Medtner - Fairy Tale Op.20 No.1 (AJ Long)

[ajlongspiano]

   Hi everyone. I haven't posted on piano street or YouTube in so long that I thought I'd do so today. I hope you have all been well! This is a Fairy Tale written by Nikolai Medtner, a virtuoso pianist and composer of the early 20th century. His work is generally obscure, underplayed, and under appreciated by musicians today in comparison to the music of Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, and Tchaikovsky. I find this fact to be quite surprising because Medtner had a truly unique (and brilliant) compositional approach. He had a mastery over form and contrapuntal techniques that surpassed even his more well known contemporaries at times (Check out the fugue from his piano sonata no.1).

   This Fairy Tale in particular is a truly special piece of music. The melodies are absolutely gorgeous, and the harmonic textures become very unprecedented and filled with painful tension, constantly keeping the listener on his or her toes! There's a very broad range of emotion throughout. Everything from a tragic and sweeping sense of lyricism to a cynical/devilishly humorous character. It's amazing how much contrast Medtner was able to pack into this four minute long piece without losing a sense of cohesiveness or logical direction. Anyway, that is the end of my rant. I hope you enjoy this wonderful piece of music as much as I do, and I hope you start listening to more of Medtner's brilliant music!

- AJ

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[rachfan]

Hi ajlongspiano,

This is a very beautiful rendition of Medtner's Fairy Tale, Op. 20, No. 1.  I cannot think of or imagine a better performance than yours.  It seems that some believe that there is no melody present in Medtner's works. There are complexities sometimes, but actually the melodies become rich and still richer the more one listen to his music.  

I like nothing more than giving a boost to obscure, unknown or forgotten composers -- especially the Russians.  I spent a lot of effort preparing the works of Bortkiewicz, Catoire, Glazunov, Godowsky, Kosenko, Liadov, and Medtner.  The two Medtner pieces I posted here were his Op.1, No. 1, "Prologue from Eight Mood Pictures" and Op.11, No. 2, "Sonata-Elegia". Unfortunately, it's difficult to get people to open their ears to Medtner.  All the more reason to keep trying!  

Keep that great music coming!

David  

[ajlongspiano]

Dear rachfan,

Thank you so much for your wonderful comments! That means a lot to me seeing how I love this piece so dearly. I agree with everything you said about Medtner being super unappreciated. There are certainly some pieces by him I'm not in love with, but that number is fairly small! I have listened to some of your recordings that you posted here and really enjoy your playing. I particularly enjoyed that Etude in F# Minor that you posted by a composer starting with the letter K? I can't recall the full name but the music was gorgeous. Hopefully me and you can keep these hidden gems coming!

Thanks again,

AJ Long

[mjames]

Yup, i also hate when people call Medtner "a poor man's Rach" because there's no obvious "hollywood like" melodies in his music. Medtner is not only melodically rich (I mean just look at his triad sonatas) but he's also harmonically and structurally complex.

This is a wonderful rendition Aj, I really enjoyed it and welcome back! Looks like you've been working hard.

[ajlongspiano]

Thanks James! It's good to talk to you again. I'm glad to be back. I hope you've been well and musically fruitful!

- AJ

[mjames]

I hope you've been well and musically fruitful!

- AJ

I'm fine. Actually uploading a video right now!

[ajlongspiano]

Can't wait to see it!

[chopinlover01]

Very convincing. Every time you post, it gets better and better!

[ajlongspiano]

Thank you, chopinlover! I hope your piano studies have been going well.

[rubinsteinmad]

This is so professional. Ivett would be jealous <3

[pencilart3]

Delicious. Precise. The part beginning around 0:40 is the best!

Hey, that's post 1500! WOOOT WOOOT!!!

[ajlongspiano]

Thank you Pencilart and Rubinstein! I appreciate it. I met a girl recently who looked a lot like Ivett haha

[ahinton]

I do wish, however, that people who refer in English to the series of Medtner pieces called Skazki in Russian would desist from calling them "Fairy Tales", which they are not! I don't know when this now all too well ingrained habit originated but it needs to be confined to the dustbowl of history as soon as possible! They really are wonderful pieces, too!

Best,

Alistair

[pencilart3]

Thank you Pencilart and Rubinstein! I appreciate it. I met a girl recently who looked a lot like Ivett haha

XD LOLOL

[chopinlover01]

I do wish, however, that people who refer in English to the series of Medtner pieces called Skazki in Russian would desist from calling them "Fairy Tales", which they are not! I don't know when this now all too well ingrained habit originated but it needs to be confined to the dustbowl of history as soon as possible! They really are wonderful pieces, too!

Best,

Alistair

What is the correct translation?

[ahinton]

What is the correct translation?

Quite simply "tale", "story"; the problem with the use of the term "fairy tales" as a translation of these piece titles is rather obviously that they're not about fairies!

Best,

Alistair

[ajlongspiano]

Fairy Tale, Tale, Skazki, Story, or whatever it may be, it's gorgeous music

[ahinton]

Fairy Tale, Tale, Skazki, Story, or whatever it may be, it's gorgeous music

Indeed it is!

Best,

Alistair

[rubinsteinmad]

Tarzan is obviously a skazki, then

[ahinton]

Tarzan is obviously a skazki, then

But not, I think, by Medtner.

Best,

Alistair

[furtwaengler]

I happened across this recording and enjoyed it very much. I have a recording of both op. 20 Skazki and some others poking around somewhere on this site, and Andhow also has shared them and others here in the past I believe. Quite different approaches between us, though I think you savor every moment, enjoy every bite, however you want to say it. You've inspired me to put these back in my fingers, and for that I thank you!

[ajlongspiano]

Thank you very much, furtwaengler! I appreciate your support very much. It makes me happy to hear that you play Medtner as well. The more the merrier!

[theholygideons]

Good to see you're playing some real music. Not that Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff sh*t. This, along with Alkan, Busoni, Max Reger, and Lyapunov, is da real shizz.

[pencilart3]

Not that Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff sh*t.

Will you shut the star up. Without the Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff **** there would be no what you call "real music". Real music meaning copying the ideas laid down by the real masters and adding stupid dissonance and pointless notes.

[ahinton]

Good to see you're playing some real music. Not that Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff sh*t. This, along with Alkan, Busoni, Max Reger, and Lyapunov, is da real shizz.

Whilst it is good indeed that the poster is playing Medtner - a most wonderful piano composer right from Op. 1 onwards - have you any idea what Alkan, Busoni, Reger and Lyapunov - again, excellent piano composers all - would have thought of your "assessment" of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff? Once again, you leave your credibility outside the door before you enter this forum; one might presume this to be a personal habit...

Best,

Alistair

[pencilart3]

Will you shut the star up. Without the Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff **** there would be no what you call "real music". Real music meaning copying the ideas laid down by the real masters and adding stupid dissonance and pointless notes.

Well actually I shouldn't have said it that strongly. It was out of anger from your last post, haha! There is a lot of great modern music, but MHBCLR have some amazing stuff too. My personal favorites

[adodd81802]

Good to see you're playing some real music. Not that Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff sh*t. This, along with Alkan, Busoni, Max Reger, and Lyapunov, is da real shizz.

Clearly somebody has never played a piano.

[ahinton]

Well actually I shouldn't have said it that strongly. It was out of anger from your last post, haha! There is a lot of great modern music, but MHBCLR have some amazing stuff too. My personal favorites

Sure, but Alkan, Busoni, Lyapunov, Reger and Medtner are hardly "modern music"!

Best,

Alistair

[pencilart3]

Sure, but Alkan, Busoni, Lyapunov, Reger and Medtner are hardly "modern music"!

Haha, sorry! I'm so stupid when it comes to timelines XD

[lateromantic]

Hi, AJ, glad you're back on pianostreet.  I've already viewed/listened to your fine performance elsewhere, but I'm glad you decided to share it here.

His work is generally obscure, underplayed, and under appreciated by musicians today in comparison to the music of Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, and Tchaikovsky. I find this fact to be quite surprising because Medtner had a truly unique (and brilliant) compositional approach.

Rachmaninoff himself thought very highly of Medtner.  Unfortunately, he is currently indisposed and cannot post on pianostreet. But if he could, I'm sure he would agree with you!