Debut
This new release marks a debut of great proportions. Michael Erxleben,
the Budapest piano duo Soós-Haag and the Musikkollegium Winterthur
Orchestra conducted by Jac van Steen present as their MDG premiere concertos
by Frank Martin, one of the most highly respected Swiss composers.
Beginnings
Martin came late to composing, being 30 when he wrote the first work
he was to acknowledge. He grew up in a Genevan pastor's family. Initially
Martin was interested in music from the German-speaking region, in Bach
and Brahms, but he later turned to Debussy and Ravel too. He lived in
the Netherlands from 1946 onwards and was President of the Swiss Composers'
Association in addition to his work as a composer.
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First Performance
Martin's compositions are impressive for their virtuosity evident above
all in the solo cadenzas, for the brightness and lightness of their tonally
linked but chromatically very varied harmonies and their soft, flowing
melodies. This heavily nuanced music and stylistic diversity is a pleasure
to listen to, a pleasure it must be said which has too seldom been offered
to audiences.
Premiere
The performers on this recording increase the circle of excellent artists
who have created musical gems on CD thanks to their enchanting playing
and the recording philosophy of MDG. This marks the laying of a (gold-plated)
foundation stone for future recording collaboration of a high quality.
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