MARTIN; MARTINŮ 'The Secret Mass'

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Frank Martin, Bohuslav (Jan) Martinu

Genre:

Vocal

Label: OUR Recordings

Media Format: Super Audio CD

Media Runtime: 64

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: 6 220671

6 220671. MARTIN; MARTINŮ 'The Secret Mass'

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Mass for Double Choir Frank Martin, Composer
Danish National Vocal Ensemble
Frank Martin, Composer
Marcus Creed, Conductor
4 Songs of the Virgin Mary Bohuslav (Jan) Martinu, Composer
Bohuslav (Jan) Martinu, Composer
Danish National Vocal Ensemble
Marcus Creed, Conductor
(5) Gesänge des Ariel Frank Martin, Composer
Danish National Vocal Ensemble
Frank Martin, Composer
Marcus Creed, Conductor
(The) Romance of the Dandelions Bohuslav (Jan) Martinu, Composer
Bohuslav (Jan) Martinu, Composer
Danish National Vocal Ensemble
Marcus Creed, Conductor
This is an intriguing programme. Though one might initially think that it is simply inspired by the juxtaposition of the composers’ names, in fact they were both born in 1890 and their careers were both singular enough to make a comparison of their work a project of considerable interest. Martin’s Mass has gone from a work hardly performed to a staple of the choral repertoire, and justly so: it is a composition of tremendous luminosity and great variety. This performance is not the most engaging I have heard – for that one would need The Sixteen, Westminster Cathedral Choir or the Vasari Singers – but the choral sound is rich and warm. There is something a little perfunctory, for example, about the Kyrie, and especially the ‘Christe’, which sounds rushed, but the choir’s response to the later movements of the work is deeply affecting.

In any case, the rest of the disc is greatly impressive. Martin’s wonderful Songs of Ariel are given a virtuoso rendition that brings out every nuance and are alone worth the price of the disc. But the addition of the choral works by Martinů creates a wholly unusual and effective balance in the programming. The Four Songs of the Virgin Mary are works of tremendous subtlety, and beautifully sung: while they are peaks of the Czech choral repertoire, I do hope that performances by non-Czech choirs, especially of this standard, will bring these works into greater international circulation. The Romance of the Dandelions is also a thing of beauty, and while possibly more difficult to programme, if you have a soprano of the quality of Klaudia Kidon, you are surely guaranteed success.

Discover the world's largest classical music catalogue with Presto Music. 

Stream on Presto Music | Buy from Presto Music

Gramophone Print

  • Print Edition

From £6.67 / month

Subscribe

Gramophone Digital Club

  • Digital Edition
  • Digital Archive
  • Reviews Database
  • Full website access

From £8.75 / month

Subscribe

                              

If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.