Frank Martin - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (1951)

[@pianomanhere]

Until tonight I never just stopped and listened to this beautiful concerto. It is a remarkably lyrical and meritorious work that we really should hear more often as part of standard international repertoire. Thank you for sharing this.

[@roward48]

As relatively little known as this work is, I rate it among the top ten violin concertos of the 20th century. Some others: Bartok, Barber, Hindemith, Rozsa, Walton.

[@paullewis2413]

This concerto is new to me and I really like it. The Barber and Hindemith I like very much and Walton is my favourite. I guess you know his concertos for viola and ‘cello, for me they’re the best of their genre.

[@MichaelConwayBaker]

A wonderful masterpiece. Great performance by soloist and orchestra!

[@wendylund7874]

Despite studying music, I am unfamiliar with Martin's music. Just now, reading Yehudi Menuhin's autobiography Unfinished Journey, hearing that Menhuin rated Martin only after Bartók as greatest composer, time to listen and learn. Thank you.

[@MrInterestingthings]

I didn't know Menuhin knee Martin or that he rated him highly with Bartok! Must read his autobiography!

[@treesny]

@@MrInterestingthings Martin composed the solo violin part in his great Polyptyque (1973) for Menuhin, who recorded both that work and Martin's Ballade for Viola.

[@odrioper]

Marvelous! I did not know this concerto, Fantastic performance too.

[@markbarsamian]

My first time hearing a work of Frank Martin. Wonderful. Thanks for posting.

[@gerardbegni2806]

This piece is not so typical of the style of Frank Martin. You should try other works.

[@pierreboland8910]

Try then "Symphonie concertante pour harpe, clavecin et piano"., still much more affordable.

[@davidluck1678]

solid performance of a first-rate 20th century violin concerto. I've got about two dozen of Martin's major works on my CD shelf, and it seems he almost always produced a masterpiece.

[@sciagurrato1831]

So tiresome to hear the same [violon] concertos played over and over in the concert hall (at least in the US): it’s gratifying to see this performance from a relatively “local” production in Switzerland (2014). Splendid performance by all concerned.

[@byjfritch]

I have heard a different amazing work of his. Totally underrated

[@sarahdubois2386]

this is an incredible piece!

[@alimmr.tflood5242]

Took me on the best ride of my life this time of night with Moon facing and bright as day.

[@gerardbegni2806]

A very beautiful soft piece by Frank Martin which differs from his usual style, more contrapunctic. This as a fascinating piece. It is soft, but the underlying structures are very firm and precisely articulated. A very beautiful concerto.

[@callasnuts]

Ein Meisterwerk!

[@bertrandjacques6744]

I knew some sacred pieces by Franck Martin and I am happy to discover this concerto. Thanks for posting... :o)

[@RichardASalisbury1]

Poignant, and gorgeous without being lush.

[@bartjebartmans]

Written for Wolfgang Schneiderhan and I have that recording. Froschhammer makes an excellent case for this underrated masterpiece. Thanks for sharing!!!

[@FreelanceOboist]

Dear Bartje. Where can I get the recording of Wolgang Schneiderhahn? Can You maybe post me a link? Or is it available on vinyl or a CD? Regards from oboist Jan Bertelsen, Norway. E-mail: "[e-mail]"

[@davidpeake1231]

The 1956 recording by Schneiderhan with the OSR / Ansermet has just (September 2018) become available on a 2 CD set of Martin's works on Australian Eloquence 482 4997

[@bartjebartmans]

@@FreelanceOboist sorry just saw your post. My LP is not good enough to be digitized. I see on the post below there is CD available. On the other side of the LP is Martin's 2nd Piano Concerto. Paul Badura Skoda performs it.

[@mangott]

Pure magic.

[@treesny]

Thank you for posting this performance. Martin composed the concerto shortly after writing his Five Ariel Songs for a cappella chorus (his only settings of English-language texts), and there's a direct quote from "Come Unto These Yellow Sands" near the start of the first movement. More generally, he felt that the first and last movements reflected some of the ethereal character of the spirit Ariel in Shakespeare's "The Tempest," which Martin later set as an opera. I particularly love the middle (slow) movement of this wonderful work.

[@gerardbegni2806]

This is probably the reason why I find some "oniric" feeling in that concerto.

[@jameswginn]

The last movement sells the piece for me.

[@cgb01]

Mágico

[@gerardbegni2806]

This concerto is unusually calm and quiet, event during the great soli or the orchestral tutti. Writing in such a way is very challenging. Frank Martin suceeded to ceate that atmosphere.

[@johnrondeau220]

Really cool composition well played by the soloist and orchestra and great conducting. Magic can happen when you search "obscure symphonists"

[@ronaldbwoodall2628]

This wonderful concerto, and Martin's music in general, is possessed of so much personality that, to me, it has a way of seeming to speak verbally as well as musically, making it doubly effective. This work is full of subdued emotion, beauty and optimism; the dramatic arc of its slow movement is magnificent, and the violin's sighing passages here so expressive; the finale balances the concerto perfectly. I never heard of violinist Froschhammer before; he has a beautiful tone and command of his instrument. I hope to hear him in other works.

[@darrylschultz9311]

ronald b woodall Yes I know what you mean by it having the effect of speaking verbally to you as well as musically-that's what I thought for a while too,then I noticed that it was actually my non-musical wife in the background moaning...

[@nelsbruseth792]

Outstanding! The Schneiderhan CD was harsh; live performances are better anyway.

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

I'm a fan of Frank Martin's music and this is an excellent performance. But it has to be said that some of his music is not the easiest to listen to. So full marks must go to the parents of the impeccably behaved children sitting in the audience. For children of that age to sit through over half an hour of this work is a feat in itself. Some adults can't do it! So well done, you should be very very proud parents.

[@odrioper]

I agree! Watching those beautiful children behaving so well brings tears to my eyes. I hardly ever go to concerts anymore, because I cannot stand the appalling behavior of many concert goers. Those kids (and their parents) are an example to all. And, yes, wonderful piece and performance. Frank Martin has been a big hole in my education so I'm going to start exploring his music. I will soon be coaching a group on the string quartet.

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

Thank you for replying and also introducing me to the String Quartet that I shall now seek out. Good luck with your coaching.

[@MuseDuCafe]

Children have les pre-conceived ideas of 'how music should be.' Truly, they are more open and possible heard it 'for what it is' Others with their listening history sometimes are listening for 'what they expect' and then find newer music 'difficult' or problematic, lol.

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

@@MuseDuCafe You are quite right, but if they never get the chance to listen to real music at an early age they will "go with the flow" and be drawn forever into "plastic" music that as we all know, will be eventually thrown away. The children we see here have obviously be educated to understand what real music is. The children of today need such direction, desperately. They listen to rubbish, and rubbish is what then comes out of their mouths.

[@Whatismusic123]

Not easy to listen to because it is so bad you want to turn it off at all costs

[@teebeedahbow]

Every note is put where it should be, every note means something...

[@kuang-licheng402]

nice

[@marklee5777]

Yes, his music is contrapuntal, but very good & challenging. To the few who may not know it, you should seek out the Stokowski recording of the Petit symphonie concertante; by far the best recorded performance of that work. Mark Lee Austin, Tx

[@lcfstrauss8403]

Musique-Fantastique! Mais Prise de vue.... On voie plus de publique que de Soliste. ça dérange. P.S. Merci pour la magnifique version de cet concerto!

[@keepingtheheart81]

A forgotten great composer

[@anorcia3130]

I would like to know what the children thought of the music.they are unbiased and honest.

[@teebeedahbow]

Big frank is the governor

[@lawyer6343]

remind me of Britney spears Baby baby one morw time minus the vocal and the original arrangement. People are too serious here i prefer Britney. how can they sit for that long listening to this ?

[@95tupolev]

Oh dear, how sad that you should prefer Britney.

[@lawyer6343]

@@95tupolev i dont thinl you get sarcasm.. of it knock on your front door.. You know many Britney fans that would actually leave a comment here.. lol Give me troll award please. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@AndrewRudin]

Oh, please! How dumb.

[@roward48]

Britney wishes she had one onehundredth the talent it takes to compose a work like this!

[@paullewis2413]

@@lawyer6343 I was hoping that your comment was a joke - 😁

[@peterjerg7968]

Zu viel Orchester, zuwenig Violine...