Frank Martin: Polyptych, six images from the Passion of Christ, for solo violin and two string orchestras (1973)
Part of the back wall of the polyptych by Duccio di Buoninsegna
Frank Martin
born 15 Sept. 1890 in Geneva
died 21 Nov. 1974 in Naarden, Netherlands
First performance:
9 Sept. 1973 in Lausanne by Yehudi Menuhin and the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Edmond de Stoutz
Frank Martin, the son of a Calvinist pastor, studied composition with Joseph Lauber as well as maths and physics at the University of Geneva, but then turned his attention entirely to music. His compositional style, which he developed very independently, was a combination of Arnold Schönberg's twelve-tone music and traditional tonal music. Towards the end of his life, he increasingly turned to religious themes. His spiritual connection to Johann Sebastian Bach, in particular to the St Matthew Passion, can also be seen in one of his last works ‘Polyptyque, six images de la Passion du Christ, pour violon solo et deux orchestres à cordes’ (‘Polyptique in 6 Bilder zur Passion Christi für Solovioline und zwei Streichorchester’). Polyptyque is considered a masterpiece of the 20th century and is played time and again by important violinists, although access to this work is not easy.
Frank Martin himself gave a detailed commentary on the composition of Polyptyque, which was premiered
in 1973:
"When Yehudi Menuhin and Edmond de Stoutz asked me to write for them a concerto for violin and string orchestra I immediately had the inward conviction that after the masterpieces in this field left to us by Johann Sebastian Bach it would hardly be possible for me to do so. I thought it would be more in order to write a suite of relatively short pieces, a succession of pictures on a subject I was as yet none too sure about. It was when, in Siena, I saw a polyptych by Duccio – a set of very small panels representing the various episodes of the Passion – that the idea of attempting something of the same kind in music forced itself upon me. But music is not a representational art, and an actual representation of the scenes, just as I had been able to study them, was out of the question. The several scenes that I wished to evoke, therefore, I could only imagine in my mind, as alive as it was possible for me to do go. After that, I endeavoured to transpose into music the emotions that these scenes aroused in me.
And so, in the Image des Rameaux, I visualised a noisy crowd pressing forward to see the Lord entering Jerusalem, surrounding and acclaiming Him; I felt also the presence of Christ, whose higher consciousness rises above this tumult and knows how human and fragile this momentary glory is, and I entrusted the expression of it to the solo violin.
In the Image de la Chambre haute we have the farewell that Christ addresses to His disciples, the anguished questions put by them, and His loving replies.
The Image de Judas portrays a being full of anguish, tormented at heart; it is a picture, above all, of a soul in the grip of an obsession and finally collapsing in despair.
The Image de Gethsémané is the anguish of loneliness, the intense prayer « Let this cup pass away from me » and, finally, total acceptance: « Thy will be done ».
The Image du Jugement shows the full horror of the crowd freed from all restraint, its sadistic joy in the contemplation of suffering; and then, it is the way of the Cross.
Having arrived at this point, I felt that there was no other possible ending save an Image de la Glorification.
That is what I thought and felt in writing this Polyptyque. Whether I have succeeded in translating into music these wholly private impressions is another question: perhaps, with some people, this music will be able to help them to recreate within themselves the se pictures of the Passion; for others they will be pieces, more or less interesting, more or less successfuI, for solo violin and two string orchestras. The fact of being able to rely on the lofty personality of Yehudi Menuhin sustained me in my task, and it was with absolute confidence that I wrote the part for the two small orchestras with Edmond de Stoutz and his excellent Zurich Chamber Orchestra in mind."
(Frank Martin)
Listen here (in the interpretation by Christian Tetzlaff, 29 minutes):
I. Image des Rameaux. Allegro non troppo ma agitato (00:00)
II. Image de la Chambre haute. Andante tranquillo (04:25)
III. Image de Judas. Allegro (11:39)
IV. Image de Gethsémané. Molto lento (13:45)
V. Image de Jugement. Largamente (18:16)
VI. Image de la Glorification. Andante - Allegro moderato (22:40)
Listening companion:
I. Image des Rameaux -
Allegro non troppo ma agitato
Like the painting of Palm Sunday by Duccio di Buoninsegna on the predella of the Maesta from Siena Cathedral, Frank Martin's composition is also set in three parts: two crowds (the rejoicing people and the twelve disciples) and in the centre, on the donkey, the bearer of hope, Jesus from Nazareth, entering Jerusalem. The solo violin stands in the centre of two 5-part string orchestras.
Violas and cellos begin an agitated (agitato!) two-part canon in eight movements each, representing the expectation of both the disciples and the excited people for the new politics of a coming Messiah. After a homophonic climax common to both orchestras, the canon begins again from the beginning and runs into nothing. You even think you can hear shouts of hosanna. Then the solo violin intervenes recitatively. The G major introduction transforms into falling semitones and calms the excitement, as if the violin in the role of Jesus is questioning the false expectations. The hosanna cries in the background fall silent, plucked basses seek rhythmic security.
Despite this intervention by the solo violin, new questions and even outrage arise among the people and the disciples.
Cellos and violas, the leaders, so to speak, in the crowd of people and disciples, scatter a musically grumbling rumour into the proceedings and solicit attention. The solo violin spreads out calmly over these trials and tribulations in long phrases. A hopeful ascent unites everyone in the intention to now ascend to Jerusalem and ends in a radiant, harmonious final chord.
II. Image de la Chambre haute –
Andante tranquillo
The upper chamber in the Last Supper painting by Duccio di Buoninsegna depicts a scene from the Gospel of John. Where the other three evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke) report on the institution of the Eucharistic-eschatological meal, John places the washing of the feet and Jesus' farewell discourses at the centre (John chapters 13 - 17) in order to emphasise Jesus' central message of love in a practical way.
The solo violin begins Jesus' farewell discourse with a four-note love motif, which develops into an explanatory melody: "A new commandment I give to you, love one another. As I have loved you, so you shall love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13: 34-35). The two orchestras listen sympathetically to this simple teaching on wisdom and knowledge, just as one listens to the last insights of a master.
Only in a second phase of the dialogue do the two orchestras raise their questions separately and with gestures. The solo violin answers from the highest heights in its role as Jesus, who in this last earthly meal already promises a new life together in the future. The answer calms the orchestral sound. The solo violin begins a great upward movement and takes the two orchestras with it on the path to a promised future. Once again, the four-note motif of love reminds us of the decisive practice. Even at the highest pitch, this motif can be heard in a rapturous manner. But the motif descends again to the two orchestras in the here and now.
III. Image de Juda –
Allegro
Judas believed that he had to take his political goal into his own hands, even if it meant betraying Jesus and taking his life. In this image of Duccio, he now also takes on the leading role, and thus musically also the solo violin.
A repetitive, malicious, power-hungry motif drives the violin into the circle of Jesus' opponents, whose power is threatened. They immediately surround the solo violin and sense their chance to draw Judas over to their side with money and incite him to betray them. With their seductive arguments and offers, the two orchestras have an effect on a man who is increasingly driven into a corner by disappointment, greed for power and money.
When the agreement (the ‘deal’) is finally reached, a traitor increasingly becomes a desperate man who can no longer escape the clutches of greed for power and betrayal but, like the solo violin, ends up alone and lonely.
IV. Image de Géthsémané –
Molto lento
Immediately afterwards, the solo violin takes on the role of Jesus again, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane in solidarity with the lonely and desperate, like Judas. The double stops and fearful lamentations of the solo violin, now playing alone, are deliberately reminiscent of the six solo partitas and sonatas by J.S. Bach (Sei Solo, du bist allein, Bach deliberately wrote ambiguously as the title of these famous solo pieces). The pleading and fearful pleas for deliverance from suffering and death can be heard in the constantly searching, upward-moving violin movements. Even Jesus' gaze back to the group of sleeping disciples brings nothing more than long, passive breaths of sound in the orchestra. The harmonically new, concluding upward movements of the violin can ultimately be perceived and interpreted as a rediscovered basic trust in God's will to save.
V. Image du Jugement –
Largamente
In its harsh musical drasticness, this scene of condemnation and scourging defies direct empathy. Violence and cruelty cannot be empathised with, they simply have to be stopped. But the solo violin chooses a calm twelve-tone melody to expose the violence of the cruel string sounds with its own strength. Ecce homo.
Towards the end, the cruelty comes to nothing, Jesus' identity cannot be broken, even if the sadism of nailing a human being to the cross is acted out. The hammer blows of the crucifixion and the screams of the martyred man mingle. After a ‘rallentando’, the blows become softer, the melody and the cries of Jesus seem to shame the torturers.
Image de la Glorification -
Andante
(Frank Martin makes no reference to a specific panel painting by Duccio di Buoninsegna for his last movement)
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