Tristan and Isolde: rapturous and uncompromising lovers
»It’s one of those pieces to which I dedicated myself completely. It is that work into which I was finally able to pour all the dreams and passions of my youth,« Frank Martin once said about his secular oratorio »Le vin herbé«, with which he enjoyed great success after the 1942 premiere, when he was already over 50. His choice of material was certainly youthful: the work tells the tale of the rapturous and uncompromising lovers whose future together is surrounded by obstacles.
Martin’s oratorio is based on the novel by Joseph Bédier, whose retelling placed the story closer to the original medieval Celtic legend; the composer found archaic sounds to portray the events. »Le vin herbé«, which is named after the magic potion that ignites Tristan and Isolde’s love for one another, was a great success in the opera version, but the composer himself preferred it performed as an oratorio.
Performers
NDR Vokalensemble
Ilse Eerens soprano
Fabio Trümpy tenor
fabergé-quintett
Rodrigo Reichel violin
Silvia Offen violin
Torsten Frank viola
Sven Forsberg violoncello
Peter Schmidt double bass
director Klaas Stok
Programme
Frank Martin
Le vin herbé (The Magic Potion) / oratorio for 12 voices, 7 strings and piano
Pre-Concert Talk
with Christian Münch-Cordellier (in German)
17:00 / Hauptkirche St. Nikolai
Promoter: NDR