Frank Martin

[snyprrr]

I'm still trying to understand Martin. A former GMG member raved about his music a good bit. What exactly am I missing? I own the entire Chandos series plus a 2-CD set with Ansermet and the MD&G series of the concerti.

Just stick with the 'Ballades' cd for now. Martin is Swiss: monochrome. Like misty, drizzly Paris days,... pale moonscapes... Wan Impressionism...

And the PSC is fun, of course!, like Martinu.

I think you've already overdosed and poisoned the well, maybe. Sometimes I get the feeling you're 'throwing money' in certain directions, trying to get to the bottom of things, but I fear you end up disappointed more often than not? I'm just waaay too stingy to part with the ducets without THOROUGH research.

Like with Bridge. Take my advice and just stick with the Cello Sonata and the Piano Trio No.2 for now I wouldn't be trying to 'crack THAT nut',... Bridge IS a tough nut to crack, especially the Late Works. The more effort you put in the less reward you will get. Listen, Grasshopper, a be wise!! If you like his Light String Music, fine...

Some Composers will certainly just disappoint if you have found their ONE Masterpiece, and you go down the rabbit hole seeking more more more. I ALWAYS defer to others' reviews and wisdom, and make diligent inquiry, first.

Lately... not so much!

[The new erato]

Der Cornet is my favorite Martin work.

[Mirror Image]

Just stick with the 'Ballades' cd for now. Martin is Swiss: monochrome. Like misty, drizzly Paris days,... pale moonscapes... Wan Impressionism...

And the PSC is fun, of course!, like Martinu.

I think you've already overdosed and poisoned the well, maybe. Sometimes I get the feeling you're 'throwing money' in certain directions, trying to get to the bottom of things, but I fear you end up disappointed more often than not? I'm just waaay too stingy to part with the ducets without THOROUGH research.

Like with Bridge. Take my advice and just stick with the Cello Sonata and the Piano Trio No.2 for now I wouldn't be trying to 'crack THAT nut',... Bridge IS a tough nut to crack, especially the Late Works. The more effort you put in the less reward you will get. Listen, Grasshopper, a be wise!! If you like his Light String Music, fine...

Some Composers will certainly just disappoint if you have found their ONE Masterpiece, and you go down the rabbit hole seeking more more more. I ALWAYS defer to others' reviews and wisdom, and make diligent inquiry, first.

Lately... not so much!

I suppose I'm just a different kind of listener. I inspect/study works, listen to them, if I can't find any access points, I move onto something else. For me, music, above everything else involved, is about making a human connection. My problem is I'm not finding any evidence of a human being in Martin's work so, therefore, I can't make a connection, but I'm going to try to keep listening with an open-mind. I'm sure I'll find something I enjoy in his oeuvre.

I don't expect music to be 'easy' let's just get that out of the way. I do, however, expect to get some kind of enjoyment from it whether it be a beautiful chord progression that sends me running downstairs to the guitar to pick out that progression somehow from memory, from a melody that finds it's way into my mind days after hearing it or a little motif that's repeated in a series of variations, among other things. All of this said, I want to get something from the music.

As far as throwing money at recordings of unknown repertoire and composers, how else am I going to get to know any composer's music? It's not like I pick random composers to bank on. No, I learn about different composers by reading about them first and then buying some of their recordings. I have been disappointed, sure, but that's the risk you take when exploring new music. I'd rather have taken a risk than to sit comfortably while I listen to the same composers over and over again.

Anyway, all of this is just my own perspective.

[jlaurson]

As far as throwing money at recordings of unknown repertoire and composers, how else am I going to get to know any composer's music? It's not like I pick random composers to bank on. No, I learn about different composers by reading about them first and then buying some of their recordings. I have been disappointed, sure, but that's the risk you take when exploring new music. I'd rather have taken a risk than to sit comfortably while I listen to the same composers over and over again.

Anyway, all of this is just my own perspective.

And it's a beautiful, heartening, necessary attitude and perspective to have! Makes me smile. Wish more concert audience members (or classical music listeners generally) were like that.

[springrite]

Der Cornet is my favorite Martin work.

Ditto!

[Mirror Image]

And it's a beautiful, heartening, necessary attitude and perspective to have! Makes me smile. Wish more concert audience members (or classical music listeners generally) were like that.

Thanks, Jens. I wish more people had this attitude as well.

[Daverz]

My introduction the Martin was, of course, the Petite Symphonie Concertante.  But what really got me into Martin was the Violin Concerto.  I remember making a cassette of the Schneiderhan/Ansermet and listening to it over and over in the car until it started to sink in.  Stereo really helps in this work, though, and Schneiderhan recording on Jecklin with the composer conducting recording is the one to get, if you can find it.

[Mirror Image]

My introduction the Martin was, of course, the Petite Symphonie Concertante.  But what really got me into Martin was the Violin Concerto.  I remember making a cassette of the Schneiderhan/Ansermet and listening to it over and over in the car until it started to sink in.  Stereo really helps in this work, though, and Schneiderhan recording on Jecklin with the composer conducting recording is the one to get, if you can find it.

Coincidently, I was listening to the Violin Concerto the other night. It just all washed over me and nothing stuck out. It just seemed like endless rambling on and on, but people probably think the same thing about Delius. But, no matter, I'll listen to it again this time that Ansermet recording. The version I heard was on the MD&G label. I forget who the soloist and conductor were.

[snyprrr]

My introduction the Martin was, of course, the Petite Symphonie Concertante.  But what really got me into Martin was the Violin Concerto.  I remember making a cassette of the Schneiderhan/Ansermet and listening to it over and over in the car until it started to sink in.  Stereo really helps in this work, though, and Schneiderhan recording on Jecklin with the composer conducting recording is the one to get, if you can find it.

But don't you think the VC NEEDS a splendiforous 'super nails it' reading? I really should have kept the ABC.

[not edward]

But don't you think the VC NEEDS a splendiforous 'super nails it' reading? I really should have kept the ABC.

Schneiderhan already made that recording.

[Daverz]

Coincidently, I was listening to the Violin Concerto the other night. It just all washed over me and nothing stuck out. It just seemed like endless rambling on and on, but people probably think the same thing about Delius. But, no matter, I'll listen to it again this time that Ansermet recording. The version I heard was on the MD&G label. I forget who the soloist and conductor were.

The one on MDG is rather tepid.

Forgot I wrote a review of the Schneiderhan/Martin at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Frank-Martin-Violin-Concerto-Piano/dp/B000009IE7/

[snyprrr]

The one on MDG is rather tepid.

Forgot I wrote a review of the Schneiderhan/Martin at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Frank-Martin-Violin-Concerto-Piano/dp/B000009IE7/

Schneiderhan already made that recording.

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOL7o5d7JE0


Neither of you have heard the ABC (W/ Milhaud & Barber)?

OK, well, the Jecklin disc is of course not in my $$$ range at the moment. I did read that the MDG is tepid.

Maybe I'll have to spend some time here...

[snyprrr]

btw- I just KNOW that only 1% of you have heard the SQ (only on Divox). It really is Hindemith's SQ No.5 (the FIRST one in Eb, the 'smoothest' one) refined to the nth degree. Noble, stately, slightly oriental... written in 1965, I do consider the Last Word in Neo-Classicism,... everyone else was pretty much dead by then...

[The new erato]

I have the disc. Your description i spot on. Very fine.

[Mirror Image]

The one on MDG is rather tepid.

I don't know if it's the work itself or the performance, but neither one of them impressed me much.

[Mirror Image]

This reminds me that even with say Britten's VC, the worst performance I've heard, which would be Jensen/Jarvi, I still felt the music. For me, it has something to say. I don't feel the Martin VC has anything to say but sure does go on and on for no good reason.

[Daverz]

This reminds me that even with say Britten's VC, the worst performance I've heard, which would be Jensen/Jarvi, I still felt the music. For me, it has something to say. I don't feel the Martin VC has anything to say but sure does go on and on for no good reason.

I can't see the Britten concerto as at all a useful comparison to the Martin concerto.

[Mirror Image]

I can't see the Britten concerto as at all a useful comparison to the Martin concerto.

I'm not comparing them. They are two different works, but my point is one I connect with and the other doesn't do anything for me.

[Daverz]

I'm not comparing them. They are two different works, but my point is one I connect with and the other doesn't do anything for me, because I feel the music has something to say.

This does not tell us much about the music.

But googling around I did discover that there's a Wanda Wilkomirska recording of the Britten concerto!

http://www.occds.org/cd/cd012.html

[Mirror Image]

This does not tell us much about the music.

I'm not trying to describe the music or explain the differences between the two works. Like I said, I'm not comparing anything. Where are you getting this? I'm just stating, rather passively, that I don't find anything about the Martin VC that stimulates my mind or heart. In other words, it's a useless work to me.

Anyway, I'll check out that Ballades recording with Bamert I own though and will be sure to give a fresh listen.