Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Members Recordings - Pianist Corner Medtner Skazki

ALL OF THEM!!!

(kidding)

ADVENTURE 1

Op. 34 no. 2 and Op. 35 no. 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fled_-rrYZI

It was my mother who recorded this on her ipad and uploaded it to youtube; it is my fault that it's not gotten a lot of views. Zoom has better sound: https://www.box.com/s/oiy3ss56b7rukvj10i7q

This was the recital after the recital, as my parents were late coming and missed the Medtner. Would you like to hear the Medtner? I'll play it again.

Just about an hour prior, but check the difference: https://www.box.com/s/3wo5knh8tvgv8odcyvth
(Hear that chair/commotion at the beginning? I had still not decided how to start op. 34 no. 2, and that totally threw me off...)

The performance was on February 21, 2013, a tenor's half recital; I accompanied, and interlocked my half with his half. Along with the Medtner, it was Liszt Pensée des morts, an old recording of which is somewhere on this site (along with the sonata - a favorite coupling I've not officially been able to couple.) I got really excited. Thinking about it then and listening now, I wonder if I tend to go a little over the top with extremes, but then I do have that Scherchen quote down there...for a wilder ride listen to his Toronto Mahler 7. Wheh!

How was it a week later wrecking a nursing home piano? I at least had figured out how to start it by then, though my learning is so compact I was already rusty: https://www.box.com/s/s1872zm140mpq5o5r5xm
(Hear those poor strings rattle? I shouldn't do that...)

*************************************************

ADVENTURE 2

An older Medtner experience did I look up. The wonderful 2 Skazki op. 20. Again note the great variation between the empty room November 11, 2011: https://www.box.com/s/mn6zcg8st753o04xh0sc

And the next day's recital (what a way to give a trombonist a break!) https://www.box.com/s/nf7460uxkol4tsnna2uu

I admit to being a bit frightened the day before, thinking I'd not really be able to play these after BOMBING them at the dress rehearsal. I have a bunch of takes recorded from that crunch time approached from many different angles, so many atmospheres/possibilities/worlds that I love...but it can only be one recreation at a time. That drives me crazy.

Dave

D.S.F., I listened to the box.com recital recordings in both cases. They were a great pleasure to listen to. I was not at all familiar with 35 - 4, but I know the others pretty well.

In general terms, I relate to 34 - 2 as a somewhat sadder piece than you're projecting -- I need more nostalgic yearning, more of a songful lament. It's all "there" in your musical line, but I think it needs a touch of "theatre" at a few critical junctures. If anything, I would take it a touch slower, and really would like to hear the melody in higher relief against the flowing accompaniment throughout.

I didn't relate much to 35 - 4 -- I found it clattery and virtuosic to no great purpose -- but then I haven't listened to this one before, and I have found with other Medtner compositions that you need to give it several hearings, and then it'll grow on you.

I agree with you that the two Opus 20 pieces are wonderful -- two of my favorites in his considerable output. Here I found the sense of musical line and proportion more satisfying, although in the climactic moments and "builds", I would strive to make the feel somewhat "richer" -- your touch is somewhat too percussive for my taste in these regions. 20-2 is a real endurance test -- very exciting, excellent sense of anticipation and build -- deservedly a couple of "bravos" at the end.

I did take the liberty of listening to Medtner himself playing the two Op 20 pieces (from a 1930 recording) -- what struck me in 20-1 was a judicious sense of rubato and a limited use of the pedal, giving an almost staccato quality and harmonic clarity even in the big climactic junctures. I was especially struck in 20 - 2 with the melodic line in VERY high relief, against a persistent march-like, and, again, semi-staccato bass line. Most instructive for me!

Terrific playing, and thanks for sharing these!

Thanks for your ears and your comments, Tim.



Yeah, I know what you mean. I often need calming down. Berezovsky, who is the premier Medtner champion at the moment plays it in exactly the manner you describe. I was influenced by Medtner's metronome indication and the fact the he follows it in his own recording. I was hoping to have the LH more under the breath...almost like the last movement on Michelangeli's Chopin 2nd Sonata.



That's probably just the way I'm playing it. Inscribed on the score is a quote from King Lear, "Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks!" Medtner's metronome indication is quarter=132, which I decided is not windy enough. Hamish Milne and Jonathan Powell are good to follow Medtner's suggestion, where Berezovsky falls into the same temptation as I.



It was difficult for me to decipher what Medtner meant by his pedal indications on op. 20 no. 2. And I don't remember resolving anything from Medtner's own recording (accept that it is still Medtner's and not Prokofiev's world). I tried many different things - though Medtner called this "La Campanella," I couldn't help but think of a tornado slinging debris...maybe this is the Liberty Bell cracking. I was influenced by Medtner's freedom in no. 1, which I took as my own freedom. The to takes uploaded are remarkably different to me...which may say I was a bit unsettled - but the whole recreative process of performance is difficult and exhilarating.

Thanks again for your thoughts. I'd like to put these together again along with some others, and your thoughts are helpful.

Dave