Medtner: Meditation, Op. 39 No. 1

In the early years of the 20th century Bartók, Stravinsky, and Schoenberg were venturing out in their own modernistic directions. Yet, at the same time, there were a number of composers in Russia who continued to compose in a Romantic manner. With so much attention being paid to the modernists, many of these Romantic composers were largely ignored and have fallen into unjust neglect. Of the seven composers presented in this recital, only Rachmaninoff has become a household name. Scriabin has gained considerable respect (though in great part for his late works, which are quite modern in style) and Medtner is only just starting to be appreciated by a wider public. Bortkiewicz, Liadov, Liapunov, and Rebikov wrote attractive, emotionally appealing music, but they have yet to receive the recognition they deserve. The majority of their works are hardly known. This collection hopes to introduce solo piano works of some of these unjustly neglected Russian composers.

Bulgarian-born Nadejda Vlaeva's playing has been acclaimed wherever she has appeared. Lazar Berman called her talent "God-given"; Maestro Hans Graf observed that "her musicality and the depth of her interpretation amazed me." Arnold Steinhardt, leader of the Guarneri String Quartet, praised her as "one of those people of extraordinary ability whom we hope for but rarely see." She has performed internationally, giving solo recitals in Bulgaria, Russia, Slovakia, Hungary, The Netherlands, Germany, England, Spain, Canada and the United States, where she now makes her home.

Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951) was a close friend and contemporary of Rachmaninov. The two composers performed regularly together, and Rachmaninov considered Medtner to be a finer pianist than himself. His musical style, like his family background was more in the German style than his contemporaries at the Moscow Conservatory – with Brahms being a considerable influence. His three piano concertos are well worth getting to know, and display superb craftsmanship and a highly virtuosic technique. However, a problem that dogged Medtner was, that unlike his friend Rachmaninov, he never produced a work that had an instant appeal to the man in the street. Rachmaninov’s has all the sweep and passion one expects from a Russian concerto of the time, Medtner’s concerto is highly intellectual, has fewer moments of passionate music, and doesn’t give up its secrets easily.

His solo piano music is perhaps a good place to start discovering this enigmatic Russian master, and on these CDs are his 14 piano sonatas and his best known music, the wonderful ‘Fairy Tales’. Rachmaninov observed that all composers make mistakes when they are young, adding ‘only Medtner has, from the beginning, published works that it would be hard for him to better in later life. This set provides the opportunity to test this assertion as the sonatas span his early career to his old age.