Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951) was a Russian composer, pianist, and piano teacher. His musical output consists of 61 opuses, most of which are compositions for piano. These include 3 piano concerti, 14 piano sonatas, 38 Tales, the 3 cycles of Forgotten Melodies and many other works.
In recent years, interest in Medtner has surged. International festivals, conferences, and competitions dedicated to Medtner have taken place in Europe and Russia, with scholars and performers devoting greater attention to his work. All of Medtner’s piano works are now available on CD. However, the interpretation of Medtner’s works and the implementation of his tempo-rhythmical concepts fil rouge, al-rigore, and flessibile are not fully studied and remain a gray area in performance practice. The importance of tempo and rhythm in the interpretation of Medtner’s music is evident from his own recordings, published editions of his compositions, his book Daily Work of the Pianist and Composer, and his teaching instructions, as documented by students like Edna Iles.
This project aims to produce a recording, that reflects Medtner’s vision of tempo and rhythm in his selected pieces. This includes compositions, previously recorded by the composer: Tales op. 20 no. 1 and no. 2 Campanella, Tales op. 34 no. 2, and no. 3, and Improvisation, op. 31 no. 1, and works, not recorded by him: Second Improvisation, op. 47, Marche Funebre, op. 31 no. 2, and Conte, op. 31 no. 3.