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2003年11月9日 星期日

淺談丁菲飛 《樂源》


丁菲飛 《樂源》


公司:環球唱片
年份:2003
樂風:Ethnic Fusion

在2000年,當K歌已經當道、舞曲正在抬頭、唱跟作二字還未碰上,仍願意在香港樂壇認真做音樂以實力打拚的新人實屬稀奇。其中一個還要來自上海,二胡司背景加學院派式演唱,沒有偶像面孔只得創作歌手名號,既不地道所作所為亦與主流倡導的一切逆向奔馳。這奇人叫丁菲飛。

可能內地著名前衛電音擁護者丁薇更多人聽說過,其實就是丁菲飛的妹妹,但她棄機會龐大的內地到香港發展,憑獨特視野和實力,短短幾年已踏上很多香港歌手只能遙望輕嘆的台階。出道作是與伯樂譚詠麟合唱《自選角度》,客串性質的和聲與二胡演奏比主角更讓人印象深刻,同名EP一首《月亮忘記了》更獲英國Way Out West看中推出混音版,成為首名打入英國排行榜的華人。歌舞劇《情陷紅磨坊》上映時,香港區宣傳是她特別創作和演出香港區主題曲《夢蕾》,可在第二張專輯《Dare To Be Different》找到。可惜樂迷不太懂接受藝術性的演唱和中國元素,未為丁菲飛帶來多少名利,沉寂兩年後《樂源》是個難得創舉,因為從流行曲變成new age和世界音樂,還要是SACD格式高檔路線發行,兩者即使到今時今日仍屬本地異數。

製作陣容十分可觀,監製之位除找來內地著名音樂人與丁氏姊妹一同擔崗,丁薇也為部份歌曲擔任編曲和獻唱。另外唐朝樂隊的王勇在《夢之間》中客串古箏,最矚目是邀請到挪威著名new age組合Secret Garden在兩首純音樂中獻技。錄音追求最高質素,歌詞集也加入中英對照,就如此幕前幕後和專業製作,已可見《樂源》絕對是充滿信心的水準之作。

整體延續前兩作設下的路向,揉合中樂、西樂、電子、流行和new age等元素於一身,也比之前更加出神及富音樂性,如《向南飛》的弦樂、鋼琴曲《誰》的笛子、《自己的天空》中電結他跟笛子合奏、引用巴洛克名曲《Kanon》的和弦進行式與以鋼琴搭配二胡的《湧》,種種中西融合使這專輯別樹一格,還有詩意歌詞和丁氏姊妹的飄渺唱腔,使《樂源》在香港流行音樂領域中散發著高雅的氣質。更誘人是純音樂作品,以民族式吟唱和二胡伴隨中國風電子樂為主,每刻都滲著絲絲憂怨。Secret Garden合作的兩首同樣悅耳,爵士中帶愛爾蘭民謠色彩的《我的愛爾蘭朋友》由二胡和小提琴互奏發展至後段兩者再加豎笛和丁薇哼唱相輝映,更使人聞歌起舞。

這是一張很有個性、很高質素的中文大碟,毫無疑問是2003年度最佳香港出品專輯之一,只是在潮流主導的香港樂壇,個性可以是個致命傷,像《樂源》的定位為唱片公司帶來很大疑惑,因之前一直以普羅大眾作目標,現在音樂改頭換面得可以,公關部不知道該怎樣宣傳,最後從SACD和高格調角度出發瞄準上流和發燒市場,卻進一步疏遠原來的目標群眾。跟著一年獲康文署邀請,與丁氏姊妹和Secret Garden同台的還有到歐洲發展多時的男高音莫華倫,在文化中心一連兩晚舉行的音樂會叫好叫座,卻造就了激流勇退的時刻,多年來多番嘗試沒太大起色,踏入文化中心更使原來的聽眾感到「已是不屬於我的東西了」,進退兩難之際選擇淡出香港樂壇,可能是最佳決定。
很可惜,丁菲飛這短暫但比絕大部份本地歌手輝煌的生涯,正好是個在香港樂壇有實力有心創作、願意走得比人快比人前,只會使自己更難經營的活生生見證。




Music Assignment 2/12: General Comments on "Origin"


"Origin" is the third release from the Chinese avant-garde pop/alternative musician Ding Fei Fei. Different from her previous two pop-oriented albums, "Origin" leans more on the alternative scene. "Origin" is in the vein of Ethnic fusion, a sub-genre of new age that incorporates traditional ethnic folk music into contemporary electronic music. Such kind of music is to create unity and harmony between Western technology and more earth- and nature-oriented cultures, interpreting oriental philosophies through modern new age music.

As "Origin" is an Ethnic Fusion album, electronic elements obtain a great share here. Ambient synthesizer sounds and drum loops are very common. Besides, other real sounding instruments such as acoustic and electric guitars and basses, drums, piano and acoustic strings are also present. Together with some traditional Chinese instruments like Er-Hu, Gu-Zheng, Chinese flute and some oriental folk style (backing) chorus, this combination leads to an "east-meets-west" phenomenon here. A touch of jazz and Irish folk songs can also be found in certain tracks in addition of violin, whistles and Uilleann pipes.

Ding Fei Fei and her younger sister Ding Wei, another avant musician, share most of the compositions and arrangements in this album with the help from famous Chinese music producers Zhu Xiao Ming, Jin Wu Lin, San Bao and Lin Hai. Ding Fei Fei plays er-hu and lead vocals, while her sister focuses on backing chorus. Other additional musicians include Jin Wu Lin on piano, Yang Le on flute, Lao Zai on electric guitar, Wang Xiao Dong on bass, Liang Jian Feng on acoustic guitar, Zhang Young Guang on drums, Kong Hong Wei on keyboard, Hou Gang Yu on Chinese flute and Beijing Asia Principle Orchestra which plays strings. They have even invited Secret Garden, an internationally famous new age duo, to feature on two tracks in "Origin".


Comments on Individual Tracks


Track #9: Pour (湧)
Style of music:
Neo-Classical, another sub-genre of new age music
Instrumentation:
At the beginning, a synthesizer brings out the chord progression of the baroque classic "Kanon". Then an er-hu enters to play the main melody, and a piano backed by additional ambient keyboards breaks in midway. Throughout the song, the er-hu takes the lead, while occasional piano ad-libs act as ornamentals. Such instrumentation successfully brings out a pleasant-sounding effect.
Music theory:
Based on the chord progression of "Kanon", the song is contrapuntal. It has a multi-layered structure with chord progression line, a melody line and an ornamental line. It begins softly, and gets to the largest volume when the piano suddenly breaks in. Finally it ends with the chord progression fading in volume.

Track #10: Sacred Lake (聖湖)
Style of music:
Ethnic fusion
Instrumentation:

Drum loops and stereo keyboard sounds create an ambient, while er-hu is the center of the ambient. Ding Wei then adds a vocal ad-lib in unison with the Er-Hu in a way similar to the "heavenly voice" of new age music. From halfway on, occasional folk style chorus appears, which goes pretty well with the melody.
Music Theory:
The song is played on a pentatonic scale. The unison of the vocal ad-libs and the er-hu, as well as the folk style chorus, produced a harmonious effect.
Track #11: Dunhuang (敦煌)
Style of music:
Ethnic fusion
Instrumentation:
It begins with an electronic drum loop sampling Chinese percussion instruments. Very often the song adopts a Chinese percussion rhythm. Ding Fei Fei sings the melody, while Ding Wei occasionally gives ad-lib chorus performance. Studio mixing effects such as echoes are sometimes applied to enhance the psychedelic atmosphere. Male chorus reminiscent of Chinese monk chants appears occasionally.
Music theory:
Dunhuang is a mysterious place. The song deliberately adopts a Chinese percussion rhythm and applies echoes to create a mysterious and psychedelic mood. Written on a pentatonic scale, the melody comes in an ABA form, with the chorus repeated three times at the end.