Frank Martin (composer)
Encyclopedia
Frank Martin was a Swiss
composer
, who lived a large part of his life in the Netherlands
.
family, youngest of the ten children of a Calvinist pastor named Charles Martin, Frank Martin was improvising at the piano even before he started school, and at the age of 9, despite having received no musical teaching, he wrote some complete songs. He attended a performance of Bach's Saint Matthew Passion
when he was aged 12 and was deeply affected: Bach became his real mentor.
Respecting his parents' wishes, he studied Mathematics
and Physics
for two years at Geneva University, but all the time he was also working at his composition and studying the piano, composition and harmony with his first music teacher Joseph Lauber (1864 - 1953), a Geneva composer and by now a leading light of the city's musical scene. Later, in the 1920s, Martin would for a time work closely with Émile Jaques-Dalcroze
from whom he learned much about rhythm and musical theory. Between 1918 and 1926 Martin lived successively in Zurich
, Rome
and Paris
: compositions of the period show him searching for an authentic musical voice of his own.
of 1944/45 (which made Martin's international reputation) is the best known of his orchestral works, as the early Mass is of his choral compositions and the Jedermann monologues (for baritone and piano or orchestra) of his works for solo voice. Other Martin pieces include a full-scale symphony
(1936–1937), two piano concerto
s, a harpsichord concerto
, a violin concerto
, a cello concerto
, a concerto for seven wind instruments, and a series of six one-movement works he called "ballades" for various solo instruments with piano or orchestra.
Among a dozen major scores for the theater are opera
tic settings of Shakespeare
(Der Sturm [ The Tempest
], in August Wilhelm Schlegel's German version [1952 - 1955]) and Molière
(Monsieur de Pourceaugnac [1960 - 1962]), and the satirical fairy tale La Nique à Satan (Thumbing Your Nose at Satan [1928 - 1931]). His works on sacred texts and subjects, which include another large-scale theater piece, Le Mystère de la Nativité (The Mystery of the Nativity [1957 / 1959]) are widely considered to rank among the finest religious compositions of the 20th century. Fellow Swiss musician Ernest Ansermet
, a champion of his music from 1918 on, conducted recordings of many of Martin's works, such as the oratorio
for soloists, double chorus & orchestra In Terra Pax, written in 1944, with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
.
Martin developed his mature style based on a very personal use of Arnold Schoenberg
's twelve tone technique, having become interested in this around 1932, but did not abandon tonality
. In fact his preference for lean textures and his habitual rhythmic vehemence are at the furthest possible remove from Schoenberg's hyperromanticism. Some of Martin's most inspired music comes from his eighties; he worked on his last cantata
, Et la vie l'emporta, until ten days before his death. He died in Naarden, The Netherlands.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, who lived a large part of his life in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Childhood and youth
Born into a HuguenotHuguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
family, youngest of the ten children of a Calvinist pastor named Charles Martin, Frank Martin was improvising at the piano even before he started school, and at the age of 9, despite having received no musical teaching, he wrote some complete songs. He attended a performance of Bach's Saint Matthew Passion
Saint Matthew Passion
Saint Matthew Passion can refer to:* St Matthew Passion, a musical composition written by Johann Sebastian Bach* Saint Matthew Passion , a 1966 documentary film...
when he was aged 12 and was deeply affected: Bach became his real mentor.
Respecting his parents' wishes, he studied Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
for two years at Geneva University, but all the time he was also working at his composition and studying the piano, composition and harmony with his first music teacher Joseph Lauber (1864 - 1953), a Geneva composer and by now a leading light of the city's musical scene. Later, in the 1920s, Martin would for a time work closely with Émile Jaques-Dalcroze
Émile Jaques-Dalcroze
Émile Jaques-Dalcroze , was a Swiss composer, musician and music educator who developed eurhythmics, a method of learning and experiencing music through movement...
from whom he learned much about rhythm and musical theory. Between 1918 and 1926 Martin lived successively in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
: compositions of the period show him searching for an authentic musical voice of his own.
Works
The Petite Symphonie ConcertantePetite symphonie concertante
Petite Symphonie Concertante, Op. 54, is an orchestral composition by the Swiss composer Frank Martin, one of his best-known works.Martin received the commission for the work in 1944, though progress was delayed by work on the oratorio In Terra Pax...
of 1944/45 (which made Martin's international reputation) is the best known of his orchestral works, as the early Mass is of his choral compositions and the Jedermann monologues (for baritone and piano or orchestra) of his works for solo voice. Other Martin pieces include a full-scale symphony
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
(1936–1937), two piano concerto
Piano concerto
A piano concerto is a concerto written for piano and orchestra.See also harpsichord concerto; some of these works are occasionally played on piano...
s, a harpsichord concerto
Harpsichord concerto
A harpsichord concerto is a piece of music for an orchestra with the harpsichord in a solo role Sometimes these works are played on the modern piano; see piano concerto...
, a violin concerto
Violin concerto
A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin and instrumental ensemble, customarily orchestra. Such works have been written since the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up through the present day...
, a cello concerto
Violoncello concerto
A cello concerto is a concerto for solo cello with orchestra or, very occasionally, smaller groups of instruments....
, a concerto for seven wind instruments, and a series of six one-movement works he called "ballades" for various solo instruments with piano or orchestra.
Among a dozen major scores for the theater are opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic settings of Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
(Der Sturm [ The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...
], in August Wilhelm Schlegel's German version [1952 - 1955]) and Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
(Monsieur de Pourceaugnac [1960 - 1962]), and the satirical fairy tale La Nique à Satan (Thumbing Your Nose at Satan [1928 - 1931]). His works on sacred texts and subjects, which include another large-scale theater piece, Le Mystère de la Nativité (The Mystery of the Nativity [1957 / 1959]) are widely considered to rank among the finest religious compositions of the 20th century. Fellow Swiss musician Ernest Ansermet
Ernest Ansermet
Ernest Alexandre Ansermet was a Swiss conductor.- Biography :Ansermet was born in Vevey, Switzerland. Although he was a contemporary of Wilhelm Furtwängler and Otto Klemperer, Ansermet represents in most ways a very different tradition and approach from those two musicians. Originally he was a...
, a champion of his music from 1918 on, conducted recordings of many of Martin's works, such as the oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
for soloists, double chorus & orchestra In Terra Pax, written in 1944, with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande is a Swiss symphony orchestra, based in Geneva at the Victoria Hall...
.
Martin developed his mature style based on a very personal use of Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
's twelve tone technique, having become interested in this around 1932, but did not abandon tonality
Tonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
. In fact his preference for lean textures and his habitual rhythmic vehemence are at the furthest possible remove from Schoenberg's hyperromanticism. Some of Martin's most inspired music comes from his eighties; he worked on his last cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
, Et la vie l'emporta, until ten days before his death. He died in Naarden, The Netherlands.
Concertante
- Ballade for Flute and Piano (1939)
- Ballade for Saxophone and Orchestra (1938)
- Ballade for Trombone and Piano (1938)
- Concerto for seven wind instruments, timpani, percussion, and string orchestra (1949)
- Violin Concerto (1950)
- Cello Concerto (1965)
- Erasmi monumentum for large orchestra and organ (1969)
- Polyptyque, for violin and two small string orchestras (1973)
Chamber
- Pavane couleur du temps (Colour of weather Pavane) (1920) for string quintet ( 2 violins, viola, 2 cellos)
- Trio sur des mélodies populaires irlandaises (1925)
- Ballade for flute, piano and strings (1941; based upon the version for flute and piano from 1939)
Choral
- Les Dithyrambes for soli, chorus and orchestra (1918; text by Pierre Martin)
- Mass for unaccompanied double choir (1922 - 1924 / 1926)
- In terra pax (1944)
- Golgotha, oratorio for 5 vocal soloists, chorus, organ, and orchestra (1945–1948)
- Songs of Ariel, (1950)
- Notre Pere, (1953)
- Requiem (1971–1972)
Vocal
- Le vin herbé (1938 / 1940 - 1941)
- Die Weise von Liebe und Tod des Cornets Christoph Rilke (Der Cornet) (1942–1943)
- (1943–1944)
- Songs of Ariel (1950)