Le Vin Herbé

Le Vin Herbé, Frank Martin’s musical interpretation of the legend of Tristan and Isolde, is, in every way, a far cry from Wagner, but still in a league of its own; a human oratorio, an intimate and emotional story of love and death.

Martin himself called the piece, the chamber opera that is more influenced by Bach than Wagner, even if the background story is the same, a ‘human oratorio’. In spite of the small ensemble and a focus on storytelling rather than dramatisation, Martin’s setting of the medieval love story is just as strong and gripping. Here, Peter Dijkstra, who is himself a passionate fan of Frank Martin’s music, and the Swedish Radio Choir perform Le Vin Herbé in a concerto format, but don’t let that stop you from getting wrapped up in the immortal drama and the enchanting music.