Editing Frank Martin (composer)

{{Short description|Swiss composer (1890–1974)}}
{{Other uses|Frank Martin (disambiguation){{!}}Frank Martin}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name                = Frank Martin
| image               = Frank-Martin-1959.jpg
| image_upright       = 
| caption             = Martin during his visit to Helsinki, 1959
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1890|09|15|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Geneva]], Switzerland
| death_date          = {{death date and age|1974|11|21|1890|09|15|df=y}}
| death_place         = [[Naarden]], Netherlands
| education           = [[Geneva University]]
| occupation          = {{plainlist|
* Composer
* Academic teacher
}}
| works               = 
| organization        = {{ubl| Jaques-Dalcroze Institute | [[Conservatoire de Musique de Genève|Geneva Conservatory]] }}
| awards              = 
}}
'''Frank Martin''' (15 September 1890&nbsp;– 21 November 1974) was a Swiss composer, who spent much of his life in the Netherlands.

==Childhood and youth==
Born into a [[Huguenot]] family in the [[Eaux-Vives]] quarter of [[Geneva]], the youngest of the ten children of a [[Calvinist]] pastor named Charles Martin, Frank Martin started to improvise on the piano prior to his formal schooling. At the age of nine he had already written a few songs, without external musical instruction. At age 12, he attended a performance of Bach's ''[[St Matthew Passion]]'' and was deeply affected by it.

Respecting his parents' wishes, he studied mathematics and physics for two years at [[Geneva University]], but at the same time was also studying piano, composition and harmony with his first music teacher [[:de:Joseph Lauber (Komponist)|Joseph Lauber]] (1864–1953), a Geneva composer and by that time a leading figure of the city's musical scene. In the 1920s, Martin worked closely with [[Émile Jaques-Dalcroze]] from whom he learned much about rhythm and musical theory. Between 1918 and 1926 Martin lived in Zürich, Rome and Paris. Compositions of this time show him searching for an authentic musical voice of his own.

In 1926 he established the Chamber Music Society of Geneva which, for the next ten years he conducted, as well as contributing on the clavichord and piano. During this period he was also teaching musical theory and improvisation at the Jaques-Dalcroze Institute, and chamber music at the [[Conservatoire de Musique de Genève|Geneva Conservatory]].

== Works ==
Martin's music was often inspired by his Christianity. In this regard, his compositions stemmed from "the individuality rather than universality of his faith ... certainly broader than Calvinism".<ref name="Wilson-Dickson1996"/>

The ''[[Petite symphonie concertante]]'' of 1944–45 made Martin's international reputation, and is the best known of his orchestral works, as the early ''Mass'' is the best known of his choral compositions, and the ''Jedermann'' monologues for baritone and piano or orchestra the best known of his works for solo voice. Other Martin pieces include a full-scale symphony (1936–37), 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 operatic settings of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Der Sturm (opera)|Der Sturm]]'' (''[[The Tempest]]'') in [[August Wilhelm Schlegel]]'s German version (1952–55) and of [[Molière]]'s ''Monsieur de Pourceaugnac'' (1960–62), and the satirical fairy tale ''La Nique à Satan'' (''Thumbing Your Nose at Satan''; 1928–31). His works on sacred texts and subjects include the large-scale theater piece ''Le Mystère de la Nativité'' (''The Mystery of the Nativity''; 1957/1959) and are widely considered among the finest religious compositions of the 20th century. Swiss musician [[Ernest Ansermet]], a champion of his music from 1918 onwards, recorded many of Martin's works, including the [[oratorio]] ''In Terra Pax'' (1944), with the [[Orchestre de la Suisse Romande]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/June%201964/36/756189/MARTIN.+In+terra+pax.+Ursula+Buckel+%28soprano%29,+Marga+Hiiffgen+%28contralto%29,+Ernst+Haefliger+%28tenor%29,+Pierre+Mollet+%28baritone%29,+Jakob+Stimpfli+%28bass%29,+Union+Chorale,+Lausanne+Womens+Choir,+Suisse+Romande+Orchestra+conducted+by+Ernest+Ansermet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027004645/http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/June%201964/36/756189/MARTIN.+In+terra+pax.+Ursula+Buckel+%28soprano%29,+Marga+Hiiffgen+%28contralto%29,+Ernst+Haefliger+%28tenor%29,+Pierre+Mollet+%28baritone%29,+Jakob+Stimpfli+%28bass%29,+Union+Chorale,+Lausanne+Womens+Choir,+Suisse+Romande+Orchestra+conducted+by+Ernest+Ansermet |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 October 2011 |title=Martin: In Terra Pax |year=1964 |access-date=26 June 2010 |publisher=gramophone.net }}</ref>

Martin based his mature style on his personal variant (first used around 1932) of [[Arnold Schoenberg]]'s [[twelve-tone technique]], but he did not abandon [[tonality]]. Lean textures and habitual rhythmic vehemence distinguish his style from Schoenberg's. Some of Martin's most acclaimed music comes from his last decade. He worked on his last [[cantata]], ''Et la vie l'emporta'', until ten days before his death. He died in [[Naarden]] in the Netherlands, and was buried in Geneva at the [[Cimetière des Rois]].

Martin's music is widely performed in continental Europe, and to a much lesser extent, in the United Kingdom.<ref name="Wilson-Dickson1996">{{cite book|last=Wilson-Dickson|first=Andrew|title=The Story of Christian Music: From Gregorian Chant to Black Gospel|year=1992|publisher=Lion Publishing|location=Oxford|isbn=0-7459-2142-6|page=220}}</ref>

==Principal works==
=== Orchestra ===
* ''Esquisse'' for orchestra (1920)
* ''Rythmes'' for orchestra (1926)
* ''Fox Trot'' for small orchestra (1927)
* ''Guitare'' for orchestra (1934)
* Symphonie for orchestra (1936–37)
* Passacaille for large orchestra (1944/62)
* ''Symphonie concertante'' for orchestra (1944–46)
* ''Études'' for string orchestra (1955–56)
* ''Ouverture en hommage à Mozart'' for orchestra (1956)
* ''Les quatre éléments'' for orchestra (1963–64)
* ''Erasmi monumentum'' for large orchestra and organ (1969)

=== Concerto ===
* Piano Concerto No. 1 (1933–34)
* Danse de la peur for two pianos and small orchestra (1936)
* Ballade for alto saxophone or basset horn, string orchestra, piano, timpani and percussion (1938)
* Ballade for piano and orchestra (1939)
* Ballade for flute, string orchestra and piano (1939–41)
* Ballade for trombone or tenor saxophone and small orchestra (1940–41)
* ''[[Petite symphonie concertante]]'' for harp, harpsichord, piano and two string orchestras (1944–45)
* Ballade for violoncello and small orchestra (1949)
* [[Concerto for seven wind instruments, timpani, percussion, and string orchestra]] (1949)
* Violin Concerto (1950)
* Concerto for harpsichord and small orchestra (1951–52)
* Cello Concerto (1965)
* Piano Concerto No. 2 (1969)
* Trois danses for oboe, harp, string quintet and string orchestra (1970)
* Ballade for viola, wind orchestra, harpsichord, harp, timpani and percussion (1972)
* ''Polyptyque'', for violin and two small string orchestras (1973)

=== Ballet ===
* ''Das Märchen vom Aschenbrödel'' (1941)

=== Chamber ===
* Violin Sonata, No. 1 for string quintet (1913)
* ''Pavane couleur du temps'' for string quintet (1920)
* Piano Quintet (1922)
* ''Trio sur des mélodies populaires irlandaises'' (1925)
* Violin Sonata No. 2 (1931–32)
* Rhapsodie for two violins, two violas and double bass (1935)
* String Trio (1936)
* Sonata da chiesa for viola d'amore and organ (1938)
* Ballade for trombone or tenor saxophone and piano (1938)
* Ballade for flute and piano (1939)
* Ballade for trombone and piano (1940) 
* String Quartet (1967)

=== Guitar ===
* ''Quatre pièces brèves'' (1933)
* ''Drey Minnelieder'', for soprano, flute and guitar (1960)

=== Piano ===
* ''Eight Préludes'' (1947–48)
* ''Fantasia on Flamenco Rhythms'' (1970–73)

=== Organ ===
* Passacaille (1944)
* ''Agnus Dei pour orgue'' (1965/66)

=== Choral ===
* ''Les Dithyrambes'' for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1918)
* Mass for Double Chorus (1922/26)<ref name="Wilson-Dickson1996"/>
* ''Cantate pour le temps de Noël'' for soloists, female chorus, boys' chorus, string orchestra, harpsichord and organ (1929–30)
* ''In terra pax'', oratorio for soloists, two choirs and orchestra (1944)<ref name="Wilson-Dickson1996"/>
* ''[[Golgotha (oratorio)|Golgotha]]'', oratorio for soloists, chorus, organ, and orchestra (1945–48)<ref name="Wilson-Dickson1996"/>
* ''Songs of Ariel'' for chorus a cappella (1950)
* ''Le Mystère de la Nativité'', oratorio for chorus and orchestra (1957–59)
* ''Pseaumes de Genève'' for mixed chorus, children's chorus, organ and orchestra (1958)
* ''Ode à la musique'' for baritone, mixed choir, 1 trumpet, 2 horns, 3 trombones, double bass and piano (1961)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.frankmartin.org/work/ode-a-la-musique/ | title=Ode à la musique }}</ref>
* ''Pilate'' for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1964)
* [[Requiem (Martin)|Requiem]] for soloists, chorus, orchestra and big organ (1971–72)<ref name="Wilson-Dickson1996"/>

=== Vocal ===
* ''[[Le Vin herbé]]'', secular oratorio for twelve voices, seven strings and piano (1938/41)<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sealey|first1=Nark|title=CD Review: Le vin herbé|url=http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/h/hmu93536a.php|publisher=ClassicalNet|access-date=25 September 2014}}</ref>
* ''Die Weise von Liebe und Tod des Cornets Christoph Rilke'' for alto and small orchestra (1942–43)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Die Weise von Liebe und Tod des Cornets Christoph Rilke |url=https://rism.online/sources/600122646 |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=RISM Online}}</ref>
* ''{{lang|de|Sechs Monologe aus Jedermann}}'' for baritone or alto and orchestra (1943–44)
* ''Trois chants de Noël'' (texts by Albert Rudhardt) (1947)
* Suite for baritone and orchestra (1952/55)
* ''Maria-Triptychon'' for soprano, violin and orchestra (1967–68)
* ''Poèmes de la mort'' for tenor, baritone, bass and three electric guitars (1969–71)
* ''Et la vie l'emporta'' for alto, baritone, chamber chorus and chamber ensemble (1974)

=== Opera ===
* ''[[Der Sturm (opera)|Der Sturm]]'' (1952–55)<ref name=perroux>Perroux, Alain (2011). [http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/notes/49a7a408d9584193/67821-B.pdf "A new world of sound: Frank Martin's ''Der Sturm''"], booklet notes to [http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDA67821/3 Hyperion CDA67821/3]. Hyperion Records. Retrieved 6 March 2012.</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
*{{cite book|last=King|first=Charles W.|title=Frank Martin: A Bio-Bibliography|year=1990|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-313-25418-5}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Frank Martin (composer)}}
*[http://www.frankmartin.org/ The Frank Martin society]
* {{HLS|9525|Martin, Frank}}

{{Frank Martin}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Frank}}
[[Category:1890 births]]
[[Category:1974 deaths]]
[[Category:Musicians from Geneva]]
[[Category:20th-century Swiss classical composers]]
[[Category:Swiss opera composers]]
[[Category:Ballet composers]]
[[Category:Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
[[Category:International Rostrum of Composers prize-winners]]
[[Category:Swiss expatriates in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:People from Naarden]]
[[Category:Composers for pipe organ]]
[[Category:Burials at Cimetière des Rois]]
[[Category:Swiss male opera composers]]
[[Category:Jazz-influenced classical composers]]
[[Category:20th-century Swiss male musicians]]
[[Category:Oratorio composers]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève]]