Search - Philippe Huttenlocher, Frank [1] Martin :: Frank Martin: Der Cornet

An Electrifying Live Version of a 20th Century Masterpiece

Nicholas A. Deutsch | New York, NY USA | 07/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Neglected in the LP era, Frank Martin's magnificent narrative song-cycle for solo voice and chamber orchestra, Die Weise von Liebe und Tod des Cornets Christoph Rilke (Ensign Christoph Rilke's Song of Love and Death) has come into its own on CD. Like most of Martin's music, it's been fortunate in its interpreters: Marjana Lipovsek (Orfeo 164881; conducted by Lothar Zagrosek) and Jard van Nes (Philips 442 535-2; Reinbert de Leeuw) both give superb readings, and each matches the description of the singer for whom Martin wrote the piece, Elisabeth Gehri: "a warm and velvety contralto voice of exceptional range and agility" (Maria Martin). Then there is Brigitte Balleys (Cascavelle VEL 1020; Jesus Lopez Cobos), lighter in timbre. Now comes this live concert version from 1984, and familiar though I am with the piece, I listened to this riveting performance with a totally fresh sense of awe at the work's power and beauty. Those who know Der Cornet from other recordings may be surprised that the soloist is a man; actually, the published score specifies only "low voice." Having a male voice narrate Rilke's epic tale of a young nobleman's experience of war, love and death brings out new and fascinating aspects of Martin's subtle yet sweeping setting of the text. And although the difference in voice type means that in one sense this recording stands apart from the others, there are two big plusses: first, Huttenlocher and Dunand have a long history as Martin interpreters, and second, Huttenlocher's German is the most idiomatic and subtly inflected of all. Indeed, I can't praise his performance too highly: sung with beautiful tone, superb diction and imaginative interpretive detail, it is a moving, masterful performance that fully deserves the bravos we hear at the end. This is a worthy addition to Huttenlocher's admirable Martin discography, which stretches from 1968 to 2000 (Golgotha, Et la vie l'emporta, In Terra Pax, Le Mystere de la Nativite). Excellent sound, with only a few odd noises between numbers to remind us that it's a live recording; full German, French and English texts. Not to be missed!"