Martelli, Henri

Martelli, Henri,French composer; b. Santa Fe, Argentina, Feb. 25, 1895; d. Paris, July 15, 1980. He studied law at the Univ. of Paris; simultaneously took courses in fugue and composition with Widor at the Paris Cons. (1912–24). From 1940 to 1944 he was head of orch. and chamber music programs of the French Radio; he was secretary of the Société Nationale de Musique (1945–67) and director of programs there from 1968; from 1953 to 1973, he also was president of the French section of the ISCM. In his compositions, he attempted to re-create the spirit of early French music using modern techniques.

Works

dramatic: opera: La Chanson de Roland (1921–23; rev. 1962–64; Paris, April 13, 1967); Le Major Cravachon (1958; French Radio, June 14, 1959). b a 1 1 e t :La Bouteille de Panurge (1930; Paris, Feb. 24, 1937); Les Hommes de sable (1951). orch.: Rondo (1921); Sarabande, Scherzo et Final (1922); Divertissement sarrasin (1922); Sur la vie de Jeanne d’Arc (1923); Scherzo for Violin and Orch. (1925); Mors et Juventas (1927); Bas-reliefs assyriens (1928; Boston, March 14, 1930); Passacaille sur un thème russe (1928); Concerto for orchestra (1931; Boston, April 22, 1932); 3 suites: No. 1, Suite sur un thème corse (1936), No. 2 (1950), and No. 3 (1971); 2 concertos for Violin and Chamber Orch. (1938, 1954); Ouverture pour un conte de Boccace (1942); Suite concertante for Wind Quintet and Orch. (1943); Divertimento for Wind Orch. (1945); Fantaisie for Piano and Orch. (1945); Sinfonietta (1948); 3 syms.: No. 1 for Strings (1953; French Radio, March 13, 1955), No. 2 for Strings (1956; Paris, July 17, 1958), and No. 3 (1957; Paris, March 8, 1960); Concertino for Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon, and Strings (1955); Double Concerto for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Orch. (1956); Le Radeau de la Meduse, symphonie poem (1957); Variations for Strings (1959); Scènes a danser (1963); Rapsodie for Cello and Orch. (1966); Oboe Concerto (1971). chamber: Invention for Cello and Piano (1925); Duo for Oboe and English Horn (1925); 2 string quartets (1932–33; 1944); Piano Trio (1935); Violin Sonata (1936); Suite for 4 Clarinets (1936); Introduction et Final for Violin and Piano (1937); Wind Octet (1941); Scherzetto, Berceuse et Final for Cello and Piano (1941); Bassoon Sonata (1941); Cello Sonatina (1941); Flute Sonata (1942); 3 esquisses for Saxophone and Piano (1943); Preambule et Scherzo for Clarinet and Piano (1944); 7 Duos for Violin and Harp (1946); Fantaisiestück for Flute and Piano (1947); Wind Quintet (1947); Cornet Sonatina (1948); Adagio, Cadence et Final for Oboe and Piano (1949); 2 quintets for Flute, Harp, and String Trio (1950, 1952); Trio for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1951); Cadence, Interlude et Rondo for Saxophone and Piano (1952); 15 études for Bassoon (1953); Bass Trombone Sonata (1956); Viola Sonata (1959); Suite for Guitar (1960); Concertstück for Viola and Piano (1962); Concertino for Cornet and Piano (1964); Dialogue for Trombone, Tuba or Bass Saxophone, and Piano (1966); Oboe Sonata (1972); String Trio (1973–74); Trio for Flute, Cello, and Harp (1976). piano:Suite galante (1924); Guitare (1931); 3 Petites suites (1935, 1943, 1950); Suite (1939); Sonata for 2 Pianos (1946); Sonorités for Piano, left-hand (1974). vocal:Le Temps, cantata for Voice and 8 Instruments (1945); Chrestomathie for Chorus (1949); songs. other: 17 radiophonie works (1940–62).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire