Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances, which he called his 'last spark', were originally planned as a triptych titled 'Noon', 'Twilight', 'Midnight'.
Composer Biography
Sergei Rachmaninov considered Nikolai Medtner to be the most talented of all modern composers, praising him as a musician and a man.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Medtner believed that composers do not create anything new, but rather discover what already exists.
Critical Reception
Rachmaninov's record company, RCA, rejected his proposal to record the Symphonic Dances and Second Suite with Vladimir Horowitz, a famous pianist.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Rachmaninov, echoing Medtner, believed that a composer should not reveal the programmatic or emotional inspiration behind their works, allowing each listener to find their own meaning.
Recording & Production
This recording was made in The Snape Maltings, Suffolk, on April 4-6, 1993, with Philip Hobbs as the recording engineer.
Composer Biography
Nikolai Medtner, a Russian composer of distant German descent, studied at the Moscow Conservatoire and graduated with the Anton Rubinstein Prize.
