Martin, F.: Cello Concerto / Ballade for Cello and Piano / 8 Preludes

Featuring

Tuomas Ollila-Hannikainen
Christian Poltéra
Kathryn Stott
Malmö SymfoniOrkester
Frank Martin

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Composer Biography

Frank Martin, born in Geneva in 1890, was a cosmopolitan figure who lived in various European cities and was fluent in both French and German.

Composition History

Martin's 8 Preludes for Piano were written for Romanian pianist Dinu Lipatti, who tragically died before he could perform them publicly.

Composer Biography

Martin's family was very musical, with everyone singing or playing instruments, but his parents initially discouraged him from pursuing music as a career.

Compositional Technique

Martin's Ballade for Cello and Piano, written in 1949, is described as having an 'extremely free form' that Classical composers would have called a 'fantasy,' emphasizing lyrical and epic characteristics.

Compositional Technique

The Cello Concerto, despite sounding tonal, features subtly shifting tonalities and includes jazz-inspired sonorities from the saxophone in its third movement.

Compositional Technique

The 8 Preludes for Piano include a homage to J.S. Bach, Martin's revered 'master since childhood,' through the recurring B-A-C-H motif (B flat-A-C-B natural).

Composer's Artistic Vision

Frank Martin engaged with Schoenberg's twelve-note system from 1932, but he used it in a highly individual way to expand melodic possibilities and enrich his musical palette, rather than abandoning tonality.