Frank Martin (1890–1974) is one of those 20th-century composers who, despite a fascinating creative style and musical language, gained recognition relatively late or has, for some reason, not remained among the most frequently performed authors. While some creators are known for maturing late, the case with Martin is somewhat different. He was born in Geneva, Switzerland, the youngest of ten children in a Calvinist pastor’s family. Having begun to improvise on the piano independently at an early age, the young musician was already the author of several small works by the age of nine. A performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion heard at age twelve left a profound impression on him; Bach and polyphony remained his great models and ideals throughout his life. At his parents’ request, he studied mathematics and physics, while simultaneously pursuing music under the guidance of Joseph Lauber, then a leading composer in Geneva. Ultimately, his desire to become a musician prevailed; though he never studied music at a higher education institution, he certainly went on to teach it.
Martin was a deeply self-critical creator who did not release his works until he was convinced they were truly valuable, of high quality, and capable of withstanding any criticism. It was only in 1941, with the premiere of the oratorio Le vin herbé, that he reached the conviction that he had found a style that finally satisfied him. That concert acted as a trigger, after which his works began to be performed more frequently. Wider recognition came with a piece written for an extraordinary ensemble, Petite symphonie concertante (1944/45)—a concerto for harp, harpsichord, piano, and double string orchestra. His body of work also includes a symphony (1936/37), a series of works for solo instrument(s) and orchestra, a concerto for seven wind instruments, as well as chamber music, songs, and various stage works, including the opera The Tempest (1952–1955), based on Shakespeare. Martin’s unique style draws on many different influences, primarily Bach, but he also found inspiration in Renaissance music, French Impressionism, and Schoenberg’s dodecaphony. Remarkably, he managed to weave dodecaphony into his music in such a captivating, euphonious, and melodic way that the listener may not even suspect this rigorous system serves as the work’s foundation.