艾丽森·巴尔松：小号奇响曲 - 巴尔松精选集 (US Compilation) 　　★ 全英古典音乐奖上首位获得年度最佳女演奏家的英国人 　　★ 才华横溢，富余音乐新生的完美演奏家——艾丽森·巴尔松 　　★ 精选集16首小曲，包括皮亚佐拉、巴赫、德彪西、阿尔比诺尼、马尔切罗等精彩的录音，为你带来一场听觉盛宴 　　 艾丽森·巴尔松10岁的时候在伦敦欣赏到了瑞典小号演奏家哈肯·哈登伯格的演出。这是一次命运的邂逅，让巴尔松找到了她的挚爱“小号”，并且愿意为此奉献自己的一生。巴尔松说到，“但是当时却没有意识到这一切来得如此不易，不过这的确是我儿时的梦想，无法想象生活中没有小号的样子。” 　　2008年的时候，巴尔松录制了胡梅尔的小号协奏曲，这张作品让她功成名就，同时这作品也正是哈肯·哈登伯格当年演出的作品，此人也曾经担任过巴尔松的老师。次年，巴尔松成为了2009全英古典音乐奖上首位获得年度最佳女演奏家的英国人。然后曾经一度，她曾认为她的演奏生涯应该如同小号一般的多姿多彩，但是最终下定决心将其发扬光大。 　　在她长达十多年的职业生涯中，巴尔松的能力得到了完美体现；在演奏小号的过程中同时感受到挑战和随之而来的释放感：虽然适合小号演奏的作品只有为数不多的几个。在此过程中她遇到了前所未有的挑战，不仅要创作新作品，还要将其他一些作品改编成小号演奏曲目，不过小号的演奏则将这个作品变得更为丰富和质感。这大大地增加了她的表演曲目，这也赐予了一些如同长笛、双簧管、小提琴，甚至人声表演中的经典歌曲于一种全新的生命。 　　 这张专辑能让你彻底的了解到巴尔松的作品——16首小曲包括：皮亚佐拉、巴赫、德彪西、阿尔比诺尼、马尔切罗等精彩的录音。没错，即使你已经对一整张的小号作品望而却步，别害怕，这是一张会让你从头到尾享受到底的作品。 　　“A vehicle of expression” is how Alison Balsom describes the trumpet after its technical and physical demands have been mastered and the instrument’s potential can be fully realized. And as you listen to her play, almost no matter what the repertoire, “expressive” is a word that comes to mind, along with “lyrical”, “warm”, “articulate”, “seductive”—words easily and often associated with the human voice; and indeed, Balsom regards the trumpet as a voice, of many colors, one that “sings” rather than brashly, brassily asserts itself (although she certainly can bring out that more common side of the trumpet’s personality when she wants or needs to). 　　 This is a compilation drawn from several recordings from the past 10 years, and it’s an intelligently designed program that not only shows Balsom’s versatility and virtuosity, but flows well from piece to piece, sparing us the sudden, jarring juxtapositions of incompatible styles or acoustics we often experience on such collections. From Piazzolla’s Esqualo and Libertango and movements from a Marcello oboe concerto, Bach’s Trio sonata in C major (a very agreeable partnership of trumpet, gamba, and harpsichord), Neruda’s Trumpet concerto in E-flat, and Macmillan’s Seraph for trumpet and string orchestra, we’re led through a wide range of styles and works both originally for trumpet and transcribed for it. Among the latter are Rachmaninov’s Vocalise (which seems to adapt well to whatever instrument it’s arranged for), Debussy’s Syrinx (which Balsom plays in its original flute key), and two songs: a lovely arrangement by Balsom and her pianist, Tom Poster, of “Nobody Knows”, and even more beautiful, her version of “Shenandoah”, accompanied only by organ, as movingly played and “sung” as the sweetest church hymn. This collection is an ideal way to get to know Balsom’s work–and yes, even if you have reservations about an entire disc of trumpet music (and I’m with you on that!), don’t be afraid: this is a pleasure from beginning to end. 　　　-- David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com