Frank Martin: Concerto For 7 Winds, Etc

The Concerto for seven wind instruments, percussion and strings [21.29] was premiered in 1949 and in its pawky humour owes somewhat to Stravinsky. The soloists imbue it with its full meed of character. I single out Celia Chambers for her delightful way with the flute part bringing out its relation with the Nielsen Flute Concerto. Philip Tarlton's bassoon serenading is chortled with great style. Ravel's Valse flickers alight at 5.23 in the Allegro but the second movement (typically of calmer character), in fact, is quite troubled among the undoubted elegance. A sour darker note recalls Kurt Weill's wind writing. 

The Allegro Vivace is lively and the trumpet's roulades even suggest a Genevan Arnold but there is yielding emotion as well as an anxious glance cast over the shoulder. Nightmares from the last war were still alive. The work was premiered in 1949.

The Studies for String Orchestra (1956) [20.47] was given its first performance by the insatiable Paul Sacher many of whose commissioned works have formed mainstays of the repertoire. This work is clean of line, troubled, varied and severe. There is a flighty tranquillo, a grandly satisfying pizzicato (brilliantly recorded by Chandos) seeming to picture an orchestra of wavering balalaikas in Spanish dress. The Allegro giusto is limber but does not give way to any overt romance.

Erasmi Monumentum (1969) is scored for organ and orchestra. The title reference is to Erasmus. The Homo pro se movement takes its title from the name by which Erasmus was known by his contemporaries. Dignified and slowly swelling its clean yet unglamorous counterpoint builds steadily. The organ comments discreetly and ending all in an ocean of calm. The Stulticiae Laus is almost knockabout - cackling and goading along the way. Querela Pacis (plea for peace) does not shrink from protest but its resolves into tranquillity. This was written, presumably, as a response to Vietnam.

The recording quality is in the reliably pellucid Chandos house style for the 1990s. This is an indispensable series neatly flanked by Richard Langham Smith's notes.

These works are not similarly coupled on any other disc.

Rob Barnett, musicweb-international.com

Martin, Honegger & Schoeck: Three Cello Concertos

Christian Poltéra (cello)
Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Tuomas Hannikainen

“Poltera connects convincingly with the overall mood of [the Honegger]...The lyrical interweaving of soloist and orchestra [in the Schoeck] is beautifully realised on this memorable recording...although Poltera enjoys a fairly prominent place on the sound stage, his contributions never hog the limelight unduly. First-rate in every way.” --Gramophone Magazine, July 2012

“Christian Poltéra performs throughout with style and sensitivity. His playing never sounds self-conscious. He delivers bold playing that he projects extremely well. Under Tuomas Hannikainen the Malmö Symphony Orchestra is highly responsive and cannot be faulted.” --MusicWeb International, July 2012

Frank Martin: Cello Works

“Poltéra delivers an utterly compelling and committed performance, and the Malmö Symphony Orchestra under Tuomas Ollila-Hannikainen provides both sensitive and dynamic support. Stott… gets a welcome opportunity to demonstrate her own credentials as a soloist, providing an outstanding performance of the Eight Preludes, Martin's most substantial work for piano. All in all, a wonderful disc.” --BBC Music Magazine, April 2008 *****

Penguin Guide
Rosette Winner

“Frank Martin's Cello Concerto, so eloquently and sensitively played here, is a real discovery. It is no exaggeration to state that this rapt performance presents this noble concerto with an inspirational intensity to compare with the celebrated Du Pré/Barbirolli recording of the Elgar Concerto.

The works share a similar deep, poignant, meditative feeling, although Martin's concerto also has a distinct valedictory character, expressive melancholy which suggests personal loss.
The soloist opens with a gloriously lyrical theme which is to dominate the movement (commentators have likened it to Vaughan Williams).

A skittish development is in tarantella rhythm with bolder clashes of angry dissonance but at the close comes the balm of the return of the ravishing opening material. Unexpectedly, the touching central Adagietto is in the form of a passacaglia. This sadness is all but dispelled in the brilliantly rhythmic finale, yet the lyricism creeps back and even the tarantella returns briefly before the close.

The (much earlier) Ballade is a free fantasialike dialogue between cello and piano, Kathryn Stott and Christian Poltéra enjoying a perfect partnership. Martin dallied with Schoenberg's 12-note system and he uses it in the Eight Preludes.

But he had no intention of giving up tonality, and the result is a stunning set of great variety and resource, thrillingly played by Stott.

This disc, given state-of-the-art recording makes an ideal introduction to Martin's music.” --Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

Debussy, Turina & Martin: Piano Trios

The Borodin Trio was formed after the three members emigrated from the Soviet Union in 1976. Since that date, they have established themselves as one of the best piano trios of our generation, having played in all the major cities of Europe and America, as well as making a tour of Australasia.

 

"The Borodin Trio play it with commitment and charm and Chandos's rich recording suits its overall mellow style." --Gramophone Magazine