Short bio Frank Martin
Birthday:
1890 in Geneva, Switzerland
Died:
1974 in Naarden, The Netherlands
Active:
1910s - 1960s
Genre:
Classical,Avant-Garde
Period:
Modern
Full biography Frank Martin
Frank Martin (15 September 1890 – 21 November 1974) was a Swiss composer who spent much of his life in the Netherlands ). He was one of the foremost Swiss composers of the 20th century. Martin's style was characterized by elements of modernism, neoclassicism, and traditional tonality.
Martin studied engineering in Zurich, but later decided to study music and attended the Geneva Conservatory. He was greatly influenced by Bach and the music of the German Romantics. Martin's works include orchestral, choral, chamber music, and piano pieces, among others. He is perhaps best known for his Mass for Double Choir, a masterpiece that combines the traditional elements of Catholic liturgy with modernist tonalities.
Martin's compositional output was somewhat slow, as he frequently revised and reworked his pieces several times before he was satisfied with them. He did not achieve widespread recognition until later in life, despite being a gifted teacher and musician. One of his students was the renowned conductor and composer, Pierre Boulez.
In addition to being a composer and teacher, Martin was also a music critic for the Tribune de Geneve. He is considered to be one of the most important Swiss composers of the 20th century , and his works are widely performed and admired.
Compositions featuring Frank Martin
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Et la vie l'emporta, chamber cantata for vocal ensemble & orchestra | 25:49 min | Vocal Music | 1974 |
| 2 | Fantaisie sur des rhythmes flamenco, for piano & dancer ad lib | 12:32 min | Ballet | 1973 |
| 3 | Polyptyque: 6 images de la Passion du Christ, for violin & 2 string orchestras | 25:03 min | Concerto | 1973 |
| 4 | Ballade for viola & winds, harp, harpsichord & timpani | 13:28 min | Concerto | 1972 |
| 5 | Agnus Dei, for alto & organ (arranged by Martin from "Requiem") | 4:25 min | Vocal Music | 1971 |
| 6 | Requiem for soloists, chorus, orchestra & organ | 39:37 min | Choral | 1971 |
| 7 | Dances (3) for oboe solo & harp solo, string quintet & string orchestra | 17:53 min | Orchestral | 1970 |
| 8 | Erasmi monumentum, pieces (3) for large orchestra & organ (3rd mvt. of "Inter arma caritas") | 22:35 min | Orchestral | 1969 |
| 9 | Poèmes de la mort, for tenor, baritone, bass & 3 electric guitars | 15:22 min | Vocal Music | 1969 |
| 10 | Piano Concerto No.2 | 23:09 min | Concerto | 1968 |
| 11 | Maria-Triptychon, for soprano, violin & orchestra | 14:11 min | Vocal Music | 1967 |
| 12 | Esquisse "Étude de lecture", for piano | 3:46 min | Keyboard | 1966 |
| 13 | String quartet | 21:34 min | Chamber Music | 1966 |
| 14 | Agnus Dei, for organ (arranged by Martin from "Mass") | 4:09 min | Keyboard | 1966 |
| 15 | Cello Concerto | 24:40 min | Concerto | 1965 |
| 16 | Étude rythmique, for piano | 2:09 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 17 | Pilate, short oratorio for soloists, chorus & orchestra | 31:00 min | Choral | 1964 |
| 18 | Les quatre éléments (The Four Elements), symphonic etudes for orchestra | 19:11 min | Orchestral | 1963 |
| 19 | Passacaille, version for large orchestra | 12:42 min | Orchestral | 1962 |
| 20 | Ode à la musique, for baritone, chorus, trumpet, 2 horns, 3 trombones, double bass & piano | 6:11 min | Choral | 1961 |
| 21 | Minnelieder (3), for soprano & piano | 8:09 min | Vocal Music | 1960 |
| 22 | Monsieur de Pourceaugnac, comedy set to music in 3 acts | 100:00 min | Opera | 1960 |
| 23 | Der Sturm, excerpts (3) from the opera for baritone & orchestra | 21:32 min | Vocal Music | 1960 |
| 24 | Sonata da chiesa, version for flute & strings (orchestrated by V. Desarzens) | 18:04 min | Concerto | 1958 |
| 25 | Le Mystère de la Nativité, Christmas oratorio | 98:31 min | Choral | 1957 |
| 26 | Pièce brève (Short Piece), for oboe, flute & harp (from "Le Mystère de la Nativité") | 2:25 min | Chamber Music | 1957 |
| 27 | Études, for 2 pianos (arr. from "Études (5) for string orchestra") | 18:14 min | Keyboard | 1956 |
| 28 | Études (5) for string orchestra | 18:00 min | Orchestral | 1955 |
| 29 | Au clair de lune, variations (3) for piano, 4 hands | 2:08 min | Keyboard | 1955 |
| 30 | Pavane couleur du temps, pavan for strings or small orchestra (arr. of quartet version) | 7:18 min | Orchestral | 1954 |
| 31 | Der Sturm, opera in 3 acts | 152:36 min | Opera | 1952 |
| 32 | Der Sturm, suite from the opera for baritone & orchestra | 20:21 min | Vocal Music | 1952 |
| 33 | Sonata da chiesa, version for viola d'amore & strings | 15:20 min | Chamber Music | 1952 |
| 34 | Passacaille, version for string orchestra | 12:29 min | Orchestral | 1952 |
| 35 | Clair de lune, for piano | 1:41 min | Keyboard | 1952 |
| 36 | Harpsichord Concerto | 21:33 min | Concerto | 1951 |
| 37 | Ariel Songs (5), for chorus | 8:48 min | Choral | 1950 |
| 38 | Violin Concerto | 29:30 min | Concerto | 1950 |
| 39 | Ballade for cello & piano | 16:38 min | Chamber Music | 1950 |
| 40 | Concerto for 7 wind instruments (timpani, percussion & string orchestra) | 19:20 min | Concerto | 1949 |
| 41 | Ballade for cello & small orchestra (arr. from "Ballade for cello & piano") | 17:08 min | Concerto | 1949 |
| 42 | Preludes (8) for piano | 22:59 min | Keyboard | 1947 |
| 43 | Chants de Noël (3), for soprano, flute & piano | 5:32 min | Vocal Music | 1947 |
| 44 | Symphonie concertante, for orchestra (full orchestration of "Petite symphonie concertante") | 21:56 min | Orchestral | 1946 |
| 45 | Golgotha, oratorio for 5 soloists, chorus, organ & orchestra | 88:38 min | Choral | 1945 |
| 46 | Dédicace de Pierre de Ronsard, for tenor & piano | 3:17 min | Vocal Music | 1945 |
| 47 | Petite symphonie concertante, for harp, harpsichord, piano & 2 string orchestras | 21:19 min | Orchestral | 1944 |
| 48 | In Terra Pax, oratorio for soloists, choruses & orchestra | 45:50 min | Choral | 1944 |
| 49 | Passacaille, version for organ | 12:02 min | Keyboard | 1944 |
| 50 | Choral Works (3) (Janeton, Si Charlotte avait voulu, Petite église) for male & female chorus | 3:17 min | Choral | 1944 |
| 51 | Ein Totentanz zu Basel, 1943, mime & dance spectacle for boys' choir, string orchestra, jazz ensemble, basle drums, dancers & actors | 51:37 min | Ballet | 1943 |
| 52 | Monologes (6) from Jedermann, for alto (or baritone) & piano (or orchestra) | 16:47 min | Vocal Music | 1943 |
| 53 | Die Weise von Liebe und Tod des Cornets Christoph Rilke, for contralto & orchestra | 58:36 min | Vocal Music | 1942 |
| 54 | Der Cornet, song cycle for alto voice & orchestra | 61:24 min | Vocal Music | 1942 |
| 55 | Ballade for trombone or tenor sax & small orchestra (arr. from "Ballade for trombone or tenor sax & piano") | 8:18 min | Concerto | 1941 |
| 56 | Danse grave, for piano (from "Das Märchen vom Aschenbrödel") | 3:31 min | Keyboard | 1941 |
| 57 | Petite complainte, for oboe & piano (from "Das Märchen vom Aschenbrödel") | 3:40 min | Chamber Music | 1941 |
| 58 | Sonata da chiesa, version for flute & organ | 15:47 min | Chamber Music | 1941 |
| 59 | Das Märchen vom Aschenbrödel, ballet for soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, tenor & small orchestra | 67:53 min | Ballet | 1941 |
| 60 | Cantate pour le 1er août, for chorus & piano or organ | 6:30 min | Choral | 1941 |
| 61 | Ballade for trombone or tenor sax & piano | 8:03 min | Chamber Music | 1940 |
| 62 | Ballade for flute & piano | 7:29 min | Chamber Music | 1939 |
| 63 | Ballade No. 2 for flute & piano (or flute, string orchestra & piano) (after Ballade for Saxophone) | 13:25 min | Chamber Music | 1939 |
| 64 | Du Rhône au Rhin, march for brass band or wind band or orchestra | 5:07 min | Band Music | 1939 |
| 65 | Ballade for flute, with small orchestra (orchestration by E. Ansermet of "Ballade for Flute") | 7:41 min | Concerto | 1939 |
| 66 | Ballade for piano & orchestra | 16:28 min | Concerto | 1939 |
| 67 | Sonata da chiesa, version for viola d'amore & organ | 15:28 min | Chamber Music | 1938 |
| 68 | Ballade for saxophone, for alto sax, strings, piano & percussion | 14:37 min | Concerto | 1938 |
| 69 | Le vin herbé, secular oratorio for 12 voices, 7 strings & piano | 106:08 min | Choral | 1938 |
| 70 | Petite marche blanche et trio noir, for 2 pianos | 1:14 min | Keyboard | 1937 |
| 71 | Symphonie, for large orchestra | 31:53 min | Symphony | 1937 |
| 72 | Les grenouilles, le rossignol et la pluie, for 2 pianos | 1:11 min | Keyboard | 1937 |
| 73 | Trio for violin, viola & cello | 14:38 min | Chamber Music | 1936 |
| 74 | Danse de la Peur, for 2 pianos & small orchestra (from the ballet "Die blaue Blume") | 13:42 min | Concerto | 1935 |
| 75 | Rhapsodie for 2 violins, 2 violas & double bass | 12:08 min | Chamber Music | 1935 |
| 76 | Guitare, for orchestra (arrangement of "Short Pieces (4) for Guitar") | 10:40 min | Orchestral | 1934 |
| 77 | Guitare, short pieces (4) for piano (arrangement of "Short Pieces (4) for Guitar") | 9:00 min | Keyboard | 1933 |
| 78 | Short Pieces (4) for guitar | 8:01 min | Chamber Music | 1933 |
| 79 | Piano Concerto No.1 | 21:01 min | Concerto | 1933 |
| 80 | Sonata for violin & piano No.2 | 16:44 min | Chamber Music | 1931 |
| 81 | Chanson, for 4 female voices ("Le petit village") | 2:20 min | Vocal Music | 1930 |
| 82 | Le coucou, canon for 7 female voices | 1:36 min | Vocal Music | 1930 |
| 83 | Trio on Popular Irish Folk Tunes, for violin, cello & piano | 15:54 min | Chamber Music | 1925 |
| 84 | Concerto for winds & piano | 11:06 min | Concerto | 1924 |
| 85 | Overture and foxtrot, for 2 pianos | 7:48 min | Keyboard | 1924 |
| 86 | Mass, for double chorus | 26:11 min | Choral | 1922 |
| 87 | Sonnets (4) à Cassandre, for mezzo-soprano, flute, viola & cello | 11:02 min | Vocal Music | 1921 |
| 88 | Pavane couleur du temps, for string quintet or piano duet | 6:22 min | Chamber Music | 1920 |
| 89 | Quintet for piano & strings | 25:06 min | Chamber Music | 1919 |
| 90 | Sonata for violin & piano No.1 | 28:36 min | Chamber Music | 1913 |
| 91 | Ode et sonnet, for 3 female voices & cello ad lib | 1:40 min | Vocal Music | 1912 |
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