- Leslie Bassett
- Matteo Lippi
- Philip Lane: Three Christmas Pictures
- Gaudeamus
- Carnaval
- Kuljit Bhamra
- Slovak National Symphony Orchestra
- Oscar Fetrás
An Individualistic Style
GEOFF PEARCE listens to Frank Martin's music with flute
'The performances are very good and totally convincing.'
Back in my boyhood days, I first heard the music of Swiss composer Frank Martin (1890-1974) on the radio. It was the Violin Concerto (1950), I was very impressed at the time and have listened to quite a number of his works since. I was pleased to see that this new recording is not of music I am familiar with.
The first work on this disc, Sonata da Chiesa (1941), was written for Martin's new wife Maria Boeke and is a work just under eighteen minutes in length and composed for flute and organ. The title of the work stems from the Baroque church sonata and was originally conceived for viola d'amore and organ in 1938. It is in three sections: a leisurely opening, a quicker dance-like movement and then a slow ending. Martin was influenced by Schoenberg and the twelve tone composers, but by this time, he had moved towards his own personal style which mixes elements of twelve tone style, but tonal music is also present. I have always regarded Martin as somewhat of a neo-classicist, but his style is individualistic and really defies catagorisation. The balance between flute and organ is excellent and both are very fine musicians and this is a piece that makes fascinating listening.
Listen — Frank Martin: Sonata da Chiesa
(97061 track 1, 9:00-9:59) ℗ 2024 Brilliant Classics :
Deuxieme Ballade (1939) for flute and piano, based on the author's version of the Ballade for saxophone, strings, piano and drums, was originally written in 1938 as a commission for saxophone, but later arranged for flute and piano. Interestingly he did not have this piece published until 1966 and his wife (who was a flautist) was not told of its existence. Like all ballades, this work is rhapsodic in nature. It is quite a major work for flute and piano taking nearly sixteen minutes. It opens with slow music, but this gives way to a rhythmic and lively section, and that is freely followed by other episodes, each with a different mood. Again, this is a work which is full of many interesting twists and turns.
Listen — Frank Martin: Deuxieme Ballade
(97061 track 2, 9:57-10:56) ℗ 2024 Brilliant Classics :
The Ballade for Flute and Piano (1939) is just under eight minutes in length. It again opens slowly before giving way to a fast and rather rhythmically complex faster section. This short work illustrates clearly what a fine composer Frank Martin was. Every piece I have heard of his reveals fine craftsmanship and a real understanding of the instruments or forces he was writing for.
Listen — Frank Martin: Ballade for flute and piano
(97061 track 3, 1:31-2:15) ℗ 2024 Brilliant Classics :
Quatre sonnets pour Cassandre (1921) for mezzo-soprano, flute, viola and cello was based on some love sonnets by the sixteenth century French poet Pierre de Ronsard. The influence of composers such as Debussy and Ravel is quite strong in this early work, and the style is somewhat warmer. I was most impressed with these songs and also with Monica Bacelli, who had a fine voice admirably suited to this work.
Listen — Frank Martin: Quand je te vois, seule, assise, à part toi
(Quatre sonnets pour Cassandre)
(97061 track 8, 1:27-2:16) ℗ 2024 Brilliant Classics :
The Trois Chants de Noël (1947) for voice, flute and piano are short and somewhat nostalgic settings of verse by Albert Rudhardt, a poet from Geneva who was a friend of the composer and had recently died. They were both from Geneva and shared a Calvanist upbringing, and this was a major influence. These three little songs were written to be performed at home by Frank Martin, his wife Marie and eldest daughter Françoise.
Listen — Frank Martin: Les Bergers (Trois Chants de Noël)
(97061 track 10, 1:17-1:50) ℗ 2024 Brilliant Classics :
In 1957, following his retirement from his teaching post at the Hochschule in Cologne (where amongst others, Stockhausen was one of his students), Martin composed the impressive work Le Mystère de la Nativité. He arranged a small pastoral section from this work for flute, oboe and harp, and called this little composition Pièce brève. This little piece, lasting just under two and a half minutes, is charming and evocative. It reminds me a little of the Trois Dances he wrote in 1970 for Heinz and Ursula Holliger.
Listen — Frank Martin: Pièce brève
(97061 track 11, 1:23-2:09) ℗ 2024 Brilliant Classics :
The final work here is Drey Minnelieder (1961) for mezzo-soprano, flute, viola and cello. The composer was frequently drawn to religious and other texts from the medieval period and he set three Minnelieder from the thirteenth century in these three songs that each last around three minutes. These are exquisite and reaffirm to me what a fine composer Frank Martin was and that he deserves much more attention than he currently receives.
Listen — Frank Martin: Under den linden ... (Drey Minnelieder)
(97061 track 14, 0:00-0:48) ℗ 2024 Brilliant Classics :
There is a kind of detached coolness to many of Frank Martin's works, which perhaps is somewhat of a discouragement for some, and the music does not fall neatly into any category. The performances are very good and totally convincing. Daniele Ruggieri is a very fine flautist and he, along with the singer Monica Bacelli, are the stars of this recording, but this is not to take anything away from the other performers. The notes in the accompanying booklet are very informative. I hope that more people do take notice of the music of Frank Martin.
Copyright © 25 September 2024
Geoff Pearce,
Sydney, Australia
