Videos
l’Univers de Frank Martin – documentaire (2024)
On 21 November 2024 it was 50 years ago that the composer Frank Martin died.
Almost every day his music is heard at the major concert venues across the world.
But his name is known only to a relatively small audience.
One of the initiatives of the Frank Martin Foundation in this commemoration year 2024
is the presentation of a documentary about the life and work of the composer.
A personal portrait of a captivating and inspired man.
avec sous-titres en français
met Nederlandse ondertiteling
ook beschikbaar via NPO Start
with subtitles in English
How the Genevan conductor Thierry Fischer
became acquainted with Frank Martin’s music
The internationally renowned Genevan conductor Thierry Fischer is passionate about Frank Martin’s music. For many years he has actively promoted the composer in Switzerland and abroad. He is artistic director of The Frank Martin Odyssey, a voyage of discovery into Martin’s entire oeuvre, 50 years after the composer’s death.
In this interview Thierry Fischer describes how he became acquainted with Frank Martin’s music, and where he believes the outstanding quality of his music lies.
The German musician Volker Hempfling on Frank Martin’s music
The German musician Volker Hempfling studied in Herford and Cologne (church music, organ, orchestral conducting and singing). In 1968 he founded the world famous Kölner Kantorei. From 1972 to 1997 Hempfling was organist, Kirchenmusikdirektor and conductor of the Domkantorei Altenberg, as weIl as director of the ‘Sacred Music’ series at the Altenberger Dom. This is the place where we met Volker Hempfling and talked about his fascination for the music of Frank Martin, of whom he conducted many works. In the Altenberger Dom Volker Hempfling plays the version for organ of the Agnus Dei from the Mass for double choir.
The Swiss composer Nicolas Bolens on Frank Martin’s music, especially his ballet Die blaue Blume
88 Years after its creation Nicolas Bolens made an orchestration of Die blaue Blume, a ballet Frank Martin wrote in 1936 and which ended up in his desk drawer…
In 2024 the Bolens orchestrated the 30 scenes of this ballet, on the request of L’Odyssée Frank Martin in Geneva. This organisation joined forces with the Orchestre de la Haute école de musique de Genève (HEM) and with choreograph Mourad Merzouki for a spectacular world première, which took place on 19 October 2024 in Geneva.
Read the article about the rejection of this ballet in 1936.
Choreographer Hans van Manen on Martin’s Petite symphonie concertante (Spring 2024)
Making short films for the ‘60 seconds’ series (see next column) often produces material that begs for a longer version. In March 2024 we made a ‘60 seconds’ with the choreographer Hans van Manen, in the trail of 9 performances of his choreography Concertante, a repertoire piece of the Dutch National Ballet and also of the Wiener Staatsballett, which gave 7 performances last December ’23 /January ’24 in the Wiener Staatsoper. In May 2025 the Wiener Staatsballett will present Concertante in Madrid.
In this short film Hans van Manen goes into Concertante at more length with film fragments from the ballet!
Elly Ameling on Frank Martin
in conversation with Rien de Reede (Summer 2023)
Martin’s large-scale Christmas oratorio Le mystère de la Nativité was premiered in Geneva in 1959. The then 26-year-old Dutch soprano Elly Ameling – winner of the ‘Concours International de Musique’ in Geneva (1958) – sang the roles of Eve and the Virgin Mary. We have looked up this world famous singer to reminisce on this exceptional concert and her collaboration with Frank Martin. (with subtitles in English)
Thomas Beijer visiting the Frank Martin House (August 2021)
Thomas Beijer is a Dutch pianist with a special interest in the music of Frank Martin. In February 2022, Thomas Beijer received the Dutch Music Award (Nederlandse Muziekprijs), the highest award given by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science to a musician who performs classical music.
Excerpts of music by Frank Martin
• Petite symphonie concertante (1944-1945)
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande; Armin Jordan, conductor
• Concerto II for piano and orchestra (1968-1969)
Paul Badura-Skoda, piano
Orchestre della Svizzera Italiana; Christian Benda, conductor
• Danse grave (1941)
Daniel Spiegelberg, piano
Interview with the Flemish alto Ria Bollen (1/2)
‘Ria Bollen and Frank Martin’s Music’
The Flemish alto Ria Bollen (1942) had an impressive, international career as a concert singer. She had a special preference for Frank Martin’s work, with whom she had a close relationship and of whom she performed many works. Frank Martin asked her to participate in his Requiem, he even wrote the Agnus Dei of the Requiem ‘with her voice in mind’. In the run-up to the Frank Martin memorial year 2024 Ria Bollen was interviewed about Frank Martin, his works and their friendship. (with subtitles in English)
Interview with the Flemish alto Ria Bollen (2/2)
‘Ria Bollen and Frank Martin’
Javier Somoza visiting the Frank Martin House (Autumn 2021)
The Spanish guitarist Javier Somoza visits the Frank Martin House in Naarden (NL), welcomed by Teresa Martin, youngest daughter of the composer.
Excerpts of music by Frank Martin
• Quatre pièces brèves pour guitare (1933)
A series of short films in which musicians and other experts tell us what Frank Martin’s music means to them personally.
Leo Samama on Frank Martin’s music
Leo Samara (1951) graduated in musicology at the University of Utrecht and studied composition for some years under Rudolf Escher. He taught the history of music and culture at the Utrecht Conservatory and lectured on musical criticism in theory and practice at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. As a lecturer at the Musicology Department of Utrecht University he specialised in music of the twentieth-century and musical criticism.
In 1975 Leo Samama composed his opus 1, the Tombeau concertant pour Frank Martin for two violins and string orchestra, a work revealing his great affinity with the music of Frank Martin.
Thierry Fischer on Frank Martin’s music
Thierry Fischer, an internationally renowned conductor from Geneva, is passionate about Frank Martin’s work, with which he is very familiar. For many years he has actively contributed to the promotion of Martin’s music both in Switzerland and abroad. He is artistic director of The Frank Martin Odyssey, a voyage of discovery into Martin’s entire oeuvre, 50 years after the composer’s death.
Choreographer Hans van Manen on Martin’s
Petite symphonie concertante
The famous Dutch choreographer Hans van Manen talks about his fascination with Martin’s music, especially his Petite symphonie concertante.
Michel Khalifa on Golgotha
Michel Khalifa (Paris, 1965) studied musicology at Utrecht University. He contributed music reviews to the daily newspaper Het Parool and continues to write for the magazines Preludium and Odeon. He is a guide on music tours and has given pre-concert talks and music appreciation courses for many orchestras, festivals and concert halls in the Netherlands. At the Amsterdam Conservatory Michel Khalifa lectures on music history, music aesthetics and the notation of twentieth-century music.
Maria Milstein on Frank Martin
Maria Milstein won prizes as a soloist and chamber musician at major international competitions. In 2016 she was awarded the Fellowship of the Borletti Buitoni Trust, and in 2018 she received the Netherlands Music Prize – the highest recognition for a classical musician in the Netherlands, awarded by the Ministry of Culture. With pianist Hannes Minnaar and cellist Gideon den Herder, Maria Milstein is a member of the Van Baerle Trio, one of the leading trios of its generation. It’s repertoire includes Frank Martin’s Trio sur des mélodies populaires irlandaises (Trio on Irish Folk Songs), which they will perform several times in 2024.
Daniel Reuss on Frank Martin
A short characterisation of Frank Martin’s music by the conductor Daniel Reuss, artistic director of Cappella Amsterdam, a position he previously held with the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne, with all of which he performed music by Martin. His recording of the composer’s oratorio Golgotha was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Alain Corbellari visiting the Frank Martin House (September 2021)
Alain Corbellari, Swiss biographer and musicologist, visits the Frank Martin House in Naarden (NL), welcomed by Teresa Martin, youngest daughter of the composer.
Excerpts of music by Frank Martin
• Fantaisie sur des rythmes flamenco (1973)
Daniel Spiegelberg, piano
• Concerto II for piano and orchestra (1986-1969)
Paul Badura-Skoda, piano
Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana; Christian Benda, conductor
• Petite symphonie concertante (1944-1945)
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande; Armin Jordan, conductor
Frank Martin – Un lyrisme intranquille by Alain Corbellari
A short introduction of this book about Frank Martin, written by Alain Corbellari (Savoir Suisse, May 2021) EPFL Press
Interview with Maria Martin
Interview with Maria Martin (1915-2017), Frank Martin’s widow, at the Frank Martin House at the Bollelaan in Naarden. This film was made in the summer and autumn of 2011 by Véronique Cabois and commissioned by the Frank Martin Stichting, The Netherlands.
(with subtitles in English)
Entretien avec Maria Martin
Entretien avec Maria Martin (1915-2017), la veuve de Frank Martin, à la maison Frank Martin, Bollelaan à Naarden.
Ce film a été réalisé en été et en automne 2011 par Véronique Cabois, à la demande de la Frank Martin Stichting, Pays-Bas.
(avec sous-titres en français)
… and some short advertisements made for the Dutch radio
I.
‘Seeking to create beauty
is an act of love.’
(music from Le vin herbé)
IV.
Golgotha, a victory
of light over darkness
(music from Golgotha)
II.
Peace will only come
when people can forgive each other.
(music from In terra pax)
V.
From Flamenco Fantasy to Shakespeare Songs, listen to
Martin’s impressive oeuvre!
III.
For music lovers who go
off the beaten path…
(music from Prelude no.8 )
VI.
Singing for Peace on World Peace Day, 21 September 2024
(Notre Père from In terra pax)