feel (not the way I want it to be!), and not caring about the technical details which sometimes limited my interpretation in the past.

It was in the year 2000, the day before my first diploma exam in Salzburg, Mr. Ricci said to me on the phone, ‘Honey, always play how you feel!’

This is the very sentence Fritz Kreisler said to him when he played in front of this great Viennese violinist. Mr. Ricci regarded Kreisler as one of the biggest influences in his life, and he repeated this sentence many times to his students.

After years of life experience, working experience, and now thanks to yoga and other spiritual influences, it’s the first time I really understand what’s behind this sentence and really know how I feel.

It sounds crazy and ridiculous, right?

Everyone thinks and feels, how can someone not feel?

Yes in a way I felt, I have been musical and expressive, but there is still a difference between someone who is talented and musical, and someone who really tells a story through his playing and connects with other human beings- this person lives vividly, feels life.

I was reflecting on this phrase a lot: to be playing the way you feel it, is not how you want it. When we want something, it means that it’s something we don’t have: we want to achieve a goal, a certain style of playing or perfect technique: how to do the phrasing and create an atmosphere…there is a point where we want to arrive.

I love Heifetz’s playing, I want to play like him. After I reached some good technical level, I can start to imitate his playing, his taste, where he puts his glissando and vibrato…I’m learning from him, I’m copying him. I want to feel how he felt; I do things which he would do- this is not “to play how you feel”!

How can you say to a student or a musician “play how you feel” when this person is emotionally disconnected? What if he doesn’t know how he feels? He may not feel much because he’s been very well protected by his parents or family, he hasn’t had a chance to make a mistake of his own, plus in our teaching tradition, we are told what to do- the teachers teach us their interpretation as well. When we prepare for an audition or music competition, it is very common to have lessons with the juries, to get the opinions of what they want to hear in order to win.

So, it is very hard to play how you feel, the way that you can identify yourself and be you!

Plus, behind the playing we are also dealing with control of nerves: you can’t play nervously because you feel nervous (well you can but one prefers not to). To play how you feel, it requires the total attention, a relaxed mind and body. To feel is to feel the emotions within us, to connect with ourselves then transmit it to others, it’s to connect to something we already have and we know what it is, and the audience have that too! The energy goes in a circle between the musicians and the listeners; that’s what is magical in live concerts.

It’s an important step because “wanting” is like to imagine, and “to feel” is to visualize, to make it become real.

Mr. Ricci was an inspiring teacher, I actually learned much more from him after I left Mozarteum and started working, than while I studied with him full-time in Salzburg. I remember his teaching, I was much more aware of what I was playing, I listened more to myself.

The greatest thing he said which I never forget is: ‘the best teacher teaches you how to teach yourself!’

This is also the best way to describe his teaching.

While I studied with him in Salzburg from 1996- 2000, I sometimes felt that his teaching approach changed from time to time. But the main thing was that he was very critical about the intonation. We had to practice lots of scales of double stops, and he asked all his students to practice Bach and Paganini. He called the scale practice as “the ear training”, so one can actually establish his technique by training his own ears. If a string player plays out of tune, the main problem is not because he has bad technique, it is because his ears are not trained; not tuned - and all the string players can make huge progress by practicing scales. So when the ears (controlled by our brains) are sensitive enough, we correct ourselves automatically.

And Bach, of course is useful both for ‘brain training’ and musical purposes. He himself kept practicing the 3 fugues of Bach and Bartok’s fugue in later years after he had retired from the Mozarteum.

He was not like other teachers who would tell you exactly what to do, how to phrase here and there. He would only point out when there was something disturbing the music.

I think in a way, there were some students who didn’t appreciate him as much, because normally, at a certain age we want the teacher to tell us what to do all the time, so you feel that the teacher gives you everything right there and you are the one who absorbs like a sponge. He wasn’t like that, he sometimes would stop you, say ”NO”, and kept saying it while the students repeatedly attempted to play this way and that way, until the moment that the student finally found out what he needed to change, then the “NO” stopped.

In the beginning when I just started to work for a chamber orchestra in Spain, I still kept coming back to Salzburg to have lessons with Mr. Ricci, and he was very critical about my playing in that period of time. Many times I came out of classes crying, because I felt that he was being especially picky on me but not with other students. I felt very unfair, but I still did whatever he told me to.

After a student’s concert in the Mozarteum where I played Sarasate’s Romeo and Juliet fantasy (I had very tough lessons on that piece with him, I cried and was angry after the lessons), I called him before I had to leave for Spain again, he congratulated me on my performance and he was really pleased with my playing, he said: because you remembered everything I said and you did it on the stage, you’ve got good brains!

In a way it was very good for me that he gave me some tough times, it’s better to receive strong criticism from a world legendary violinist, which actually made me change and made me stronger under pressure in my student years, than afterwards in a professional working world being picked up by other musicians who may have no idea what they are talking about.

He himself was a great example to all his students. I say so because it’s not about what he taught but about what he did, and what he was.

He was always interested in the violin; he developed different practicing methods every now and then, and constantly looked for ways to make the violin sound better. I mean, just to see that he played the most varied repertoires all his life, and in his late 80s he started to write a new technique book “Ricci on glissando”. He didn’t stop loving the violin all his life.

I learned all Bach’s partitas and Sonatas with him the first year I studied in Salzburg. I remember very vividly that when I was studying the Ciaccona, I was studying the piece for three weeks running, and every time he had something to say about it. I was getting a bit impatient; I wanted him to say, ‘okay, you can learn something else now’! But he didn’t give any hints. So I asked, ‘Mr. Ricci, till when do I have to play the Ciaccona?’ He smiled and answered, ‘Till the moment you die!’

He was of course half joking, but it is also so true. Ever since that moment, the Ciaccona has been a very special piece for me, I always relate the Ciaccona to a person’s life: the main theme and the variations. It’s like one’s true self, going through different periods of time, different things happening, happiness and sorrow, ups and downs, feeling of being lost, finding oneself again…But the rhythm continues, just like time, that life goes on no matter what.

People tend to relate Mr. Ricci as the Paganini specialist, and the tendency of a human mind is that once you label someone, it’s like he can’t be anything else. There is a quote by Mr. Ricci: ‘A specialist is someone who does everything else worse’. It seems like a joke, right?

He was the first violinist to perform and record the 24 Caprices by Paganini, but his performances of Bach and Ysaÿe’s violin sonatas can move you to tears. As a child prodigy he was famous for playing Mendelssohn and Mozart. His recording of the Prokofiev violin concerto Nr. 1 with the Orchestra of Radio Luxembourg; Louis de Froment conducting (Vox recording) is my favourite recording of him. The way he played the Ernst study Nr.3, how the lines, different voices continue from the first note to the end, is just amazing! Nowadays there may be more perfect violinists than him, but no one had worked like him, to such a tight schedule that he didn’t have proper time to practice; he was reading most of the Ernst polyphonic studies while he recorded them (except the ‘Last Rose’, of course. By the way, he was also the first violinist who recorded the complete 6 studies by Ernst).

One of the most amazing concerts I’ve seen was when he celebrated his 80^th birthday concert in Salzburg (it may have been to celebrate his 70 years of performing on stage), where he played the Bach double violin concerto, the Beethoven and Paganini concertos. Lots of people were moved by his playing, including some players in the orchestra they told me afterwards, that they were in tears while playing.

My favourite encore piece by him was the transcription of Tarrega, which he played very often in concerts, but in that concert how he played it was magical. The audience didn’t seem to exist; he was there on the stage and this beautiful music came out - like the violin was playing him and there was nothing else in the world. It was like an old man telling you his life story, no technical details, but purely life itself.

Afterwards we students went back stage to congratulate him. After such a moving concert, you know what he said to me? He said, ‘well, you know, you just put the most difficult piece in the beginning [it was the Bach double] and afterwards you can relax!’

He was just so humorous sometimes. He was so human, so noble to everyone, he never appeared arrogant to anyone for who he was and what had he done. When I studied one of the Mozart concertos with him, he said, ‘Play! Just play! Some people think that Mozart is sacred, but in fact when he wrote these concertos he was only an 18 year old boy chasing after girls!’

Mr. Ricci’s great personality and music will always live, because, quite simply he played the way he felt and it goes directly to the core of your heart. Once on the subject of playing the way he liked, rather than by some arbitrary rules, he said "Now, I will play the way I like. It’s better to be a prostitute than a nun.”

This article is dedicated to Maestro Ruggiero Ricci and Mr. Chris Nicholls, the very two important violinists and teachers of my life, who taught me everything they know about the violin and helped me enormously. I am very honoured that they gave me their precious time and valuable lessons, and that they are in my life.

Sinalunya Interviews: Huei Chiang

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:28:00 +0000

Sinalunya Interviews: Huei Chiang

Posted on 7 June 2011 by sinalunya

Black & White portrait of Huei Chiang (by courtesy of the artist)

When someone would go to a concert of the Empordà Chamber Orchestra, he or she would possibly be surprised to discover that the first violinist and assistant concertmaster is a young lady from East Asian origin. Her name is Huei Chiang (江蕙) and she was born in Taipei in 1980. She is also a talented writer, her other huge passion besides music. She has been living in Catalonia since 1999, when she accepted such a position in the Empordà Chamber Orchestra. As a Taiwanese native but also a long time resident in Catalonia, she has the perfect profile to analyze both societies and how globalization is getting them to be closer every passing day. Sinalunya has approached her with this purpose and we thank her for taking the time to answer these questions.
Q: You have been living in Catalonia for more than 10 years now. What is your perception of the Catalan society? How was integration in such a different society for a young Taiwanese lady? And what was the reaction of the local people?
R: It’s a tricky question! I wouldn’t say that in general the Catalan people are open to foreigners; people are nice and friendly in this region, but it doesn’t mean that they would try to make you “feel like home” in this country. From my part, in my fifth year in Catalonia, I thought that it was time for me to learn some Catalan, I wanted to feel more integrated, so I took Catalan classes. Some people were really impressed by an Asian girl that “tried to speak Catalan” and they were happy to answer me in Catalan as well, but some others just kept on speaking Spanish to me, like it didn’t matter to them… People are hard to please!!! (Joke)
Then I realized that speaking the local language is not the main thing which makes you feel being a part of a society, it helps, but what’s really important is if we “want” to understand and communicate with each other! Here I’ve seen the worst and the best qualities of people; I have some very good Catalan friends, and I don’t think that they would like me any less if we speak Spanish to each other!
Q: You were hired as first violinist and you were only 19 years old at that time. Were your fellow colleagues with the orchestra surprised to have you there? How was their acceptance? And what has been the evolution of your role there?
R: I don’t really know what they thought of me during that time! Maybe too young to be working?! But I was a good player then, and they were my first friends in this country!
What I’ve been doing in the past 11 years is to take as much advantage as I can from this work: I love playing as a soloist and I’m very fortunate to have many chances to be accompanied by my own orchestra. They are my colleagues who support me, and I’ve learned so much by being on the stage as a soloist -controlling one’s nerves and mental state, building up one’s presence and self confidence…
When I first entered the orchestra, I was a first violin tutti and then became the assistant concertmaster (the second chair in the first violin group), which means sometimes that I also do the concertmaster’s work while he is on leave. Being in that chair is a challenge, because then you really feel the responsibility right on your shoulders -how can you make your group sound better together? And be 100 % sure for your orchestra because they rely on you. All together it has been a good training for my personal growth.
Q: Catalonia has always been an open nation that has looked beyond its borders, but now nearest markets are becoming difficult and East Asian ones can play an important role in getting out of the crisis. What would you recommend to Catalan entrepreneurs and businessmen if they had to go to Taiwan in order to deal with Taiwanese people and culture?
R: Taiwanese people are fascinated by foreign cultures. They used to be very American influenced, and then both the Japanese culture and the Korean cultures have also played quite an important role in the recent past. In the last 15 years, every time when I get back home I’m so amazed to see how international the place has become. In big cities you’ll find European cafes, restaurants even better decorated than here, and getting good Italian, French or even Spanish food is no rarity. As Taiwanese are open to things coming from the outside, people like to change their taste every now and then (the speed of fashion is much quicker there), basically nothing stays the same for more than 2-4 months, and people would have to keep renovating, reinventing their products in order to catch the public’s attention. Catalan people are very smart in relation to economy, what I would suggest is to understand Taiwanese people’s tendencies and needs: healthy products such as olive oil and grape seed oil, they also appreciate wine, cheese (in the supermarket you can get all kinds of cheese, possibly more varieties even than here!). As for dealing with businessmen there, I really have no idea, because there are all kinds of people! Some people can be direct and honest, some can be “never reject you” in front of your face, but they wouldn’t do what they’ve promised, but they will always be friendly and polite with you.
Q: Talking about Taiwan, is there something from there that you are terribly missing here? And what would you take with you from Catalonia if you would move back to your native country?
R: I think all Taiwanese people would say the same thing: FOOD!!! The food is wonderful there. I also miss the people who I love (family and friends) and all the traditional Chinese holidays -by doing the celebration you really notice that the people have great respect towards our ancestors, our gods and ghosts. We treat the spirits, the unknown, with respect and indirectly that makes the place full of warmth. Every Chinese holiday has an interesting, sometimes even romantic story behind it. Unlike the western holidays, Chinese holidays have very little to do with religion but more with seasons and mythology.
Another thing I miss are the bookstores in Taiwan, you will only see this there: Every bookstore is like a library, there are tables and chairs around, you can choose any book you want, sit down and spend the whole afternoon reading it till you finish, no one will even come and ask you to buy the book! That’s what we think “normal” in bookstores, and the stores are always full of people and quite! The result is that people always buy books as well, but then you can really choose something you must have rather than buying some books you are not quite sure about.
And what would I bring from Catalonia, food wise? As for presents I often bring torrons, pimientos de Padrón, polvorones… but if I do move back to my country, it would be my whole living experience! My professional experience in playing and Yoga! I learned Yoga in Catalonia, and I am also a trained Yoga teacher.
Q: Are there any cultural interactions between Taiwan and Catalonia that you are aware of? Do you think that it is something to be explored? Any ideas?
R: I don’t think there is such an exchange between these two places, a lot of Asian people still haven’t heard of “Catalonia”, they know the city of Barcelona, and artists such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, the football team FC Barcelona… Of course there are things to be explored such as art and gastronomy.
Q: What are your highlights of your life and career here? And what are your projects for the near future?
R: What a question! I didn’t win any special “gold medal” to have golden lights shining all over me! I’m a violinist and I enjoy playing, when I do a good performance and feel the audience responds to me, this makes me complete, these are the moments I appreciate in life.
As for my projects- I have something that I have to keep secret yet, because I want to be one of the first people who present such a thing in the world. When I get it finally planned and settled, I’ll be glad to publish the news on the site!!! (Carl Jung talked about the collective unconsciousness, so I may not be the first one in the world who has had this idea).
Q: Finally, please let us know a little bit more about yourself by telling us your tastes:
A book: About Love and Solitude by Krishnamurti
A movie: The Shawshank Redemption
An actor or actress: Audrey Hepburn
A song or musical piece: Bach – Ciaccona
A performer: Billie Holiday
A composer: Franz Schubert
A landscape: L’Empordà
A dish from Taiwanese cuisine: Everything!
A dish from Catalan cuisine: Arròs negre (black rice), Fideuà, Cargols (snails)
A wish: To experience and live every moment
The above questions are too difficult to just answer one, especially about music and musicians; there are so many things which I love, so many composers and performers… So when I name one, it means- Everyone, Everything!
Finally, let’s enjoy the incredibly talented Huei Chiang on violin together with the Orquestra de Cambra de l’Empordà, conducted by Carles Coll, playing the Faust Fantasy op.13 by P. by Sarasate

Waiting vs. Later

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 21:17:00 +0000

- While you long for…-

People say "time flies"
Right now the time doesn't even go...
Crawling like a patient spider
Constructing his web- waiting for someone delicious
Slow
Feels like a century

What does "later" mean?
When will "later" come?

She smiled-
Sudden breeze in a hot summer's night,
And said:
Eh, later...

等待 vs. 等會兒

-當你期待著…-

人們說: 時光飛逝

此刻時間卻走也走不動…

如耐心的蜘蛛慢爬

建築它的網-等待著某人的美味

緩慢

宛如一世紀之久

“等會兒” 是什麼意思?

“等會兒”又何時來?

她微笑著,

夏夜裡一陣清風吹來,

且說:

唉,等會兒

心動

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Thu, 26 May 2011 00:02:00 +0000

白淨清晰的房間內,

盤起雙腿練習蓮花座,

心平如湖水, 宛如世間太平, 一切美好

一陣風吹過,

柳葉勾起湖水漣漪

嗅到那淡甜,安穩,陽剛的熟悉氣息…

看不著

摸不到

從淺意識裡不經意的釀出

屬於你的味道

---

昏黃餘暉的書架旁

挽起雙手臨摹隸書帖

古樸如孩童，宛如臥蠶探葉，慢飲細酌

一陣風吹過

燕尾撩撥天邊彩霞

一時提按交揉，陰陽既濟

猜不到

想不透

那指尖的記憶竟傳來

屬於你的剛柔

這首短詩是我與朋友志謙的合作,靈感是來自於我們2010年九月時於柯隆認識時的對話,那時和姊姊,世菁(志謙妻) 及他們的兩個小寶貝在桌底下玩鬧的陪伴下,我們討論著愛情,婚姻的話題,我們有各自不同的故事,可是卻同樣經歷過- 當身心在戀愛(想念)某人時,竟不自覺的聞道到那人的味道...

我後來回西班牙後,開使寫段小詩,寫完後寄給志謙,問他有沒有興趣接著發表,志謙是為國學常識豐富的哲學家,他以優美的文筆寫完成了另一段落,讓小詩昇華。

台灣古典音樂網訪問稿

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Wed, 25 May 2011 15:05:00 +0000

以下文章是今年二月時我在" 台灣古典音樂網" 回的訪問稿,在此擷取了幾個問題, 完整的內容還請至原網頁閱讀! 和你們分享我的音樂,瑜珈,歐洲的學習與工作經驗!
Enjoy Reading :)

http://www.t-classical.com/articles/2011/02/15/chiang-huei/

Q:與小提琴家Ruggiero Ricci學習的經歷?
江: 和Ruggiero Ricci (1918-)學習是我生命中很重要的轉折點,甚至在我開始工作時,思考他所教的東西,覺得他所講的都是能讓我運用一輩子的知識!他是位很有｢人性｣的大師,一點架子也沒有,就像你的爺爺般(當時和他學習時,他已經80歲了!)還記得有時上課時,我突然想到: 天哪,在我面前的是Ricci,是世界級小提琴大師,而我在拉給他聽呢! 當時我們所有學生也和助教 Chris Nicholls先生上課,因此一禮拜有兩堂小提琴課,學習的十分密集,老師也教的很仔細。他對於技巧,音準,也即聽力訓練要求很嚴格,而對於曲目和音樂性上給予學生較多自由,因為他自己本身是｢天生｣型的演奏家,所有的感情抒發都是直接的,唯有在學生樂句作不對時給予修正。他常對我們說: ｢最好的老師,是教你如何教導自己!｣有時他打斷我們演奏, 問我們知不知道被打斷的理由,學生有時想半天,一直試不同的解答,直到講出他要的答案! 因為他認為,一般人都很喜歡拉琴,都很沉醉在演奏中,可是卻不傾聽自己的演奏,不懂得在練琴時糾正自己的錯誤,所以有時壞習慣一出現,其實就是缺少｢聆聽｣和分析。他當時還有接音樂會及計劃錄音等,以他80多歲高齡,每天仍練琴6小時,每天教一整個下午的學生,我所看到的是位活生生的藝術家,一位音樂界的傳奇人物! 當你真的和大師相處在一起時,真的看到他是一位如此平易近人,自然不做作,謙虛又腳踏實地的人,他雖然以神童出名,可是一輩子都花心思在小提琴上,從不間斷,這是我親眼目睹的。我想,對他影響最深的小提琴家應是Kreisler,有時在學生演出前,他以Kreisler對他說過的話做為鼓勵: Always play how you feel! ｢如你感受的去演出｣
在我剛和他學習的第一年,也是第一次接觸Bach的夏康舞曲,當時我練那曲子已一個多月,也分別拉給助教及Ricci 聽幾次了,可是每次上課似乎都有東西可以講,我也不知道還要再練多久才可以換另一首曲子,由於好奇心所以我就問: ｢Mr. Ricci,這曲子我要練到什麼時候呢?｣他微微一笑,說: "Until you die!"｢直到死亡那一刻,卸下琴弓為止｣當時他是開玩笑,可是這卻是｢事實的玩笑｣,因為他本身是所有曲目都在指尖下的演奏家啊! 所有Bach, Paganini, 及多數的協奏曲都是他自年輕時累積下來,且不離手的。就連後來他正式退休了,不在學校教學及接音樂會了,每天仍拉完三首Bach 賦格曲, 及Bartok的賦格曲,以他的說法,是為訓練腦力保持年輕的方法。甚至在2007年時,他利用退休的時間作研究,出版了一本技巧書 "Ricci on glissando"結合了他多年在小提琴上的研究,和一般學派不同的理念,並找出最有效率的練習方法。
真正的藝術家無論何時都在創新,不斷的從自己身上發明- 這是我在大師身上學到的!

Q:您致力於瑜珈及表演藝術之間的研究, 可否分享給台灣古典音樂網的愛樂網友?
江: 做瑜珈帶給我的靈感,及給予我的幫助實在太大了,yoga和演奏的共通點,和坐禪一樣,你專心在一點上,心無旁騖,所以意識感強烈,心境透徹,可是瑜珈又教導我們如何放鬆,甚至是一些較吃力的體位法,也要曉得哪裡該出力,力量從那兒來,哪裡不該緊的肌肉放鬆些…等等,這不就和拉琴,彈琴一樣嗎? 只是有多少主科老師會這樣提醒學生呢?小提琴家曼紐因(Y. Manuhin, 1916-1999)曾說過,瑜珈大師艾楊格(B. K. S.Iyengar, 1918-)是他遇過最棒的小提琴老師,因為Iyengar教會他如何放鬆! 曼紐因這話不假,他曾跟過數位我所敬佩的小提琴大師們學,包括Enesco, Busch…,(他也曾因多年在外演出的壓力,造成失眠的困擾)可是瑜珈的哲學教導人們如何接受自己的現狀和體能,不需要給自己壓力和別人比較,甚至和自己比較!因為每個人都有自己的長處和身體狀況,你方法對了,朝這條路上走,且觀察自己的身體反應(包括所帶來的心理感覺),一定每天有所進步,這和練琴的心態是完全一樣的,不是嗎? 放鬆包含了精神上和生理上的放鬆,這是我們在舞臺上尋求的平衡,因為你無法要求自己不緊張,你我都是人,都有情緒反應,尤其當你做件你熱愛且看重的事時, 怎麼可能處在無關痛癢的狀態呢? 偏偏一緊張,肌肉就緊了,這是人體自然的防衛反應,在演奏上就影響了準確度, 打擾了營造你追求的藝術,所以我想運用瑜珈裡的放鬆法做心理調適(這得仰賴時間的訓練),或建議一些體位法,讓人達到專心卻又平衡的狀態(專注力和放鬆的結合),因此我自己也在不斷嘗試中! B.K.S Iyengar大師說過一句話,我看了覺得這是給我們做為音樂的人最貼切的明示: ｢當我練習時,我是位哲學家,當我教學時,我是位科學家,當我示範時,我是位藝術家。｣他這句話其實沒有特定的對象,他所指的練習教學示範,都是在 Yoga範圍內,可是說的之貼切,是和我們表演藝術者息息相關的!

Q:調息呼吸與演奏的連結是?
江: 瑜珈的練習裡包含了不同的調息法(Pranayama), 有些可以達到放鬆的效果,有些當你覺得缺少活力,動力時,可以幫你增加精神。我覺得可以視個人需要,在演奏前練習呼吸法(有些人在表演前做氣功或太極), 主要是幫助演奏者的心理狀態,因為心理把持住了,安住了,身體就會聽你的,所有你平常練習的,你早已知道如何達到,可是那臨場感是你平常練習不來的,藉由調整呼吸可以幫助你處在平穩專心的狀態。我們一般人知道呼吸的重要,可是卻不想到呼吸的重要! 呼吸是連結身體和精神(心理)的唯一管道,即使你做瑜珈動作不注重呼吸,效果就不理想了!
演奏時或者平常練琴時,如果能想像體內的氣不是只從胸腔,而是從腹部升起,進而找到身體的中央,從這中心點向下往地面,像樹幹扎根似的擷取力量,另一方面從腹部領導這氣藉由脊椎向上伸向頭頂,就我的經驗而言,所發出的音色會更加飽滿和宏亮! 建議所有音樂人試一試呢!

Q:瑜珈的哲學思想用於音樂表現是指?
江: 我想舉個簡單的故事好了,主要是把瑜珈的哲學和演奏之間做個連接,是我在瑜珈課中得到的靈感,我想這比在紙上談理論來的清楚:
在學習瑜珈時,其中一個"戰士"姿勢給了我許多的靈感,當然,這要謝謝我一位很棒的瑜珈老師-Isabel帶給我的啟發:
一天早上的課程中,我們練習著Warrior Pose 英雄式:雙腳大大的張開,一腳彎曲另一腳打直著,雙手背展開,頭看前方。本來我對這個姿勢沒什麼特別喜愛的,可是Isabel說到: ｢假想你是位戰士,你看著前方,你想到什麼?在面對戰爭時,你的態度是什麼? 恐懼,不安,害怕?還是你抱有自信面對一切的難題? 要打贏一場戰爭時,你要想什麼呢? 看著前方,你不畏懼,你把恐懼拋在腦後,所有無關的細節或煩惱都不見了,你在此,是為了要打贏一場戰爭-做自己的戰士! Presence, Strength but Without tension 存在力+力量+不緊張!｣
當她說出這句話時,我覺得好像突然被當頭棒喝一般,我突然想到:這不就是我們在舞台上表演時所要達到的境界嗎? 當你有了Presence(存在表現力, 在而不有), Strength(力量)但卻不緊張(生理和心靈兩方面),這時音樂就可以出來了! 這時你是在享受著藝術,創造當下的藝術,進一步感動觀眾。頓時,我看著自己前方的手,彷彿見到了未來,背後方的手,是過去,而現在呢?是我自己在中央的身軀和頭部! 這是多麼驚奇的姿勢啊! 原來過去、現在和未來,是自身的三重時間視域的凝聚! 過去發生的,所經歷所決定的事,影響著我們現在的生活,而我們如何看待現下的自己,所做的工作和對待生活的態度,將對未來有改變,曾經和將來凝聚在現在! 瑜珈的英雄式讓人們覺察到自身中的時間性，因為這個覺察的訓練，人們學會看見當下中自身的多重元素，進而讓人們在當下決斷時更有信心。
而音樂呢,更是時間,當下的藝術,長時間的練習,是耐心和體力的結合,為的就是在舞臺上的那段時間展現你想表達的藝術,但音樂世界好手之多,競爭十分激烈,在舞台上時,已不是比較誰是較好的音樂家了,在大家技術和音樂性上都相當的情況下,誰能臨場發揮得最好,誰較能掌握自己的神經緊張,能把腦海裡醞釀的畫面和情緒,在當下完整的傳達給觀眾時,才能化剎那即永恆! 把演奏時不斷決斷音符的過程，也就是不斷決定自身的過程，凝聚為一次不可重複的樂曲，因為不可重複的無可替代性，人們往後只能憑藉記憶呼喚並且活化那次的演出，而成為一種不斷再現的永恆回憶，正是所謂的餘音繞樑，三日不絕於耳! 所以,我常想,真正能做到活在當下,就會知道如何做個好的音樂人!
在人生的戰場上，自身的三重時間視域的凝聚，最常出現一種情況：曾經發生的事導致內心的恐懼或不安，它不斷負面地影響當下對將來的決斷。瑜珈讓我們覺察這種處境，讓我們接受自己的曾經，因為這個接受，我們不再花力氣和它對抗，從而有餘力讓我們重新地專注在新的決斷時刻；在舞台的戰場上，當拉錯了音, 甚至忘譜或跳段時, 導致內心的恐懼和不安更是直接，讓人無處可躲，我們是要花力氣在自責上?還是把我們的餘力重新地專注在底下的演奏? 答案不言而喻。面對人生或者舞台站上這種因為「過去」而造成的負擔，透過瑜珈可以覺察這個人生的逃避和自責機制，進而讓我們學會接受，重新平靜，把力氣用在對的方向上。面對戰場時,戰士們是不能猶豫的,透過瑜珈的覺察訓練，使音樂人更能掌握自身，更能在決斷音符時展現一種信心，也更能在出現錯誤時，坦然接受，這是瑜珈帶給我在生命和音樂上的啟發。

入圍年度最佳原創作品部落格

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:27:00 +0000

好久沒有參加作文比賽囉! 當然,成年之後, 離開台灣的學制,沒有人逼我寫作,可是小時候的作文課引發的興趣,讓文字成為我重要的朋友,一個讓我傾聽自己心聲,向外傳播,交流生命經驗的管道!

今年是我頭一回進入3的俱樂部(30 歲啦!) 我的生活中有3個 Passion: 音樂, 瑜珈, 寫作- 如果每增加一輪(20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70...) 年歲,因為生命的累基有新的元速進來 ( 也許40開始練毛筆, 50打太極...) 生活是更加多彩多姿,還是繁忙? 我所看見的,是位偷偷竊笑的老太太 ,在遠方坐著蓮花座,吃著麥當勞,說: 到時你就知道啦!

2011 五月有幾件開心事呢!
- 兩年的Yoga教師訓練課程結束,我是位合格有證件的瑜珈老師了!
- 入圍年度最佳原創作品部落格- 會心一笑 :)
- 認識並閱讀印度心靈大師 Krishnamurti (1895- 1986)的著作開了我第三隻眼!!! 這是重要的一環,因為我能在此和親愛的讀者們分享,建議你們也閱讀他的書籍, 如果你對"生命" "愛" 死亡" "時間" 等課題有興趣的話,Krishnamurti 講解之透徹,一個個問題正中你心,讓你無法逃避自己的思緒!

The The official repository of the authentic teachings of J. Krishnamurti

六月,我將期待著更多開心事,現在先不說什麼! 只是好好的耕耘,為現下-即將來工作!

Future doesn't exist- future is NOW! - Krishnamurti

NAMASTE

The Most Beautiful Face

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 15:43:00 +0000

你看過世上最美的臉孔嗎

也許是的!

當你看到電視或電影裡的美女帥哥?

演員,亦或是你的初戀情人,你最鍾愛的生活伴侶,或是你歷經萬苦,卻追也追不到手,令你魂牽夢縈的情人,或是你一生最了解你的Soul mate…

也許是,當你第一次擁抱你剛出生的小孩,看他純稚的小臉熟睡著,如此安祥,可愛,純淨,善良,美好…那的確是—The most beautiful face in the world

現在,我想告訴你一個故事,一個真實發生的舊事,那天,我看到了世上最美的臉龐-我看到天使。

那天,是2004年九月二十一號,我正和工作的樂團從阿根廷的Cordoba開車前往Mendoza演奏,為什麼會對這日期如此的記憶深刻呢?因為,位於拉丁南美洲的國家,氣候和歐洲顛倒,那天,正是他們春天的開始,春季的第一天呢!當地的習俗是,男士們送朵花或盆栽給女士,增加些歡樂的氣息。如此的開啟這一天漫長的旅程,不是個最美好的開始嗎?當時,對於幾小時後所發生的事,真是一點預期也沒有,我只是靜靜的看著窗外的街景,想著Sarasate的卡門幻想曲,因為這是我在這回拉丁美洲的巡迴演出中和樂團的協奏曲。

不知不覺的,到了吃午飯的時間了,我們在一個不知是哪的小鎮上停了下來,就在行駛的公路旁,有個露天吃飯的地方供應烤肉。去過阿根廷的人都知道,當地的牛排相當可口,當然,因為義大利移民的影響,吃Pasta的風氣也是普遍,到處都有新鮮的手工義大利麵餐廳,對於我們鍾愛Pasta的人來說,阿根廷可真是美食天堂,且價錢實惠! 再說到那頓公路旁的午餐吧,店家簡單的告訴我們他有哪些肉類,我們就依個人喜好點菜,有什麼就點什麼,倒有點古時候的江湖風味!邊吃飯,邊閒聊著,接著,也是繼續上路的時候了。

上了我們此次的旅遊車,繫上了安全帶,小說從包包中取出,又開始了旅程。不知是過了多久,也許不過是二十,三十分鐘的時間吧,世界竟全然不一樣了:首先,是旅行車向另一邊傾斜,(因為車身一後輪胎脫節,之後警察在幾公里遠的田野中把輪胎找到)接著車子完全的失去控制,我們在一片慌亂中,親眼看著另一輛大卡車從反方向駛來,眼看就要與我們正面相撞了,這時我們的車駕駛(也是我們的團員)極力把車向路旁的田野方向彎轉,車子轉是轉了,可是卻也連帶著一百八十度上下的翻轉,我當時只覺得身在一團混亂裡,頭和背部不知撞了幾回,我真的以為,世界要結束了,當時為了安慰自己身體的劇痛,只是想著,若這真是我們生命的劫數,這痛也不會太久的!在車子裡的經歷,有如一世紀般之久,終於翻轉停止了,緊接著的是四周一片死寂…

也許是一分鐘過後吧,我們隨後的另一輛交旅車(也是我們樂團的人)也停下,接著人們的尖叫聲四起,我和我的先生坐在一起,分別有安全帶繫著,我只覺得背部劇痛，什麼動作都無法做,我心想,若是有骨折或斷了肋骨,我該怎麼拉琴呢?一定得等救護人員到了,在我脖子上套了固定的護架,我才可以活動啊!當時,同車的指揮和其太太、女兒因沒繫安全帶,在車子翻轉中整個人被拋出車外幾公尺之遠,指揮躺在一灘血中,大家都以為他當場死亡…所幸沒有一個人有生命威脅。依稀的記得,耳邊有其他當地人的協助,幫忙打電話叫救護車的,其他沒大礙的團員(包括我的先生)查看其他人的情況。我當時是因背真的痛的厲害,向一位同事要水喝,他把水壺遞給我,我伸手拿竟然拿不住,一壺水就摔到了地上!身旁坐著另一位團員,他承受的痛苦比我還多,整個人臉色發白,他因為怕車子的引擎爆炸,所以要求其他人把他抬出車外…(他最後的確脊椎斷了一節,一年後完成復健,之後已能正常拉琴了)

接著,救護車抵達了,(不,應該是消防隊,在那種小鄉鎮,消防隊兼救護車的用途),救護員細心的把那固定脖子的套子幫我帶上,問我的情況好不好,並把我抬出車外。在前往醫院的途中,陸上的輕微小顛簸都帶給我椎心刺骨的痛,我先生一直在我身旁陪著我,老實說,當時不知為什麼,就是好想好想哭。也許是驚嚇後的反應吧,想藉由眼淚發洩。

到了醫院後,便在急診室躺著等著做X光片的檢查,這時,我的身邊來了位護士照顧我,大約記得她有頭濃黑的捲髮及黝黑友善的臉孔(在車禍中我的眼鏡早不翼而飛了,因此看人都看不清楚,只知道個輪廓!)她問我怎樣,我說我的手好冷,她馬上握起我的雙手,互相摩擦著幫我取暖,我抬頭看著我身旁的每個人,有醫護人員還有把我抬進來的救護人員,每個人的眼裡都露出焦慮及關懷。你知道嗎?頓時我了解了,他們這些也許我一輩子都不會再見到的人,是我所見過世上最美的臉孔! 我對於他們,是個從車禍裡出來,需要幫助的陌生人,而他們在當時給予我精神上的關心和安慰,是種沒有界線的單純的人類之間的愛。我想,也許在車禍過後人的情緒總是較脆弱的吧,那位護士不知如何察覺了我的異樣(也許是想說什麼卻又說不出口的表情),就問我是不是有想哭的衝動,我跟她點頭說是,她馬上就安慰我說:想哭就哭吧,哭出來你會覺得好些!聽完她的話,眼淚隨著情緒一湧而發,這情緒,真的是百般交集的吧!

在那天傍晚,我就想著,哪天我要把這”看到天使”的故事寫下來,這些在我需要時,對我付出關愛的陌生人,讓我第一次看到的人性的美。你曾看過嗎?當你在病痛時,需要幫助時,陌生人給予你的關愛眼神—是這世上最美的臉龐!

我常想,我算是個運氣不錯的人,雖然我對我的生活有不滿意的地方,可是真的,我曾受過許多人的幫助,也許,有些幫助不是明白的”幫忙”,譬如:老師朋友之間淺宜默化的正面影響,或是親人給予的鼓勵,都無形的影響著我們的人格,我覺得,所有在生命中幫助我們的人,都是我們的貴人!因此我想藉著這篇文章,謝謝所有在我生命中的親人,朋友,老師們…沒有你們,我的生活就沒有豐富的內容,真的不會有現在的我…

有時,我在表演獨奏時,也會想到在阿根廷的不知名的小鎮的醫院裡,曾照顧過,幫助過我的人(護士和消防隊員們),他們可曾想過,那一位他們曾付出關懷過的亞洲女孩,當時正等著檢查是否有骨折,在住院的十天後,又可以回樂團拉琴,且又在各地演奏?我完全不知道他們是誰,叫什麼名字,只想獻上我無盡的謝意和愛,想為他們演奏一曲。

Because of you, I saw the most beautiful face in the world.

Moonlight

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:56:00 +0000

旦夕之間, 又過了365天

願望- 只能是年輕時無懼的權利?

人們身在四海, 看著她

長嘆道: 究竟是一樣的月光啊!

久久離別, 睜眼閉眼都是所愛的人

千潮萬湧的思念湊不到足夠的

里程數載你回航

共有的思愁不同的故事, 仰望今夜

嬋

娟

短詩迴響

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 17:04:00 +0000

寫完”難以承受之…”隔兩天,收到姊姊一朋友- 志謙的來信,原來,他們之間通信時,志謙談到了”孤獨中的狂喜”, 而姊把我所寫的短詩和他分享。

我意想不到的是, 是志謙竟然費心的分析我的作品, 他的來信中談到人們對於”無”的恐懼,不同層面的無聊所帶來的孤獨感,老實說,我覺得寫的很詳盡,我一看再看覺得很有趣(其實也是需要時間消化!) 因此想乾脆把他的信放在部落格上, 和大家分享!

其實也是第一次有人從我的小作品中如此分析我的感受, 我當時在寫時,想的是如何用簡短俐落的文字,來表達深刻的孤寂感呢? 因為我覺得有時華麗優美的用詞,不如直接來的震撼,這也許也是我對於創造”意境”的技巧不夠圓熟,有待加強吧!

-願我們一起傾聽-
以下是志謙的來信內容

兩位好：

謝謝江瀅的回應和分享，讓我看到了江蕙的一段詩作
在這裡我也願意提供一些哲學對於「無聊、寂寞和孤獨」的考察，作為一種分享

無聊、寂寞以及孤獨是三種心情，它們各自不同，卻亦有共同之處
這個共同之處在於：它們都是對於無的經驗，「無」聊、「寂」寞和「孤獨」
正是因為它們是對於無的經驗，所以我們很陌生，或者當我們遇到它們的時候，我們首先的反應是逃開它們

日常生活中我們遇到的都是「有」，我們在用電腦、讀書、演奏樂器、和人說話...
哲學術語上稱這些為「存有者」，我們遇到的都是存有者
難道我們也會遇到無，也就是遇到「不存在的東西」? 無既然是不存在者又如何被遇到呢?
因此對「無」的經驗，相較於對「有」的經驗是極為不同的，而且我們也常常用掌握「有」的方式試著去掌握「無」
因而無的經驗一方面陌生，二方面難以捉摸。

我在讀一本書，這本書很「無聊」，我把它放在一邊，試著在書架上尋找另一本書來讀
這就是日常生活中，我們對無聊的一種遭遇方式
無聊是對這本書的一種否定，這本書沒有甚麼好聊的，真無聊，於是我們轉向別的有趣的書
我們否定了「一個」存有者之時，立即就轉向了和另一個存有者相處
這個無聊的經驗，也可以用在「這個人」很無聊，真不想和他聊天...

再者，有一種無聊，是在一個特定時刻和條件底下的，這時候我們會稱它為寂寞
「我等火車等得很無聊」：此時此景，並不是指火車很無聊，而是指「我」感到無聊
我雖想轉向其他的存有者，但卻沒有其他存有者和我相逢，我無法逃避前一種對物的無聊，因此我遇見了第二種無聊
(我無法像面對第一種無聊那樣逃到另一個存有者)
在這種「我感到無聊」之時，我不只否定掉了一個存有者，而是「否定」掉了「其他的」存有者，我只遇見了「我」
雖然我很想逃開，但在等火車的情況下，我只好一直跟我彼此相處
當這種「我感到無聊」的時刻，如果特定用在男女之情上，我找不到任何一個人可以談心
即使我有很多男男女女的朋友，但我通通否定他們，我選擇這一種「我跟自己相處」，這時候第二種無聊就轉成為寂寞了
江蕙對無的體驗，至少包含此種，因此即使去了圖書館、買了餅乾、和人說了五句話，它通通否定掉了，她只選擇了和自己相處
並且把和自己相處的經驗，轉化成一首詩。詩至少來自寂寞，因為寂寞是否定掉了存有者，被迫或者自願地和自己照面的一種處境
它是創作的一個來源。

最後，還有一種無聊，它不是在一個特定時刻和條件底下的，這時候我們會稱它為孤獨。
第一種無聊，我們否定掉了一個存有者，遇見了其他存有者
第二種無聊，我們否定掉其他的存有者，遇見了我自己
第三種無聊，我們甚至否定掉了自己，我們遇見了一個「?」
在這一種深層的無聊中，我連和自己相處都覺得無聊了，我經驗到了一種不是我熟悉的我，
當然我仍想轉向其他的存有者，或者我仍想轉向我熟悉的我，可是我發現我一點都做不到
一種「不」安、茫茫然、恍兮惚兮、「無」家可歸的經驗襲擊了我，
我們說：整個世界都變了 "味道卻不如以前的回憶中好"，
或者我是孤獨的，我就這樣一個人被孤立在廣大「無」涯的世界之中，連我自己都「不」理解自己了

是的，第三種無聊，我們恰恰因為把自己也否定掉了，我們透過這個無的經驗，我們遇到了生命整體和世界整體
我們不逗留在存有者之間，我們逗留在一個整體之中
我走著路，但卻像是飄向一條無垠的道路 "好似靈魂出翹般,從空俯瞰著自己"
我遇到人，但卻像是看不見他們
我說著話，但卻好像不是我願意說的，而是那個生命全體自己說的，因此我是在聽

第三種無聊，不再對存有者說話，也不再對自己說話，而反倒是我在「聽」著我自己
有一個生命全體它在呼喚此刻的我，我只能以「我活著的意義是甚麼」來加以回應 "活著不是挺好的嗎?
有什麼想不開的!?"(這個回答恰恰顯出對這個整體發問時的一種逃避或者尷尬，而阻斷我們繼續傾聽和追問)
有一個世界全體它在呼喚此處的我，我只能以「我活在這個世界的意義是甚麼」來加以回應 "難道多年以來你不斷的走向心底深淵卻忘了和世界溝通?"
一切存有者都被否定掉了，我們遇見了一個全體，全體是對個體的徹底否定，它是一種無，我們對此感到害怕，因為我們不知道我們在害怕甚麼，它確實不是一個「甚麼」(etwas)
這個全體就以重擔的方式壓在我們的身上，我們無法逃開也無法卸載，它要我們直視它，不再逗留在存有者身上，而僅能透留在被整體呼喚的狀態
江蕙對無的體驗，更多的是包含這個最深層的無聊(我已附上其原文)

當然「如何聽見自己」，或者「當全體襲擊我們的時刻，我們又如何面對？」
藝術的方式和哲學的方式應該是不同的，哲學上會試著直視第三種無聊，然後去問：無(全體、生命、意義)究竟如何發生？
也許留待我們見面的時刻，再彼此分享吧！

敬祝傾聽

志謙敬上

難以承受之...

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:14:00 +0000

不久前,她曾問過我
妳是孤獨,還是寂寞?
一直不太曉得
這兩者間微妙的界線
直到今天---

好似靈魂出翹般,
從空俯瞰著自己
一腳步一腳步的走向去圖書館的路
9月15的午後
是初秋了,可是陽光仍像貪玩的孩子,
在樹葉間閃爍著

妳問著自己:
活著不是挺好的嗎?
有什麼想不開的!?

去了圖書館
妳童心又起
想去巷口的手工糖果店,
買點巧克力餅乾
以為這會讓你享受
單純的不為什麼的
快樂

巷口小店離家不遠
你看著自己等不及的
打開餅乾來吃
咬下了第一口
味道卻不如以前的回憶中好

走著走著
看著自己的身影
好不孤獨啊!
妳知道妳為什麼要出門
去圖書館
去買餅乾
只是想保有和人群的接觸

今天
你共和人類
說了五句話

無法明瞭的是
怎會落到這樣生活的一天呢?
難道多年以來你不斷的
走向心底深淵
卻忘了和世界溝通?

你的雙眼模糊著
生命中難以承受之
孤.寂

戰士

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:35:00 +0000

從小時候,就常自問: 到底人生的意義是什麼? 人活著是為了什麼?
這個難題,我想每個人在經歷過不同年歲,扮演過不同的生活角色時,都會有不一樣的答案吧!
因為自己做為音樂人,以前覺得音樂是我的生活目標,因此覺得努力成為一位偉大的音樂家是理所當然的願望,但現在的我,已不是以前單純的幻想家了-經歷了求學階段,在歐洲生活了近十五年,從學生到職業生涯,戀愛到婚姻生活,經歷過一場改變自己的車禍,因為工作體會到踏入社會後交友之難,求生存之難,因為機緣接觸到瑜珈-學習到另一種生活態度…換句話說,以前以為,我是以生命來詮釋音樂的,現在的我,卻覺得以音樂來詮釋生命才是。

沒有豐富的生命,從哪兒來動人的音樂呢?

生命真是有趣啊! 尤其當你回望著以前發生的種種,不同時段所做出的決定,甚至當時的情緒和態度或是心理的健康狀態,真的是下一步棋,影響著整盤棋局。所謂因果,不就是這麼一回事嗎? 我們都常自問,如果我當時做出另一種決定,現在的我又會如何? 可惜人世間,沒有魔法可以讓我們看到下另一種決定的結果,如果你開車走錯了路,還可以回轉,但生命的時鐘,是一條向前走的路,一旦決定了方向,就得勇往直前,你可以改變方向,但卻沒辦法往回走! 是不是也因為如此,未來有許多可能性呢? 人們對於未來,常是抱著恐懼的,因為不知道會不會美夢成真、會不會成功、擁有健康、生活的快樂與幸福…

活著,有時覺得是要解決一個接一個的難題,甚至有時幾道難題一起出現呢! 但再怎樣,有個健康的身體和心靈,把生活當做個挑戰,我們是可以應付得來的!

在學習瑜珈時,其中一個“戰士”姿勢給了我許多的靈感,當然,這要謝謝我一位很棒的瑜珈老師-Isabel帶給我的啟發:
一天早上的課程中,我們練習著Warrior Pose 英雄式:雙腳大大的張開,一腳彎曲另一腳打直著,雙手背展開,頭看前方。本來我對這個姿勢沒什麼特別喜愛的,可是Isabel說到: 假想你是位戰士,你看著前方,你想到什麼?在面對戰爭時,你的態度是什麼? 恐懼,不安,害怕?還是你抱有自信面對一切的難題? 要打贏一場戰爭時,你要想什麼呢? 看著前方,你不畏懼,你把恐懼拋在腦後,所有無關的細節或煩惱都不見了,你在此,是為了要打贏一場戰爭-做自己的戰士! Presence, Strength but Without tension 存在力+力量+不緊張!

當她說出這句話時,我覺得好像突然被當頭棒喝一般,我突然想到: 這不就是我們在舞台上表演時所要達到的境界嗎? 當你有了Presence(存在感,表現力-真的很難找到適當的中文來表達這個字的意思), Strength(力量)但卻不緊張(生理和心靈兩方面),這時音樂就可以出來了! 這時你是在享受著藝術,創造當下的藝術,近一步感動觀眾。頓時,我看著自己前方的手,彷彿見到了未來,背後方的手,是過去,而現在呢?是我自己在中央的身軀和頭部! 這是多麼驚奇的姿勢啊! 原來過去現在和未來,是三位一體的,是同時存在著! 過去發生的,所經歷所決定的事,影響著我們現在的生活,而我們如何看待現下的自己,所做的工作和對待生活的態度,將對未來有改變。難怪有句話說: 如果你不活在未來,未來就會活在你的過去! 這是什麼意思? 意思是“活在當下”的重要啊! 而活在當下,是在當你能看清-原來,過去現在未來是在一起時, 你的一舉一動是需要有意識時,不是得過且過的,你因此學會活在每分每秒的重要! 而音樂呢,更是時間,當下的藝術,長時間的練習,是耐心和體力的結合,為的就是在舞臺上的那段時間展現你想表達的藝術,但音樂世界好手之多,競爭十分激烈,在舞台上時,已不是比較誰是較好的音樂家了,在大家技術和音樂性上都相當的情況下,倒是誰較能掌握自己的神經緊張,能把腦海裡醞釀的畫面和情緒,在當下完整的傳達給觀眾時,才是化剎那即永恆!(當然,實際上的“永恆”並不存在,我想指的是,因為藝術帶來的餘音繞樑三日的那種觸動,是讓人難以忘懷的!) 所以,我常想,真正能做到活在當下,就會知道如何做個好的音樂人!

再從音樂舞台回到人生的戰場吧! 雖然兩者其實是同一個地方:

面對戰場時,戰士們是不能猶豫的,相反的,我們得相信自己,知道自己的弱點和優點,加強弱點發展優點。以前發生的事導致內心的恐懼或不安,就讓它過去吧! 過去的都已經過去了,無論再怎樣都無法改變,但我們能改變的,是現下與未來,所以要決定的是:哪種態度我們該拋棄呢?哪種想法是能幫助我們的呢?讓不實用的想法隨昨日過去,培養該加強的心理建設,因為, 這會是我們面對生活的精神武器啊! 在舞台上時,又何嘗不是如此呢? 誰多少都出差錯,人不是完美的,也沒有所謂完美無暇的音樂家,但當你拉錯了音,走了音或是有時忘譜或跳段時,你哪有閒暇對所犯的錯後悔? 要緊的是如何接下去,往前走! 由其繼續演奏時,不能讓先前的失誤影響你的情緒,因為你還有責任把現下還有將出現的音符呈現給觀眾呢! 這就是人生,這就是演奏音樂。

在自己生日的前夕,我想把這篇關於“戰士”的文章寫下, 激勵自己,也記錄下我這一年來的心理變化! 不得不說,我28歲的這一年,是我心靈成長至目前以來最豐富的一段時光(今年竟開始練習寫英文詩了!), 練習瑜珈幫助了我許多, 因而我也開始了另一段成為瑜珈老師的課程。為了應付昂貴的學費,也讓我對於金錢和時間有不同的體會。反正,生命中有苦有樂,端看我如何調整自己的心境。而哪天,無論我是身在山腳下或山頂尖,卻能同保有一顆歡喜滿足的心,接受著不同的風景,能安然自在的享受著不同的風景和心情-這樣,就足夠了。

願大家都做自己的戰士, 為生命打贏這場戰!
-Fight a good fight-!!!

以此文獻給所有愛我和我愛的人, All my family and friends! 尤其是我的親人-爸媽: 謝謝你們給予我生命,辛苦的養育我,給予教育。姊姊和我的先生Chris-兩位我在歐洲僅有的家人, 我們一起努力築夢!

分岔

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:49:00 +0000

夜晚一天一天的變長
夏去,秋來
才發現,原來
許多東西不是那麼容易遺忘…

據專家說-
腦記得所有的故事: 妳說過的話,別人說過的話,好事壞事…
只是,腦裡只有12%的意識,其餘的
你以為你忘了,或早已放開了,
但沒那麼簡單呢!

又能怎麼辦呢?

負擔,若放不下,
就只能扛在肩上走吧!
想要散心-
你便走著,一片大西洋在你眼前
浪潮撲打著你的雙腳,看著浪花裡不同的藍與白,多麼舒暢開懷啊!
可是為什麼,
你仍然放不下心呢?

低著頭,
看著自己分岔的髮尾,
是該去修減一翻啦!

心散不開,越扯越亂
可是畢竟頭髮越長越長
時間就在你眼前一秒一秒的過
向未來走著,
總不能對過去念念不忘吧!

於是,
去修剪髮尾,把分岔的,變色的,無光澤的髮尾消去
把腐爛困惑的回憶剪下,
留一頭烏黑亮麗的頭髮+燦爛的微笑來生活
真能這麼乾脆?

不管了! 就這麼做吧!
放不下的就提著走
走到哪一天累到不行了,
一個轉角,就把所有的東西都拋下
然後
消失的無影無蹤。

兩個月以來...

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 13:13:00 +0000

驚覺的看到自己最後一次的部落格up date, 竟然已是兩個月以前的事了!

這段時間忙是忙,在音樂會,排練和音樂會間穿梭,生活中的點點滴滴,再加上我的新計畫-成為瑜珈老師的課程,生活中的靈感不缺乏,有時反倒是想法太多,時間太少,沒有坐下來靜下心的沉靜來寫文章呢。

關於在未來成為瑜珈老師的計畫,大約是五月中萌發的。其實,我今年就常想到,自從練瑜珈後,在心境,身體,神經和表演態度上,對我幫助許多,真的學到許多東西,因此很希望能用演奏和瑜珈的結合,幫助更多的人! 瑜珈老師,應該是最能助人的職業之一吧!

課程一開始,驚訝到有這麼多的東西要學:舉凡瑜珈的發展歷史,印度宗教發展,印度哲學的概論,瑜珈的八步功法(Pantajali's Yoga sutra)甚至於身體和情緒的關係,不同的呼吸法(Pranayama), 在體位法的範圍也包括初步的身體肌肉和骨頭的構造...這麼多資料, 再加上練習瑜珈,真的體會到要當一位專業的瑜珈老師真不簡單呢! 我的老師Isabel說的好: 需要了解這些知識,因為未來你們要和"人們"一起工作啊!-要知道哪位學生有哪方面的毛病或疾病,在教學時得告訴他們有哪些代換的動作或是有些動作不該練習,也要知道學生們精神上和體能上的狀況,哪些體位法能給予他們幫助...等。

所以啦,這就是兩個月以來在學的東西了,非常的豐富,接下來還有一年半的時間才能拿到教師執照呢!我會陸續在blog上和你們分享我在音樂和瑜珈上的心得的!

下會再敘!

對人彈琴?

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:00:00 +0000

03/05/2009 at 17:00 Centre civic, Regencós(Catalunya), Spain
我想,這畢竟是個奇怪的經驗吧?

有時在這種小鎮的音樂會,由於居民們對於古典音樂認識不多,或是鮮少有機會聆聽古典音樂,並不知道在音樂會中的禮儀(其實就是對於音樂和演奏者的尊重),你會發現台下雜音很多,有些類似市集的感覺,而今天下午,我就是在這種情況下,拉完孟德爾頌D小調小提琴協奏曲的!

先是聽到一些小孩子的聲音,不知是在玩還是在說話,接著看到有些人陸續的進場,而我呢,同時在樂團的協奏音符中試著進入狀況,把目標集中…當你的週遭環境是如此雜亂時,要專心可真不容易啊! 這讓我想到鋼琴家傅聰,在一回台灣的音樂會中,因為觀眾的吵雜聲干擾到他的注意力,不得不停下演奏,轉頭請觀眾安靜的情況,我想當時他的情緒定是難以描繪吧! 因為我發現,儘管觀眾發出雜音,當你望向觀眾群時,看到專心聆聽音樂的人仍是多數,他們看著你在舞台上的一舉一動呢!影響氣氛的是一些少數人的聲音,你能因此不滿而干擾到你的演奏品質嗎? 而且,作為演奏者,是需要有聽眾才有表演的舞台,因此,表演時帶份感激的心情,把當下最好的呈現給觀眾是我ㄧ直激勵自己的…

所以當我拉出第一樂句時,我就對自己說,再怎樣我都得為想聽我拉奏的聽眾好好拉完這首曲子! 我想我是做到了,只是,不禁感到疑惑: 他們知道他們在聆聽什麼嗎? 一位從五歲開始學音樂的女孩,十六歲到歐洲和大師習琴,在你眼前拉奏著孟德爾頌十三歲時寫的小提琴協奏曲,拉的是一把1790年的義大利老琴…

Anyway, 就當作是訓練舞臺上的集中度吧!

客席指揮的重要

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:54:00 +0000

和一樣的樂團團員及指揮一起工作了這麼久,偶爾和外地來的客席指揮一起工作一個禮拜,可以說是為大家平常習慣的菜色加入新的調味料呢!所以,家常菜不再是習慣的味道了,縱使是同樣的菜色,可是味道竟不同了,突然間你看待"吃”的態度竟也不同了!

曾幾何時,你如此習慣了每天的菜色,有時吃飯是為了飽肚,而忘了吃的樂趣及享受有東西吃的幸福呢?

和韓國的客席指揮Young-Chil Lee一起工作,已是近一個月前的事了,但是和他一起準備表演曲目時的那份精神和感動,都一直保存在心中。我們的樂團,是個編制相當小的室內樂團,總共才十三個人而已,大家在一起工作又久,工作時間又長,所以有時“聽”的出來大家是拉慣了音符,而這位指揮Lee先生一開始和我們排練時,馬上就請大家傾聽每個聲部的聲音(這是非常非常基本的拉奏室內樂的態度,可是,人有時是健忘的,哈哈!),要求增加樂句的長度,在音色中加入“輕”的感覺,結果就在一瞬間,樂團的聲音全變了! 變的有音樂性,且充滿了生命力…

他說了許多啟發我們的話,當然,對於從小就與音樂為伍的音樂家們,這些都是應具備的常識,可是一樣工作做久了之後,大家的傾向是忘了當初學音樂的那股熱情和態度,這時,一位客席指揮的到來,從一個旁觀者的眼光帶領樂團,馬上注入了一股新氣象。因為對於一位外地來的指揮而言,這樂團對他而言也是新的工作對象,他有他的挑戰,如何在如此短的時間內,運用他的指揮技巧及音樂性,把樂團平常習慣演奏的風格和音色,與他個人的詮釋作為一個調和,創造出無論是他想像中要聽的音色,或是和樂團綜合出來的新風貌。

Lee指揮一在強調到,我們演奏音樂時,要“快樂的把情緒傳達給聽眾”,讓聽眾明白我們想要說的。這句話地重點是“快樂的”,表演時把情緒傳播-自然是演奏的意義,可是有誰真正的做到“快樂的”這種態度呢? 這是一句有趣的話,可是當演奏者不快樂時,演奏就變成是種工作而不是做音樂,做藝術了! 讓我銘記在心的是,當他說到-像我們這種小型的樂團,可以做到一下子大家就同時改變音樂的情緒, 且基本上是不需要指揮的。指揮在此只是幫助我們在詮釋音樂上的方向且給予掌握,但我們在拉奏時,每個人都是獨奏家! 是在一起演奏室內樂的獨奏家而不是orchestra player!

聽到這話時,我真的覺得挺感動的,因為,我從小想做的是獨奏家,從來沒想到自己在這麼年輕時就進入樂團工作,這也是為什麼我一直爭取表演獨奏的機會,因為這時我覺得自己在為自己做音樂,是我最享受的時候,可是,卻沒有把這同樣的態度用在拉tutti(齊奏)的時候,但你一旦用這一樣的熱情在拉樂團時,且和一位好指揮工作,wow! 這感覺有如新生呢!音樂也變的不一樣了!

這就是我所謂的-菜色不換,口味卻變了!
這不是挺好的嗎? 就有如一瞬間,和一位認識已久的朋友聊天,卻發現無形中他的改變,因此你們聊天的話題增加了,突然像認識位新朋友一樣,結果也讓你眼界變寬,變的更有朝氣!
這就是客席指揮的重要呢!!!

Adding concert update!

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:32:00 +0000

Dear readers,
你們有沒有發現-網誌的右手邊,多了個小單元,叫where & when am I playing?
對了! 這將是我每月份的concert update!

昨天,和我親愛的家人在skype上聊的天花亂墜的,爸媽建議說,我也可以在blog上加入我音樂會的行程,讓大家知道我演奏的動向。其實,當初想架一個網誌,其實是想專門發揮我在文字上的想像力,寫些生活上的靈感、周遭發生的故事,或是在演奏旅行中的經歷,偏屬文學性的文章,而關於我的專業-小提琴,我則另有我的網頁http://www.hueichiang.com/, 上有我的音樂及videos, concert schedule(solo performances)…, 可是,昨天想了想,覺得我若也在blog上加入音樂會行程,更能讓讀者朋友們了解我的工作步調,因為,有趣得事實是-沒有任何一個職業樂團演奏像我們如次多的音樂會! 每年平均是130-150場呢!

在這小單元裡,我表演獨奏時將以不同顏色標出,可惜的是,多數的中文讀者都在地球的另一端,難有機會前來聽我的演奏…

在同個室內樂團工作了近十年之久(http://www.fundaciooce.org/),自近兩年開始寫部落格後,才開始用文字讓讀者們認識我作為職業音樂家的生活,又加上我們常在外地演出,我的部落格名稱叫” violinist on roaming” 也不足為奇了!

OK! That’s for now! 最近有許多新的想法,將會盡快把靈感寫下,和你們一起分享我在文學上的創作,也希望每篇文章能帶給你們不同的體驗與感動!
(在樂團演奏中,應該找得到我吧!圖片中唯一的亞洲面孔)

Salzburg 98

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:56:00 +0000

Glass of wine on the table,
Cup of fine cha by its side,
And I’m in your embrace,
The moment for ever.
Snowy of night
Love of my life

一杯紅酒在桌上,
一杯香醇的茶靜放在旁,
而我在你的懷中
當下及永恆
飄雪的夜
我生命中的愛

這篇小詩的誕生,是因為讀了另一篇法文小詩產生的靈感!

二月底三月初的某一天,我和Chris在英倫的地鐵中,被車廂裡張貼的詩所吸引(推動文化閱讀的那種,政府刊登的Poster),一首如此精巧的短詩,卻那麼充滿著畫面,引發人的想像力,短短五行句子,如此有味道,看了我真喜歡。

於是,我想觀摩一下,做個以前我們讀小學時造句的練習,看看變化出來的效果如何。當然,我的詩自有我的故事啦!

一直覺得,這種沒有太多文字或背景的藝術作品,內含著無限的想像力或是韻味,是很典型東方人的表現方法,可是突然間在法文詩中看到,很令人驚豔呢!

附上這首詩的原文和英文翻譯,我就不再翻中文了,因為我想,她的英文翻譯也如此精簡有韻,我當時讀了英文覺得詮釋的很美,但卻沒有在心中想"中文該如何說的好",之後在google上查到許多此詩人的資料,也有一些中文作者在blog上面翻成中文,我都覺得再怎麼翻譯,再怎麼做文字遊戲都不如自己感覺,想像-來的好!

So, hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Alicante by Jacques Prévert

Une orange sur la table
Ta robe sur le tapis
Et toi dans mon lit
Doux présent du prséent
Fraîcheur de la nuit
Chaleur de ma vie.

An orange on the table,
Your dress on the rug,
And you in my bed,
Sweet present of the present,
Cool of night,
Warmth of my life.

Translated by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Stay with me a little longer…

noreply@blogger.com (Huei Chiang 江蕙) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:34:00 +0000

The day I was born, you were within me.
You are a part of human nature,
But,
Not everybody enjoys your company.

I learned to cry, to eat, to speak, to watch, to write, to listen…
I grew,
Until one day, I learned to recognize your voice,
Which is part of my own.

I see you when I am concentrated on what I am meant to do.
Sometimes I see your shadow, even when I stand in crowds of people.
No words to be said,
And I long for you.

Some people can’t stand silence.
Is this because they are afraid of hearing
how loud you can be in their hearts?

As in the gap between Yin & Yang,
So in the gap between one thought and the next,
You exist
Although we hardly notice you.

You taught me to like being with myself,
And to appreciate honest friendships in the world.

Maybe you won’t be the one I most want to be with
In my dying moments
But
Without you
I wouldn’t have got to know myself better.

Solitude,
Stay with me a little longer...

Violinist on roaming 漫遊提琴手

Live Performance Charles Ives Sonata Nr. 4 by Yin & Huei Chiang

Live Performance- Yin & Huei Chiang playing Cowell's Sonata

Mr. Schubert at the sea

“There must be something strangely sacred in salt. It is in our tears and in the sea.” ~Kahlil Gibran

A present for my dear friend- Guy. The poem is also dedicated to everyone who has experienced the changes in the dragon year 2012

蘋果日報: 江蕙將登台拉小提琴

C- Camerata 音樂會相關閱讀

凱吉的作曲理念

加料鋼琴

東方哲學

即興音樂

Blue ink fiddler

Love & something close to love

Play how you feel!

Sinalunya Interviews: Huei Chiang

Sinalunya Interviews: Huei Chiang

Waiting vs. Later

心動

台灣古典音樂網訪問稿

入圍年度最佳原創作品部落格

The Most Beautiful Face

Moonlight

短詩迴響

難以承受之...

戰士

分岔

兩個月以來...

對人彈琴?

客席指揮的重要

Adding concert update!

Salzburg 98

Stay with me a little longer…

“There must be something strangely sacred in salt. It is in our tears and in the sea.”
~Kahlil Gibran