Frank Martin - Symphony; Symphonie Concertante; Passacaglia (Matthias Bamert)

Information

Composer: Frank Martin

• Symphony, for large orchestra
• Symphonie Concertante, for large orchestra
• Passacaglia, for large orchestra

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Matthias Bamert, conductor

Date: 1994

Label: Chandos

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Review

Frank Martin's Symphonie concertante is a transcription of the Petite symphonie concertante for harp, harpsichord, piano and double string orchestras. It was made in 1945–6, a year after the original, and premiered at Lucerne under Ansermet the following summer. The scoring is for triple woodwind, brass, timpani, percussion strings, harp and piano, though the latter two are used for colouristic and not the soloistic and motivic roles they play in the original work. As one would expect from so imaginative a master, the orchestration is characteristically resourceful and intelligent. Melodic ideas, previously associated with the three soloists, are generally assigned to the wind and effective use is made of muted trumpets. Successful though it is, one can understand why it has not supplanted its predecessor, whose sonorities are so subtle and original.

The Symphonie is a great rarity, and I cannot recall hearing it before. Even Frank Martin—Un compositeur medite sur son art (Neuchatel: 1977) gives its length incorrectly—17 as opposed to nearly 32 minutes (We are still impatiently awaiting Harry Halbreich's promised volume on the composer.) It pre-dates the First Part of Le vin herbe, being composed in 1936–7 and first given the following year in Lausanne—again under Ansermet. The scoring is Martin at his most mercurial and inventive, and includes parts for two pianos celeste, saxophone and a wide range of percussion. Although scored for large orchestra, the instrumentation is of consistent lightness and delicacy, almost chamber-like in its subtlety. The slow movement is suffused with the muted colours and moonlit landscapes of some shadowy Pelleas country. This is the most haunting movement of the four, and I have fallen completely under its spell.

At first the overall structure of the symphony seems somewhat amorphous, but the logic of Martin's thought processes emerges as one immerses oneself in the piece, though after three hearings I am still unconvinced by its abrupt ending. Be this as it may, this luminous and beautiful b score deserves a warm welcome and is well served by the LPO under Matthias Bamert, and the Chandos team. The recording is truthfully balanced and has a natural concert-hall perspective.

Both these are first recordings and the Passacaglia, too, is a first modern recording. The composer's own 1963 version with the Berlin Philharmonic is the only alternative. Richard Langham Smith (inadvertently no doubt) gives the impression that the Passacaglia in its present form was composed in 1944 whereas, of course, it was written for organ, transcribed for strings in 1952 for Munchinger, and scored for full orchestra ten years later for the 1963 Berlin concert. An invaluable and rewarding issue.

— Robert Layton

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Frank Martin (15 September 1890 – 21 November 1974) was a Swiss composer. Born in Geneva, he studied under Joseph Lauber and Émile Jaques-Dalcroze. He served as president of the Swiss Musicians' Union (1943–1946) before moving to the Netherlands. A performer as well as a composer, Martin toured widely as a pianist and harpsichordist. His compositions blended German influences, especially Bach, with French harmonic innovations. Notable works include the oratorios Le Vin herbé and Golgotha, the opera Der Sturm, and a Requiem, along with numerous concertos, orchestral and chamber works.

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Matthias Bamert (born July 5, 1942) is a Swiss conductor and composer. He studied music in his native Switzerland, as well as in Darmstadt and Paris, with Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Bamert's conducting career began in North America as an apprentice to George Szell and later as assistant conductor to Leopold Stokowski. He has served as music director of the Swiss Radio Orchestra from (1977–83), London Mozart Players (1993–2000), Western Australian Symphony (2003–07), Malaysian Philharmonic (2005–08), and the Sapporo Symphony (2018–2024). Bamert has made over 60 recordings.

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