The Festival of the Creative Arts at Florida State University recently presented a chamber music recital focusing on the works of 20th-century composer Frank Martin. The event, held at Longmire Recital Hall, featured faculty members from both the College of Music and the Department of Classics.
Valerie M. Trujillo, professor of music and curator of the concert, said: “This program invited audiences to experience the full range of Frank Martin’s voice—from music that is bold, angular and harmonically adventurous to works that are lyrical, intimate and deeply expressive.”
Martin, who was active in the first half of the 20th century, is recognized for a compositional style marked by transparency and precision. A highlight of the recital was his “Four Sonnets to Cassandra,” based on poetry by Pierre de Ronsard.
Before the performance, Dylan Principi, assistant professor of music theory, delivered a talk explaining Martin’s approach to composition. He likened the interplay between instruments in Martin’s work to “the precision of a Swiss watch,” noting their specific interactions without overlap. Principi added: “Martin achieved his signature ‘crunchy’ dissonance by layering melodies and harmonies from different keys together. This approach allowed him to create a modern sound that still retained a sense of beauty, rather than abandoning tonality altogether.”
Amy Dill from the Department of Classics contributed historical context about Cassandra, the mythological figure featured in Ronsard’s poetry. Dill said: “Unlike other ancient prophets whose words were not believed, Cassandra remained to face the future she foretold, speaking to her family, her city, and her community, begging them to hear her words. She lost everything for her devotion to the truth, and her voice continues to speak through art to those who might hear it now, and profit by her message.”
Faculty performers included Trujillo as well as Geoffrey Deibel, Read Gainsford, Suzanne Lommler, Mary Matthews, Pamela Ryan, Gregory Sauer, Natalie Sherer, Marcy Stonikas and Shannon Thomas.
Trujillo emphasized that introducing students to lesser-known repertoire helps broaden their exposure to diverse musical styles. She stated: “The Festival of the Creative Arts gave us the perfect opportunity to spotlight a composer I’ve long admired while bringing together performance, theory and the humanities in a way that reflects the College of Music’s commitment to artistic exploration. My hope is that audiences left curious — wanting to listen more closely, learn more and continue discovering Frank Martin’s music long after the concert ends.”
More information about this event can be found at research.fsu.edu/fca.
