Nicholas Medtner

[Parsifal]

Regarding op.38, Tozer is at the top of the game; Hamelin has a slight edge in more energetic works (e.g. in the "Night Wind" or  the F minor, op.5) without being soulless or clinical and Milne is usually able to convey the best of both worlds (virtuosity and wistfulness in measured combination). Tozer's main characteristic in Medtner is his beauty of tone and most intense poetic understanding of the soul of the works.

Thanks!

[Parsifal]

Have continued my survey of Medner with the Sonata-Ballade Op 27 and Sonata Op 30.

[asin]B00000IYMY[/asin]

The The Op 30 sonata is described in the notes of the recording as a war-time sonata, and the turbulence of the music reflects this.  The sonata is based, to some extent, on a motto theme (upward 3rd followed by descending 4th) which help the hold the structure of this sometimes rhapsodic music.  Very satisfying piece to listen to.

The Op 27 Sonata did not make as strong an impression, but I only listened twice, more careful listening may be necessary to unlock the secrets of this music.

I am generally enjoying Medner.  I seem to get more out of his short pieces than the longer ones.  His weakness may be a tendency to allow the dressing of a theme (arpeggios, running scales, other virtuosos flourishes) overwhelm the theme itself.

[Parsifal]

Returned to the Tozer release linked above, and listened to the CD 2.  This contains the  Sonatas, Op 25 No 1 and 2.  The first is subtitled "fairy tale" and the second has acquired the name "night wind."  I found both of them deeply beautiful and engaging.   They are virtuoso works, although Tozer makes them sound almost effortlessly expressive.  A very rewarding way to spend precious listening time.  This is music which (in my case) reveals its secrets only after careful and repeated listening. 

[majesticPanda]

Ive been looking for an extremely long time for Ogdon's recording of the Night Wind and stumbled across old links that expired in this thread, would someone be willing to reupload just that? It would be deeply appreciated.

[Dax]

http://www.sendspace.com/file/6gnylu

is what you're looking for. Happy Xmas!

Here's Ogdon's op 25 no 1 also

http://www.sendspace.com/file/3auk8g

[majesticPanda]

I really appreciate it, got the m4a  to run on my android without the help of a pc too, so my drive home will be so much more meaningful now. Thank you.

[Dax]

Glad to have been of service! Do you find his version compares well to others?

[majesticPanda]

Its more than a service, i really cannot thank you enough. I've had years of admiring Ogdon's tempermant and beyond human capacity. His Scriabin Sonatas will always be the final word for me on a composer who is the closest to me.
Tozer's Medtner is perfect in approach and sympathy, and Hamelin gains my admiration quite often. They each have strengths and the Night Wind is a creation beyond comparison. But the way Ogdon devours is and pushes the boundaries is something i couldnt imagine until i heard it. I've played some Medtner Sonatas, but the Night Wind is still years away from me. How Ogdon deals with it and why what he does with it  is never discussed is beyond common recognition. Both Ogdon and Medtner stand apart remotely from all comparisons and are appreciated for what they are by few. That's just the nature of it all.

If you happen to have any other recordings that are rare from Ogdon i'd be interested. The SonataSkazka is never one that i have given much listening to, but eventually im sure to. Thanks again.

[Wanderer]

Due for a September release.

[amw]

Due for a September release:

[asin]B00DOVXMZM[/asin]

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67963&vw=dc

Anyone know if they are also planning to record the 2nd Sonata?

[Wanderer]

Anyone know if they are also planning to record the 2nd Sonata?

I don't know, but I certainly hope so. The "Epica" does seem to be the most popular choice for performers as of late, however the Second Sonata is in my view an equally if not even more impressive work, as ebullient as the "Epica" is stately, with irresistible momentum and charm. It is truly one of the great romantic violin sonatas and we need more recordings of it.

[Wanderer]

.[asin]B00HM76CUG[/asin]

A MusicWeb review from one of our very own.

"That sonata, Night Wind, is a behemoth, a half-hour epic in one giant movement. It's like a massive painting of a howling nightscape, so huge your eyes can only take in part of it at a time, and the pianist plays as your vision scans across new scenes on the canvas. If this were programmed in recital with the Liszt B minor sonata, the pianist would need to drink Gatorade and receive a massage at the interval and at the end of the night everyone's heads would be spinning."

Now that's what I'd call a great night out, no alcohol needed.

Kholodenko is more than able to withstand the hurdles, provide the torrents or virtuosity needed and he's also not insensitive to the poetry Medtner needs for this sonata to work. It should be howling and glittering on the outside, menacing underneath and able to communicate its lyric content and seemingly fantasia-like but nonetheless tight thematic argument throughout. Not an easy task, but an exhilarating journey if done right. Here, most things are done right, without being perfect. Among the worthwhile available renditions of this work, Hamelin and Eckardstein reign supreme, Berezovsky, too, in a live rendition that used to circulate the internet for a time, Tozer is sublime in the Fauréan Elysium of the ecstatic respites in the first movement and more that adequate in the rest of the work. Kholodenko is more than holding his own and that's quite a feat. His previous album of Stravinsky and Liszt (Pétrouchka and Transcendental Studies) showed great potential and more than a few things of his own to say about the music and this new album confirms he's here to stay. Hopefully, he'll record more Medtner in the process.

[Wanderer]

At long last! Due for release: January 5, 2015.



SCRIABIN Piano Concerto
MEDTNER Piano Concerto No. 3
Yevgeny Sudbin, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra / Andrew Litton
BIS SACD

[lescamil]

Sudbin's renderings of the Medtner concertos so far has been mixed, but still a worthy companion to the old Chandos recording with the late Geoffrey Tozer, who is still can't be beat, in my opinion. I'll still check that out, especially for the Scriabin, one of my favorite concertos ever.

[Wanderer]

After the eagerly awaited Sudbin recording of the Piano Concerto No.3, this is the second Medtner issue of 2015, also to be released on the composer's birthday, January 5. Alessandro Taverna, a multi-prizewinner in various competitions over the last years, plays three of the sonatas: the relatively popular Sonata reminiscenza, op.38/1, the more rare (exquisite and turbulent) Sonata romantica, op.53/1 (also recorded recently by Steven Osborne) and its companion, the even less frequently encountered Sonata minacciosa, op.53/2.

[Wanderer]

Sudbin's renderings of the Medtner concertos so far has been mixed, but still a worthy companion to the old Chandos recording with the late Geoffrey Tozer, who is still can't be beat, in my opinion. I'll still check that out, especially for the Scriabin, one of my favorite concertos ever.

Tozer is indeed excellent, but perhaps too mellow in (parts of) the Second Concerto (and generally mellow, overall - not a bad thing per se, but sometimes too much of a good thing). His is a splendidly lyrical voice, but this music also requires brimstone on occasion. Sudbin has so far given us an excellent First and a very good Second (Demidenko's fire here is still unsurpassed, although his rendition is not without problems, either). There's a youtube recording of the Third Concerto supposedly by Sudbin which sounds quite promising, so we'll see what his version of the "Ballade" will bring us. And I agree that the Scriabin Piano Concerto is a splendid coupling - and a great favourite of mine. Tozer should've recorded that, too.

[Wanderer]

10 piano concertos you might not know:

Today's top performers recommend concertos that have been undeservedly overlooked.



Marc-André Hamelin – Medtner: Piano Concerto No. 2

Nikolai Medtner wrote three concertos, the second of which is my favourite. What is immediately striking about Medtner's music is the way he takes a melody and develops it carefully throughout a piece. The Second Concerto is an energetic and entrancing work. The outer movements are ebullient and very rhythmic, and the slow movement is wonderfully lyrical. Medtner was a pianist himself so his music fits under the fingers. It's enjoyable to perform because it sounds a lot more difficult than it really is! I think it is fair to say that Medtner's music does not always make its strongest appeal at first, but once you get to know it, it is guaranteed to take hold of you.


Yevgeny Sudbin – Medtner: Piano Concerto No. 1

I'm surprised that Medtner's Piano Concerto No. 1 is so seldomly played. It was Horowitz's favourite Medtner piano concerto and he even contemplated recording it – had he done so, I have no doubt his works would be among the piano mainstream repertoire. And, as Rachmaninov said to Medtner: 'You are, in my opinion, the greatest composer of our time.' So why is it so rarely performed? The trouble is, as with all Medtner's music, is that it hits one only after repeated listening, as the melodies are complex and the textures are dense – it takes time for the ear and mind to adjust and appreciate all the subtleties the music has to offer. From both pianistic and the listener's points of view, the Concerto offers everything one can hope for: sweeping melodies, drama, virtuosity, introspective moments, rich orchestration and vivid interaction between soloist and orchestra. If only it wasn't so incredibly difficult to play...

[Madiel]

The more I delve into Medtner's output, the more I'm impressed.

Because I've been using online services, the focus for the piano music has been Tozer on Chandos and Milne on CRD (later repackaged on Brilliant). Hyperion's recordings (Milne again and Hamelin) tend not to be available online for full listening.

I'm finding I'm really not sure who I'll go for when I actually buy some discs. My natural affinity for Hyperion is also encouraged by some pretty positive reviews, particularly for the Hamelin sonatas. But then again... I've been listening to Tozer a fair bit, and for someone who is occasionally damned with fainter praise compared to the other two, I'm still enjoying the music.

Also, someone really needs to work on a proper series of discs with the songs. It looks as if many of them are only available scattered across Russian recordings.

[mc ukrneal]

The more I delve into Medtner's output, the more I'm impressed.

Because I've been using online services, the focus for the piano music has been Tozer on Chandos and Milne on CRD (later repackaged on Brilliant). Hyperion's recordings (Milne again and Hamelin) tend not to be available online for full listening.

I'm finding I'm really not sure who I'll go for when I actually buy some discs. My natural affinity for Hyperion is also encouraged by some pretty positive reviews, particularly for the Hamelin sonatas. But then again... I've been listening to Tozer a fair bit, and for someone who is occasionally damned with fainter praise compared to the other two, I'm still enjoying the music.

Also, someone really needs to work on a proper series of discs with the songs. It looks as if many of them are only available scattered across Russian recordings.

Though there are not so many versions to choose from, those we do have are quite good and I think you could safely listen to any of the names you quoted. If you ever come to the US (or someone visites you), place an order at Berkshire, which often has the works you are looking for on Hyperion.

[Wanderer]

The more I delve into Medtner's output, the more I'm impressed.

Glad to hear it. Apart from first impressions and beyond initial attractions, Medtner's music invariably seems to insinuate itself in your psyche the more you listen to it. What was your impression of the op.47 Second Improvisation?

Because I've been using online services, the focus for the piano music has been Tozer on Chandos and Milne on CRD (later repackaged on Brilliant). Hyperion's recordings (Milne again and Hamelin) tend not to be available online for full listening.

I'm finding I'm really not sure who I'll go for when I actually buy some discs. My natural affinity for Hyperion is also encouraged by some pretty positive reviews, particularly for the Hamelin sonatas. But then again... I've been listening to Tozer a fair bit, and for someone who is occasionally damned with fainter praise compared to the other two, I'm still enjoying the music.

You can't go wrong with either Hamelin, Tozer, or Milne (although, ideally, you want all three). My general recommendation for a first set of the sonatas is Hamelin who gives a more strong first impression, especially in the more ferocious pieces, but that doesn't mean that Tozer or Milne aren't good or insightful. I've just checked and the Hamelin set is sold for around £30 on amazon.uk (it used to be much more).

Listening to (and being impressed by) Willems' Beethoven played on a Stuart & Sons piano, I can't but wonder how Medtner's sonatas would sound on the instrument.

Also, someone really needs to work on a proper series of discs with the songs. It looks as if many of them are only available scattered across Russian recordings.

Indeed. A comprehensive series by the likes of Hyperion or Chandos is long overdue. I believe that a number of these lieder still await their first recording.