Denis Fodor:

>Frank Martin's Six Monologues from 'Jedermann' is a a nicely composed
>work seeking to render in music varying degrees and types of melancholy.
>Some tricky rhythms have to be performed by the brass but otherwise the
>composing's neat rather than showy.  At the heart of the piece is
>the voice of a baritone who renders Hugo von Hofmannsthal's monolgues.

I've loved this piece ever since I heard the Fischer-Dieskau recording.
Martin has written some wonderful music but to date remains generally
unknown.  His second violin concerto is, in my opinion, one of the best of
the century, as is his harpsichord concerto.  There seemed to be a boomlet
in his music with a couple of high-profile recordings of his Mass for 2
four-part choirs appearing relatively close together.  Perhaps his problem
is that he works several styles, from Honegger-religious to
Martinu-cosmopolitan.

Lucky you to have heard this live.

Steve Schwartz