Medtner's Suite-Vocalise Op.41 No.2 combines a vocalise, typically a technical exercise for singers, with sonata form, a combination that was without precedent.
Compositional Technique
The 'Ravens' from Op.52 is one of the few examples of direct tone-painting in Medtner's music, mimicking the sound of croaking.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Nikolai Medtner, the composer, sought profound philosophical wisdom in art, focusing on the 'condition humaine' and the artist's struggle for beauty and truth, rather than traditional love themes.
Recording & Production
This album is part of the Medtner Project, which aims to be an integral recording of all of Nikolai Medtner's songs.
Composition History
The 'Angel' Op.1 (bis) was originally conceived as a vocal piece, then published as a textless piano piece, and finally released as a vocal setting in 1909.
Composition History
The Sonata-Idyll Op.56 was composed after Medtner's German publisher requested smaller, less virtuosic pieces, though Medtner indicated he was not entirely successful in avoiding technical difficulties.
Composer Biography
Medtner's unique blend of Russian and German philosophy and art stemmed from his bicultural upbringing, making him stand apart in both his homelands.
