Hi everyone. Can anyone give me an opinion about my Medtner recital this Fall?

[albumblatter]

I have about five months to prepare for a solo recital in my college.
I was torn between having an all-Alkan recital (bicentennial!) or Medtner's, and for logistics and personal interest, I have decided upon Medtner.

Here's my sample program:

Four Fairy Tales, Op. 26 (10 minutes)

Piano Sonata in F Minor, Op. 5 (30 minutes)
I. Allegro
II. Intermezzo
III. Largo
IV. Allegro risoluto

Selections from Romantic Sketches, Op. 54
No. 1 Prelude (2 min)
No. 2 Bird's Tale (2 min 30 sec)

Intermission

Selections from Forgotten Melodies I, Op. 38
No. 1 "Sonata Reminiscenza (13 min)
No. 2 Danza Graziosa (3 min)
No. 4 Canzona Fluviala (2 min)
No. 6 Canzona Serenata (4 min)

Selections from Forgotten Melodies II, Op. 39
No. 2 Romanza (5 min)
No. 3 Primavera (4 min)
No. 5 "Sonata Tragica", Op. 39/5 (11 minutes)

Would this program be too long with the intermission? I believe this would do justice to Medtner's soundscape as a general survey without being too complex for the audience.
Thank you!

[haydnseeker]

Please don't call them 'Fairy' Tales.  It's so misleading.

Tales, Folk Tales or leaving skazki untranslated, are all preferable.

[albumblatter]

Duly noted. I keep making mistakes of labeling them as 'fairy tales'.

[quantum]

Op 39/4 and 39/5 were meant to be paired.  Since you are doing several selections from the Forgotten Melodies and not just the Sonata, you should consider including it.

Regarding the "Fairy Tales" label.  I would not ignore the moniker, whether one considers it a faithful translation or not.  The fact remains that these pieces have come to be known in English as "Fairy Tales."  It would do more justice to the music to educate on the various names to your audience, whether it be through program notes or verbal introduction. 

I'd definitely go to this recital.  Will you be recording it?

[albumblatter]

Indeed they are, but I don't know if the audience will have enough patience for yet another piece that brims with rich romanticism. Plus.. I don't want the 39/4 to give away the lovely, poignant melodies that sprout from Sonata Tragica.
Hopefully, I'll be able to record this performance.

[quantum]

IMO the borrowing of themes across pieces is part of Medtners compositional fingerprint.  Its one of the ways in which he crafts compositional unity and relationships, and at times with pieces of vastly differing characters.   

[albumblatter]

Duly noted. What would be a good 'encore' piece by Medtner? Even his shortest works are too heavy.

[j_menz]

IMO, given it's all Medtner, do either one of the 8 Mood Pieces (Op 1), or one of the Elegies (Op 59) - the start or the end.  All quite lovely. If you do 2 encores, do one from each.