(2024) Choeurs a cappella - Frank Martin et ses contemporains

2024-09-12T09:58:42+02:00

Frank Martin and choral music

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The art of choral composition had become an established tradition in Switzerland by the 19th Century at the latest. It is no wonder, therefore, that the genre accompanied Frank Martin throughout his creative life, from the motet Pourquoi voient-ils le jour? written in 1909 when he was just 19 years old, until his final cantata, Et la vie l’emporta, composed in 1974, a few months before his death. It inspired some of his most notable masterpieces (the Mass for Double Choir, Le vin herbé, In Terra Pax, Golgotha, among others), but he also produced a wealth of exquisite small-scale choral works.

This recording pays homage to these lesser-known creations: a treasure trove of miniatures, most of which have never previously been recorded. Many of these works reveal Martin’s French-Swiss heritage, such as Le petit village, whose text is by Ramuz, or his settings of works by Roland Stähli, a poet from the Jura region (Janeton, Si Charlotte avait voulu); it can also be traced in his musical interpretations of Ronsard (Ode, Sonnet, Canon) and Paul-Jean Toulet (Le Coucou), as well as Martin’s numerous French folksong arrangements (Campagnarde, En revenant d’Auvergne, among others). We encounter the German folksong tradition in pieces such as Es ist ein Schnitter, which discloses Martin’s predilection for poetry from the other bank of the Rhine and evokes compositions such as Cornet, after text by Rilke, and Monologues de Jedermann, after Hofmannstahl.

The compositions that form this recording span the composer’s entire compositional life, from 1912 (Ode and Sonnet) until 1961 (Verse à boire). They include a particularly rich vein of output from 1944, when he was president of the Association of Swiss Musicians, a year that yielded many compositions for Swiss choral societies. They present a simple and direct expression compared to the tormented tones of his major compositions, although these, too, contain moments of grand choral transparency.

Martin’s writing never fails to engage directly with the listener. At every turn there are harmonic subtleties and surprises : even the most humble of his arrangements bears the distinctive stamp of his compositional language.

In order to place Martin’s choral music in a national context, this programme includes works by his contemporaries – and for the main part also his friends: Heinrich Sutermeister, Raffaele d’Alessandro, Roger Vuataz, André-François Marescotti, Jean Binet, Henri Gagnebin, Carlo Hemmerling (who composed Fête des Vignerons in 1955), as well as the undervalued Fernande Peyrot (1888-1978); their contributions form a halo around their great contemporary and testify to the unity of spirit of this extraordinary group of composers.

Alain Corbellari
Translated from the French by Elizabeth Irvine

Florian Helgath, Artistic Director

Florian Helgath has established himself as one of the leading choral conductors of this generation. He has been Artistic Director of ChorWerk Ruhr since 2011 and was appointed Artistic Director of the Zürcher Sing-Akademie in 2017. With these two ensembles he explores choral music from all eras, ranging from a cappella repertoire to the vast choral works of the symphonic genre.

Florian Helgath regularly appears as guest conductor with many leading vocal ensembles and has collaborated with renowned orchestras. He has performed in many major concert halls, and at festivals including the Berliner Festspiele, Schwetzinger Festspiele, Audi Sommerkonzerte, Eclat Festival Neue Musik Stuttgart and Thüringer Bachwochen. He has developed a particular connection with the Ruhrtriennale; his projects for this festival include numerous contemporary music theatre productions.

His discography includes a number of prize-winning recordings: his interpretations have achieved accolades including the ICMA and ECHO Klassik, as well as Grammy nomination.

Florian Helgath’s formative musical experiences took place in his native town, where he was a member of the Regensburger Domspatzen; he continued his studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in München. Among his most influential teachers were Michael Gläser, Stefan Parkman, and Dan Olof Stenlund.

He achieved international successes as prize-winner at competitions including the Eric Ericson Award in Sweden (2006) and the International Competition for Young Choral Conductors in Budapest (2007).

From 2009 to 2015 Florian Helgath was conductor of the Danish Radio Choir and Artistic Director of the Via Nova Choir Munich from 2008 to 2016. With this ensemble he conducted numerous acclaimed world premieres and was awarded national and international prizes.

In October 2020 Florian Helgath was appointed professor at the University of Music and Dance in Cologne for choral conducting, since spring 2024 he has held a professorship at the Munich University of Music and Theatre.

Zürcher Sing-Akademie

The Zürcher Sing-Akademie is renowned for its versatility and flexibility, performing at the highest level in both chamber and symphonic settings. The Swiss choir collaborates with many eminent orchestras within Switzerland and internationally, and boasts an extensive symphonic repertoire. The ensemble also frequently presents a cappella programmes and plays a prominent part in the promotion of Swiss composers, both historical and contemporary.

Central to its ethos is the continued development of the choral landscape: the Zürcher Sing-Akademie frequently commissions new works and has given many première performances. Florian Helgath has been conductor and artistic director of the Zürcher Sing-Akademie since 2017.

Since its formation in 2011, the choir has collaborated with numerous conductors including Bernard Haitink, David Zinman, Daniel Barenboim, Sir Roger Norrington, Pablo Heras-Casado, Neeme Järvi, Giovanni Antonini, Paavo Järvi, and René Jacobs.

Concert tours have taken the Zürcher Sing-Akademie to Germany, Italy, Israel, the Netherlands, Lebanon, Taiwan, China, and as well as many European cities. In addition to its long association with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, the choir regularly performs with acclaimed ensembles such as the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Musikkollegium Winterthur, Kammerorchester Basel, Musikkollegium Winterthur, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Hofkapelle München, and the baroque orchestra La Scintilla. In joint projects with the Freiburger Barockorchester, the choir is performing in major concert halls in Europe, such as the Philharmonie de Paris, the Kölner Philharmonie, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Philharmonie Berlin and Konzerthaus Freiburg.

Many of the ensembles CD recordings have won acclaim in the form of prestigious awards. The most recent additions to its discography are Haydn’s “Stabat Mater” with the Kammerorchester Basel for Pentatone, conducted by René Jacobs and Mendelssohn’s «Sommernachtstraum» and «Lobgesang» with the Tonhalle Orchestera Zurich, conducted by Paavo Järvi and released at Alpha.

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Sopran
Anna Bachleitner
Sonja Bühler
Keiko Enomoto
Alina Godunov
Stefanie Knorr
Hannah Mehler
Anne Montandon-Toledo
Maria Mysachenko
Maria Pujades Seguí
Andrea Oberparleiter
Anja Scherg
Natasha Schnur
Ulla Westvik

Alt
Franziska Brandenberger
Petra Ehrismann
Maria Chiara Gallo
Franziska Gündert
Elisabeth Irvine
Isabel Pfefferkorn
Jennifer Reineke
Jane Tiik
Lisa Weiss
Sarah Widmer
Anne-Kristin Zschunke

Tenor
Florian Feth
Tamás Henter
Matthias Klosinski
Thomas Köll
Sebastian Lipp
Martin Logar
Tiago Oliveira
Patrick Siegrist
Fabian Strotmann

Bass
Ekkehard Abele
Andrey Akhmetov
Matija Bizjan
Yves Brühwiler
Dan Dunkelblum
Gergely Kereszturi
Jan Kuhar
Julián Millán
Simón Millán
Manuel Nickert
Francesc Ortega Marti
Jan Sauer
Philipp Scherer
Peter Strömberg
Gaudenz Wigger

Cello
Xavier Pignat

Sprachcoaching
Marie Rihane
Cassandre Stornetta

Texts

You can access the texts in French in the booklet or here in English & German

REVIEWS

Pizzicato

"A stylistic and tonal mosaic with a sure feeling for rhetoric, tonal language, rhythm and character emerges from the most diverse miniatures. Florian Helgath and the Zürcher Sing-Akademie take us on a journey into a repertoire that deserves attention beyond the Alps with a cleverly balanced, clear choral sound and finely explored dynamics." - Guy Engels, December 2024

Rondo Magazin

"Florian Helgath und die vorzügliche Zürcher Sing-Akademie, ein junges Profi-Ensemble, zelebrieren dieses wertvolle Repertoire aus lauter Perlen von zwei, drei, höchstens vier Minuten Länge mit stupender Noblesse, erstklassiger Ensemblekultur, hörbarer Begeisterung und großer Freude am Präsentieren von fast Vergessenem. Ensembles wie dieses sind Kulturbotschafter ersten Ranges: national und international identitätsstiftend, traditionsbewahrend und ungeheuer erfrischend. In Zeiten allenthalben aufploppender Mittelkürzungsgelüste sollten wertvolle Projekte wie dieses umso mehr genossen werden und gleichzeitig zu denken geben." - Michael Wersin, December 2024

KulturTipp

« Ein klangvolles Bild der Alten Schweiz. [..] Die Schweiz ist ein bedeutendes Chorland, das stets auch Werke einheimischer Komponisten sang. Einer der fleissigsten war der Genfer Frank Martin (1890–1974), der sowohl Grosswerke als auch Lieder schrieb. Die Zürcher Sing-Akademie unter Florian Helgath hat eine vielfältige Auswahl zusammengestellt. Ergänzt wird diese mit Werken von Fernande Peyrot bis Heinrich Sutermeister. Ein klangvolles Bild der Alten Schweiz. » - Frank von Niederhäusern, Januar 2025

La Liberté

« Le compositeur suisse Frank Martin est surtout connu pour ses œuvres de grande envergure. Ce disque témoigne d’un versant moins connu de ses compositions, les chants populaires. Le compositeur de la Messe à double chœur, du Vin herbé ou de Golgotha est aussi l’auteur de pièces de plus petites dimensions, de chants chorals tout simples, qui l’inscrivent dans la tradition romande: Frank Martin a composé des chants à quatre voix mixtes, d’hommes ou de femmes, tout au long de sa vie, comme en témoigne ce beau disque... » - Elisabeth Hass, décembre 2024

OpusKlassiek

"[..] In the field of a cappella singing, the Zürcher Sang-Akademie emphasizes the work of Swiss composers, which has already produced many idiomatic and stylish gems. This album, dedicated to choral works by Frank Martin and his contemporaries, is shining proof of this." - Aart van der Wal, March 2025

Musik und Theater

« Chorwerke bei Frank Martin zu finden ist eine dankbare und lohnende Aufgabe, und dass man dabei abseits der grossen und zu Recht gefeierten Kompositionen wie «Golgotha» oder der Messe für Doppelchor sehr reizvolle Entdeckungen machen kann, beweist diese CD der Zürcher Sing-Akademie unter ihrem Leiter Florian Helgath. Sie haben aus den zahlreichen Acappella- Werken, um die sich Martin während seiner ganzen Laufbahn immer wieder verdient gemacht hat, eine hübsche und abwechslungsreiche Auswahl von Raritäten getroffen. Der momentan wohl beste Chor der Schweiz singt mit der gebotenen Souveränität und hoher klanglicher Meisterschaft, wird vor allem aber auch den ganz unterschiedlichen Texten mit einer sorgfältig abgestimmten Diktion gerecht. [..]» - Reinmar Wagner, Juni 2025

Scherzo - Excepcional

"[..] Para añadir más valor a este loable proyecto, cabría destacar que algunas de estas piezas permanecieron inéditas en vida de Martin, y también que varias de ellas se presentan en primicia discográfica. Zürcher Sing-Akademie y su director Florian Helgath ponen en valor esta atractiva y variada selección con unas soberbias interpretaciones que evidencian el rico y vívido sonido de conjunto de la formación coral suiza. Súmesele a ello, que no es poco, la expresividad de cada obra, el equilibrio constante entre las voces, la cristalina dicción, el fraseo cuidado al máximo y la pulcra afinación general. Chant de la petite ville, So wünsch ich ihr ein gute Nacht o Complainte des Vieux, todas de Martin, ilustran a la perfección todo lo anterior. [..]" - Urko Sangroniz, December 2024