Medtner for Ben
Posted on December 27th, 2011 and filed in Nikolai Medtner, PianoThis is the first appearance of Nikolai Medtner (b 1880 – d1951) on this site.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Medtner
My cyber friend and spiritual comrade Ben, in California, urged me to investigate his music. Since he was admired by Rachmaninoff (and actually collaborated with him) I was motivated to find and listen to more (I had only one piece by him in my library) After listening to a number of pieces I’ll stick with his buddy Rachmaninoff, when I want that Russian melancholy, wistful and nostalgic stuff! They do sound very close in the overall mood they generate.
Forgotten Melodies op38 (1) Sonata-Reminiscenza- Allegretto tranquillo
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/3.05-Forgotten-Melodies-op38-1-Sonata-Reminiscenza-Allegretto-tranquillo.mp3Right Click to Download
December 27th, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Much obliged. Ben. I’ve read some bio material at Hyperion, see http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/c.asp?c=C399. Medtner looks like the guy who played Scrooge in Christmas Carol. He said once that artists must “earn their works by hard labour, like miners, and not try to pluck them like flowers by the wayside.” And someone said of him he seemed like “a gnome, a Nibelung seeking refuge in the dark fissures of the earth.” Interesting?