15 September 1890 Genève - 21 November 1974 Naarden

“Quand je joue le ‘Polyptyque’ de Frank Martin, je ressens la même responsabilité, la même exaltation qu’en jouant la Chaconne de Bach”.
 - "When I play Frank Martin's 'Polyptyque', I feel the same responsibility, the same excitement as playing Bach's Chaconne."-
Yehudi Menuhin

Frank Martin wrote a considerable amount of piano music, a couple of piano concertos and chamber music with piano. His most played piano pieces are his wonderful "8 Preludes", written in 1947/48. They were written for pianist Dinu Lipatti. Unfortunately, he died before being able to perform them.

Enjoy the following PIANOVERSAL listenig tips!

 PIANOVERSAL listening tips: Frank Martin

Frank Martin plays Frank Martin!
Listen to a rare own recording of Frank Martin: The first 4 preludes from "8 Preludes" (1947/48)
youtube_frank_martin_plays_martin

Frank Martin wrote a beautiful short text about this music:

To take our ten magic fingers for a walk
I would have needed twelve magic gardens.
Now there are but eight, and poor pieces for a fairy

For the muse punished me in my slow search for sounds
Too of with contempt for my syntheses

Here is a live performance of the "8 Preludes" by Paul Badura-Skoda who was a dear friend of Frank Martin. He is the dedicatee of the "Fantaisie sur des rythmes flamenco" (1974) for piano solo.
youtube_martin_8preludes_badura_skoda

There is a lovely recording set of the complete works for piano solo by pianist Julie Adam. Very well played!
youtube_Frank_Martin_complete_piano_works_Julia_Adam

And here a glimpse into Martin's chamber music with his beautiful
Ballade for trombone & piano (1940)
Timothy Dowling, trombone, Mitchell Leigh, piano (live) at the Brisbane Lower Brass Weekend 2016
youtube_martin_ballade_tromb_pf

... and the Gigue (3rd mouvement) of Martin's "Piano Trio on Irish Folktunes" (1925)
Trio Gaspard: Nicholas Rimmer, piano; Jonian Ilias Kadesha, violin; Vashti Hunter, cello
Recorded in 2015 at the SWR studio in Freiburg. Recording Engineer: Moritz Bergfeld
youtube_Martin_gigue_Trio_Gaspard

There is a very interesting Interview with Frank Martin's widow Maria Martin in the Frank Martin House (NL / E subtitles)
youtube_interview_maria_martin

The official website about Frank Martin is powered by the Frank Martin Society in Naarden/NL: www.frankmartin.org

Browse in the  PIANOVERSALRegister to find more details about Frank Martin's piano music.

Frank Martin: composer of the week No. 12 / March 2018