Frank Martin: Golgotha

Stephan Zilias conducts the Groot Omroepkoor and the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra on Good Friday in Frank Martin's Golgotha, one of the most impressive passion compositions of the 20th century.

Passion music by Frank Martin
2024 is the memorial year of Frank Martin, the Swiss composer who lived the last decades of his life in the Netherlands and died in Naarden 50 years ago. This concert on Good Friday is dedicated to one of his most impressive compositions: Golgotha. The occasion was an etching by Rembrandt depicting the crucifixion of Christ. As concise as the engraving was, Martin initially also wanted to give musical form to the suffering and death of Christ. Soon, however, he realized that the Passion story needed more space to really come into its own and opted for the elaborate form of the oratorio.

Personal rendering
For the setting of the passion story, Martin draws on the four gospels in the Bible, focusing entirely on Christ as a divine personality. To supplement this, he uses some portions from Augustine's meditations on the mystery of Christ's suffering and death. Martin does not regard Golgotha as a theological or liturgical work. It is his personal rendering of the passion story that he wants to share with the listener, without imposing any particular vision.
Soloists, the Groot Omroepkoor and the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra are conducted by Stephan Zilias. As an opera conductor, he is known for his clear but intense approach to music drama. A quality that perfectly suits the performance of Golgotha.