The Russian philosopher Ivan Ilyin described Medtner's Op 20 Tales as "an outpouring of world sorrow… an outburst of suffering, as it were, imploring salvation."
Composition History
Before leaving Russia in 1921, Medtner conceived three cycles of "Zabïtïye motivï" or "Forgotten Melodies," comprising nineteen pieces including single-movement sonatas, dances, and canzonas.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Medtner, the composer, was a resolute tonalist and a poetic melodist who placed a premium on baroque polyphony and classical structure.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in The Snape Maltings, Suffolk, on September 3 and 4, 1992, with Philip Hobbs as the Recording Engineer.
Compositional Technique
Medtner's "Fairy Tales" (Skazki) are not traditional Western fairy tales but rather "tales" or "legends" that are more rustic and earthy, often featuring animals with human attributes.
Composer Biography
Nikolai Medtner, the composer, was considered creatively equal to his more famous emigré compatriots, Rachmaninov and Stravinsky.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Ivan Ilyin, a Russian philosopher, categorized Medtner's sixteen piano sonatas into three expressive types: lyrical, dramatic, and tragic.
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