Frank Martin

[kyjo]

Have you heard Schneiderhan's recording with the composer conducting?

No, I don't believe I have. Is it only available in this set?

[asin]B00067GKGA[/asin]

If so, I'll probably pass, unless I can find a great deal on it. I don't need any more recordings of the warhorses.

[Daverz]

No, I don't believe I have. Is it only available in this set?
[asin]B00067GKGA[/asin]

That's the recording with Ansermet that you already have.

I think I have every commercial recording of the work except the one on ABC (Olding/Iwaki).

Schneiderhan/Ansermet
Kling/Whitney
Schneiderhan/Martin
Canin
Erxleben/Steen
Skride/Fischer

I think the second Schneiderhan the best one for the passion of the solo playing and for the pungency of the accompaniment.  The recording is very vivid, too.

I downloaded a recording by Szigeti (a broadcast, I think), but have not listened to it yet (it was made late in his career).

[kyjo]

That's the recording with Ansermet that you already have.

I think I have every commercial recording of the work except the one on ABC (Olding/Iwaki).

Schneiderhan/Ansermet
Kling/Whitney
Schneiderhan/Martin
Canin
Erxleben/Steen
Skride/Fischer

The think the second Schneiderhan the best one for the passion of the solo playing and for the pungency of the accompaniment.  The recording is very vivid, too.

I downloaded a recording by Szigeti (a broadcast, I think), but have not listened to it yet (it was made late in his career).

Could you please provide an Amazon link to the Schneiderham/Martin recording? Much appreciated.

[Sergeant Rock]

Could you please provide an Amazon link to the Schneiderham/Martin recording? Much appreciated.

http://www.amazon.com/Martin-violkonz-klav-konz-Schneiderhan-martin/dp/B000024P53/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379537291&sr=8-1&keywords=B000024P53

I ordered a copy through Amazon DE. Ain't cheap! Let's hope Daverz knows what he's talking about 

Sarge

[Daverz]

http://www.amazon.com/Martin-violkonz-klav-konz-Schneiderhan-martin/dp/B000024P53/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379537291&sr=8-1&keywords=B000024P53

Cheaper here:

[asin]B000009IE7[/asin]

Also, the Vox Candide Lp may be easier to find and is a pretty good pressing.

One warning: this CD uses pre-emphasis (which is a sort of RIAA EQ for CDs that was used early on in the CD era).  It just so happens that my Cambridge Audio 840C CD player does not support pre-emphasis, so when I first got this it sounded screechy.  Applying de-emphasis with sox fixed that.

http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Pre-emphasis

I ordered a copy through Amazon DE. Ain't cheap! Let's hope Daverz knows what he's talking about 

Opinions come with no warranty expressed or implied.

[Sergeant Rock]

Cheaper here:
Opinions come with no warranty expressed or implied.

Coward! 

Sarge

[not edward]

That's the recording with Ansermet that you already have.
I think I have every commercial recording of the work except the one on ABC (Olding/Iwaki).

Just for the sake of completism, I have Olding/Iwaki. It's actually quite a good performance--and having the Milhaud coupled with it is an excellent idea--but I don't think it adds much to the other recordings you mention.

[Daverz]

Just for the sake of completism, I have Olding/Iwaki. It's actually quite a good performance--and having the Milhaud coupled with it is an excellent idea--but I don't think it adds much to the other recordings you mention.

I'll probably have to get it anyway..

Listened to the Erxleben last night.  His playing is very fine, but cooler and more cerebral than Schneiderhan's (though it's hard to think of Schneiderhan as a hothead with those nerd glasses).  The effect is enhanced by a more distant recording with the violin in proportion.  The orchestral playing is excellent, though similarly cool, and MDG's sonics are gorgeous.  The perrformance is not as immediately compelling as Schneiderhan/Martin, but it's a valid interpretation.

TIme to move on to some other Martin works...

[snyprrr]

What I'm hearing is that you all reeeeeeeeeeeally want someone like Mutter/DG (just anyone with flawless sound) to give the VC an uber definitive sound/performance experience. I hear ya!!

I just haven't been able to get into this VC for some reason. I do think it needs that DG/Chandos treatment.

[Parsifal]

I do think it needs that DG/Chandos treatment.

Decca and Schniederhan can hold its own with anything that is likely to come from DG or Chandos.

[snyprrr]

Decca and Schniederhan can hold its own with anything that is likely to come from DG or Chandos.

Maybe I really did never have that set?? hmm...

[Daverz]

What I'm hearing is that you all reeeeeeeeeeeally want someone like Mutter/DG (just anyone with flawless sound) to give the VC an uber definitive sound/performance experience. I hear ya!!

Hahn was who I hoped for earlier in the thread. 

Decca and Schniederhan can hold its own with anything that is likely to come from DG or Chandos.

I think the work benefits from a stereo recording.  Decca's sound is OK for the period.  The digital transfer is a bit overfiltered.

[Mirror Image]

I haven't looked completely through this thread but I've got to mention to our Martin fans that if you don't own this disc, then you need it ASAP:



The three works here: Polyptyque, Triptychon, and Passacaille receive what could very well be reference performances. This is some incredibly austere, darkly-hued music that is speckled with lighter moments throughout. I definitely give a high five to all the musicians involved with this recording.

[pjme]

I have all these works in older performances but fully endorse your statement.
Triptychon, btw, was written for Wolfgang Schneiderhahn and his wife, soprano Irmgard Seefried.

Polyptique is superb.

P.

[Mirror Image]

I have all these works in older performances but fully endorse your statement.
Triptychon, btw, was written for Wolfgang Schneiderhahn and his wife, soprano Irmgard Seefried.

Polyptique is superb.

P.

Yes, this ECM is an essential acquisition for anyone interested in Martin IMHO. These are performances of great authority and the excellent audio quality from ECM make this a must-buy.

It's also selling for a good price right now on Amazon MP. I see a seller has it for $6. Those that don't own it, take this opportunity and bounce on this deal.

[Madiel]

Shucks. I just browsed through this thread and didn't spot any mention of the 8 Preludes for Piano, which were my introduction to the name of Frank Martin.

(Years ago my teacher convinced me to learn prelude no.8. I loved it. Learnt it by heart, which was rare for me.)

[Mirror Image]

Received this recording today:



A world premiere recording of a long neglected ballet. Looking forward to digging into this one. Probably over the weekend.

[Klaze]

I was pleasantly surprised to see an interview on Dutch television with Frank Martin's widow, Maria, now aged 99 !
As a young woman, she moved from the Netherlands to Switzerland, where Frank Martin was her teacher.
Some noteworthy moments:
She wanted to stress multiple times that Martin was not under the spell of Schoenberg et al.
Both of them had been very sad that Dinu Lipatti never got around to playing the 8 Preludes, which were dedicated to him.
The house in which they lived, in The Netherlands, has been left unchanged since 1974, when F. Martin died.
She mentioned she has only emptied the ashtrays
Remarked that Martin did not compose easily. During especially difficult periods, the dog had to be locked out of the workroom.
And of course, pitied the fact that the works are not played more often, especially in The Netherlands.

Website with another interview with the widow and info about Martin, Martin Society and House:

http://www.frankmartin.org/index.php/en/frank-martin-house

I really need to start collecting more recordings, since i have enjoyed all i've heard so far (Polyptyque, PSC, Cto for 7 winds, PC2, Quatre Elements, Harpsichord Cto, Monologe aus Jedermann)

[Ken B]

I was pleasantly surprised to see an interview on Dutch television with Frank Martin's widow, Maria, now aged 99 !
As a young woman, she moved from the Netherlands to Switzerland, where Frank Martin was her teacher.
Some noteworthy moments:
She wanted to stress multiple times that Martin was not under the spell of Schoenberg et al.
Both of them had been very sad that Dinu Lipatti never got around to playing the 8 Preludes, which were dedicated to him.
The house in which they lived, in The Netherlands, has been left unchanged since 1974, when F. Martin died.
She mentioned she has only emptied the ashtrays
Remarked that Martin did not compose easily. During especially difficult periods, the dog had to be locked out of the workroom.
And of course, pitied the fact that the works are not played more often, especially in The Netherlands.

Website with another interview with the widow and info about Martin, Martin Society and House:

http://www.frankmartin.org/index.php/en/frank-martin-house

I really need to start collecting more recordings, since i have enjoyed all i've heard so far (Polyptyque, PSC, Cto for 7 winds, PC2, Quatre Elements, Harpsichord Cto, Monologe aus Jedermann)

Thanks. He's a composer of depth and quality.

[snyprrr]

Remarked that Martin did not compose easily. During especially difficult periods, the dog had to be locked out of the workroom.

whimper