Martin: Le Mystère de la Nativité

On this CD:

1. Le Mystère de la Nativité, oratorio/spectacle
Composed by Frank Martin
Performed by Philippe Huttenlocher, Rudolf Rosen, Hans-Jurg Rickenbacher

Martin: Le Mystère de la Nativité, Music, Philippe Huttenlocher, Rudolf Rosen, Frank Martin, Alois Koch, Barbara Locher, Hans-Jurg Rickenbacher, Choral, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Oratorio

Frank Martin: Le Mystere de la Nativite / Pilate
Average customer rating:

Memorable premiere of colorful, sublime Christmas pageant

Frank Martin: Le Mystere de la Nativite / Pilate
by Frank Martin; , Ernest Ansermet , and Hugues Cuenod Elly Ameling
Manufacturer: Cascavelle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music | General Christmas | Today's Deals | Box Sets | Children's Music | Classical Instrumental | Halloween | Hanukkah | Kwanzaa | Opera & Vocal | Pop Instrumental & Easy Listening | Pop Vocal
General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000009IVF
Release Date: 1995-01-24

Customer Reviews:

Memorable premiere of colorful, sublime Christmas pageant.......2001-08-31

The great Swiss composer Frank Martin's Mystery of the Nativity (1957-9) isn't as well known (or as frequently recorded) as his Passion oratorio Golgotha of a decade earlier; more's the pity, for this is a large, colorful score with immediate appeal. Intended for either concert or stage presentation - Martin drew up detailed production notes - the piece is scored for symphony orchestra, 3 choirs (corresponding to the 3 levels of action: Heaven, Earth & Hell) & 9 soloists who play 22 characters. The text is drawn from the Mystery of the Passion, a huge mid-15th century religious drama by Arnoul Greban; characteristically, Martin's music is as striking for its austerity & intimacy as for its lushness & grandeur. It ranges in tone from the "pure" chords of the celestial scenes to the grotesque, semi-comic dissonances of those in the inferno, encompassing with great conviction both the spiritual ecstacy of the Annunciation & the rustic song-&-dance of the shepherds "abiding in the fields." The work manages to convey both the naive charm of a Christmas pageant & the musical & theatrical eloquence of a gifted composer at the height of his powers. This recording of the world premiere(23 December 1959) preserves a terrific performance, with conductor Ernest Ansermet in top form, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande & choirs responding readily to the vitality of his leadership, & a wonderful cast of soloists, among whom soprano Elly Ameling (Eve/Mary) & tenor Hugues Cuenod(a witty, outrageous Satan) are standouts. The mono sound captures both voices & instruments faithfully; only the big choral climaxes sound somewhat congested. No matter: despite the recent appearance of a modern recording, this one will always hold a special place in the Martin discography. Fortunately, Cascavelle provides both full French text & English & German translations. A bonus: the only recording of Martin's other Greban-derived work, the cantata Pilate(1964), again led by Ansermet.

Average customer rating:

A fine modern recording of a colorful Christmas oratorio

Martin: Le Mystère de la Nativité

Manufacturer: Musiques Suisses
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005BI5M
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Customer Reviews:

A fine modern recording of a colorful Christmas oratorio.......2001-08-31

This is a welcome modern recording of Swiss composer Frank Martin's Mystery of the Nativity (1957-59), a large Christmas oratorio intended for both stage & concert, whose text is taken from a mid-15th century religious drama. It's one of Martin's most colorful scores, ranging through 3 levels of action - Heaven, Earth & Hell - with music to match. There are thrilling choral climaxes as well as breathtaking moments of quiet beauty like Mary's lullaby over the infant Jesus, as well as grotesque humor in the scenes involving the Devils. The only previous recording is of the first performance (Geneva, 23 December 1959)- available on Cascavelle VEL 2006 - led with memorable rhythmic verve & sweeping conviction by the composer's great champion, Ernest Ansermet, & with a superb group of 9 soloists headed by the radiant Elly Ameling. The mono sound remains immediate & pleasing in the solo sections but more cramped in the large choral scenes. It's here that this new version, a live recording from Lucerne (7 December 2000), at once makes its mark, with full, spacious sound that allows the choral climaxes to bloom & resonate thrillingly. There is even a subtle acoustical difference between the miking of the Angelic & Earthly choirs - very helpful in clarifying the numbers where Martin uses both simultaneously. Overall, this is a fine performance. Conductor Alois Koch may not bring the kinetic urgency to the work that Ansermet did, but his more relaxed reading is valid on its own terms & he leads an excellent overall reading, with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra & 3 different choirs contributing first-rate work. The soloists have been carefully cast. Veteran bass-baritone Philippe Huttenlocher is an exemplary Adam/Joseph, the firm, even alto of Liliane Zuercher is welcome in her 2 roles, & tenor Hans-Juerg Rickenbacher & baritone Peter Brechbuehler tackle their multiple parts with particular success. Barbara Locher is a very positive presence as Eve/Mary, & does some truly beautiful singing (some minor unsteadiness in the lower part of her voice suggests she was in slightly less than top form). 2 anomalies: Rickenbacher takes on 2 singers' roles (sung originally by tenors Hugues Cuenod & Eric Tappy), for a total of 4 characters - did a soloist drop out at the last minute? - which entails some revoicing of the men's ensembles; & there's a cut of 28 measures in the "Infernal Machine" chorus in Part I. More seriously, although the booklet prints an English translation of Bernhard Billeter's excellent program note, the libretto is given only in French & German.(Cascavelle has English as well.)

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