# Nicolai Medtner. A few thoughts regarding my collection.



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

*Nicolai Medtner*. 
_- a few thoughts regarding my collection_.

Reading about Medtner´s _3rd Piano Concerto _many years ago in a surprisingly detailed, two-volume treasure-grove book from Larousse about the history and composers of classical music was one of the reasons that I began exploring lesser known repertoire.

An LP with Ponti playing the concerto and two sonatas on the Candide label was one of my first buyings. It´s been one of my favourite records ever since.

One can go on collecting, but I now consider my Medtner collection reasonably finished, and it will take something truly extraordinary to get more - maybe a Brilliant box of the complete piano music, or a really good survey of the songs. I know there are other fine recordings of the concertos, but I don´t think I need them. My collection - which isn´t that big - is a mixture of CDs, LPs, and a few downloads.

*1st Piano Concerto*: Zhukov, Madge, Medtner. The extremely dramatic Zhukov remains the best, IMO, whereas I have generally been disappointed with Medtner´s own recordings.

*2nd Piano Concerto*: Medtner, Demidenko, Shatskes, Scherbakov. Demidenko is a favourite, the others are uneven. Shatskes, who studied with Medtner, has old sound (1959).

*3rd Piano Concerto, Ballade*: Ponti, Demidenko. I haven´t heard anyone with as fresh and appealing an approach as Ponti´s (31 mins!). The slower Demidenko is a nice contrast then.

*Piano Quintet*: Alexeev & soloists; Scherbakov & soloists; Binns & soloists. No definite favourite. 
(There exists a somewhat interesting recording with Medtner too, with poor sound.)

*3 Nocturnes f. Vl & Piano op.16*: Tsinman,Yampolsky; Kayaleh,Stewart
*1st Violin Sonata op.2*: Markov,Cogan; Tsinman,Yampolsky 
*2nd Violin Sonata op.44*: Tsinman,Yampolsky
*3rd Violin Sonata op.57*: Kayaleh,Stewart; Feighin,Khudoley. Feighin adds more epic quality to this fine work, but both are good. 
(There exists a somewhat interesting recording with D. Oistrakh and an ageing Goldenweiser too).

*Songs*: recitals: Del Grande,Pleshakov. A rather terrible Orion LP release; Slobodskaya,Medtner, Melodiya LP, not attractive, IMO.

*2 Pieces for 2 Pianos op.58*: Milne,Berezovsky; Demidenko,Alexeev. + No.1: Medtner,Moiseeiwitch

*1st Sonata op.5*: Milne, Hamelin.
*2nd-4th Sonata, Triade op.11*: Milne, Hamelin, Yudina + no.3 Svetlanov
*5th Sonata, op.22*: Milne, Hamelin, Ponti, Gilels, Grinberg
*6th Sonata, Skazka op.25,1*: Milne, Hamelin, Binns
*7th Sonata, Night Wind op.25,2*: Milne, Hamelin
*8th Sonata, Ballade op.27*: Milne, Hamelin, Pleshakov, Medtner, Binns
*9th Sonata op.30*: Milne, Hamelin
*10th Sonata, Reminiscenza op.38,1*: Hamelin, Gilels, Tozer, Svetlanov
*11th Sonata, Tragica op.39,5*: Milne, Hamelin, Ponti. Ponti is the most dramatic here.
*12th Sonata, op.53,1*: Milne, Hamelin, Rosenbaum
*13th Sonata, Minacciosa op.53,2*: Milne, Hamelin
*14th Sonata, Sonate-Idylle op.56*: Hamelin, Tozer

Overall, Milne invests more drama and contrasts in his set, and I think it is more interesting than Hamelin´s. It also includes more pieces, and the Brilliant Classics cheap price is unbeatable. The old CRD LPs have fine liner notes.

Sonatina in g-minor: Milne

8 Stimmungsbilder op.1: no.1,4,7: Binns
3 Fantastic Improvisations op.2: Pleshakov
4 Pieces op.4: Pleshakov + 3 of them: Milne
2 Skazki op.8: Milne, Hamelin + no.1: Pleshakov
Fary Tale op.9,3: Milne
Dithyramb op.10,2: Milne
Fairy Tales op.14 no.1 & 2: Milne 
3 Novellettes op.17: Milne
2 Fairy Tales op.20: Pleshakov
4 Skazki op.26: Binns + no.2: Milne
Improvisation op.31: Wild
4 Skazki op.34: Milne
8 Vergessene Weisen op.38 no.1-5 & 7-8: Hamelin + no.2 Svetlanov
5 Vergessene Weisen op.39: Hamelin, Milne
3 Fairy Tales op.42: Klein
Improvisation, in Variation Form, Theme & 15 Var.: Milne
2 Skazki op.48: Milne
3 Hymns in Praise of Toil op.49: Milne
4 Romantic Sketches for the Young op.54: Milne
Theme & Variations op.55: Demidenko
Elegy op.59,2: Milne

I Loved Thee, transcribed song: Milne

Etude all´antica, d-minor: Milne
Fairy Tale d-minor: Milne


----------

