20111027

薇姨 • 夜曲

初讀董橋的文字,並不喜歡,只覺得矯揉造作、堆砌雕琢,後來多讀了一點,習慣了他的風格,漸漸欣賞到他別有的韻味;然而,始終嫌他長句太多,寫的題材盡是舊時風月、文人雅士、琴棋書畫,有點不知人間何世的頹唐。

過去幾年我買四五本董橋的書,間中讀一兩篇,也饒有趣味的,亦可滋潤一下自己的文筆。這幾本書中我比較喜歡《白描》,尤愛此書的楔子,短短的,文筆比較平白,卻很感人。今天重讀,仍然被結尾那段觸動心弦,不妨抄在這裏跟大家分享。董橋寫的是六十年代在他家暫住的薇姨 *

「那年她剛從泉州逃來香港,說是在廈門做了好幾年粗活了,指望找到一家好人僱她做下女。一天午後,我比平日早回家,步上幾級樓梯,聽到的竟是我家傳出的一串鋼琴聲,彈的是蕭邦的夜曲,靈巧,婉約。我輕輕打開大門,薇姨纖瘦的背影在古舊的鋼琴前微微晃動。曲子彈完,我低聲叫了她一聲,她緩緩回過頭來,枯皺的臉上浮起一閃笑意:我遠遠看到她眼眶裏含滿淚水。」

薇姨的身世,就在一曲蕭邦裏不言而喻了。不知她彈的是哪一首夜曲?以下是蕭邦夜曲中我最喜歡的一首,剛柔並重,不只是一味的婉約動聽。演奏者是 Valentina Lisitsa,她的指法有點誇張,但誇張得好看極了,十指像在琴鍵上翩翩起舞。我想像薇姨的彈法收斂含蓄得多,琴技亦沒有 Lisitsa 那麼了得,卻一樣的感動人。



*  後記:這句本來是「董橋寫的是六十年代在他家裏當傭人的薇姨」,網友  ohce 指出薇姨只是寄居。我當然看到原文的「暫住我家的薇姨」,但我一向以為那是董橋委婉的寫法,薇姨其實是在他家當傭人;經 ohce 一提,不得不承認這可能是我過份想像的結果,所以便改寫了。至於 ohce 說董橋這段文字「令人討厭的矯情淺薄,風格屬「濫文藝」,我只能說見仁見智,不必反駁。

6 則留言:

  1. Wong,
    do you play some piano these days? I am practicing a new song on my piano now. (I played that before on a keyboard without dynamics. Of course, it's much more difficult with dynamics now.) I am almost done with it and want to go up a level. If I can handle that level and get to yet another higher level, (even if I can only handle one or two pieces there,) I will be satisfied. That will (extremely) likely be my limit. I know it.
    Oh, one thing. My nephew plays piano much better than me. He once commented, when I said I couldn't play at his level after he played a piece, that one could play music beautifully at a low level too. Maybe that's more important. But now I will try to reach the limit of what pieces I can handle. Then I will focus on playing some pieces beautifully. (I doubt if I can do it well there.)
    --zpdrmn (an old dog trying to learn new tricks)

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  2. apdrmn,

    Good for you. I am picking up piano again, but have not been playing as often as I have planned to.

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  3. Hi Wong,

    Me too, I plan once a week but would not success; always once a month. My finger would not catch what my eyes saw, still need more practice. MW

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  4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=iC5phN5yuJ0

    Fun for watching MW

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  5. Wong,
    //I am picking up piano again, but have not been playing as often as I have planned to. //

    Good for you too. It is a start. Keep going.
    ---zpdrmn

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