Both Rachmaninov and Medtner were trained in a strict academic tradition under Sergei Taneyev, a champion of polyphony in Russia, but both rebelled against this schooling.
Composer Biography
Medtner's financial struggles were so severe that Rachmaninov's generosity was the only thing keeping him afloat after a lucrative North American tour resulted in a bounced cheque.
Composer Biography
Rachmaninov's early life included a privileged background, but also a move to a crowded flat, a diphtheria epidemic that claimed his sister, and his father leaving the family.
Compositional Technique
Medtner's Sonata Romantica, Op 53 No 1, composed in B flat minor, is structured with four movements played without a break, serving as a manifesto for his art.
Composer Biography
Sergei Rachmaninov and Nikolai Medtner were both renowned concert pianists who wrote superbly for their instrument.
Historical Context
Both Rachmaninov and Medtner were hostile to new musical currents and could not stand the Bolshevik regime, yet both experienced intense longing for their homeland.
Interpretation
Steven Osborne, the pianist on this recording, created his own version of Rachmaninov's Piano Sonata No 2, combining elements from the composer's original and revised scores, and even borrowing a cut from Horowitz's version.
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