Medtner, Nikolay - Complete Skazki, The (2 CD) - Milne, Hamish (piano)
BETYG: *****
LJUDKVALITET: *****(Opus)
Notwithstanding the current revival of interest in Medtner (in which Hyperion has played no small part) the complete Skazki have never been recorded together, and some of the pieces here are receiving their long overdue first recordings. The Skazki (‘Märchen’ in German; ‘Contes’ in French; the incorrect ‘Fairy Tales’ in English) were the most personal of Medtner’s idioms and contain his most immediately appealing music: they are miniature tone poems full of atmosphere and colour and are arguably the most neglected ‘great’ piano music in the repertoire.
Medtner has been central to Hamish Milne’s repertoire since the 1970s—he has already recorded eight CDs of the composer’s music—and no one has a finer grasp of the subtle sound world of these works. Hamish has here surpassed himself in a recording which is also graced with superlative piano sound. These CDs are sure to be regarded as definitive for many years to come.
Hamish Milne, piano
CD 1 Nikolay Madtner
Skazki Op 8
1. Andantino
2. Allegro
Skazki Op 9
3. Allegro inquieto
4. Allegro alla serenata, con alcuna licenza
5. Allegretto vivo, odoroso
Skazki Op 14
6. Ophelia’s Song: Andantino con moto
7. March of the Paladin: Allegro marciale
Skazki Op 20
8. Allegro con espressione
9. Campanella: Pesante. Minaccioso
Skazki Op 26
10. Allegretto frescamente
11. Molto vivace
12. Narrante a piacere
13. Sostenuto
Skazka Op 31 No 3
14. Allegretto capriccioso, con molto tenerezza
Skazki Op 34
15. The Magic Violin: Tempo cangiando, abbandonamente
16. Allegro cantabile e leggiero
17. Allegretto tenebroso
18. Molto sostenuto e semplice
Skazki Op 35
19. Andante maestoso
20. Capriccioso, con grazia
21. Cantabile, narrante
22. Allegro appassionato e tempestoso
CD 2Skazki Op 42
1. Russian Tale: Allegro sostenuto
2. Phrygian Mode: Con moto disinvolto e grazioso
3. Moderato, narrante
Skazki Op 48
4. Dance Tale: Allegro risoluto
5. Tale of the Elves: Con moto flessibile
Skazki Op 51
6. Allegro molto vivace … e sempre leggierissimo
7. Cantabile, tranquillo
8. Allegretto tranquillo e grazioso
9. Allegretto con moto flessibile
10. Presto
11. Allegro vivace sempre al rigore di tempo
Romantic Sketches for the Young Op 54
12. Pastoral (Prelude): Allegretto con moto abbandonamente
13. Bird’s Tale: Allegretto con moto capriccioso e sempre leggiero
14. Tempo di Sarabanda (Prelude): Andantino mobile
15. Scherzo (Tale): Allegro vivace
16. Tender Reproach (Prelude): Allegretto, molto tranquillo e commodo
17. The Organ Grinder (Tale): Allegro assai
18. Hymn (Prelude): Allegretto tranquillo
19. The Beggar (Tale): Narrante
20. Skazka - Allegretto abbandonamente