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Medtner: Sleeplessness - Complete Songs, Vol. 2 / Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
Brilliant Classics

Medtner: Sleeplessness - Complete Songs, Vol. 2 / Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters

$18.99

Details

Composer
MEDTNER, NIKOLAI
Artist
Levental, Peters
Format
CD
Label
Brilliant Classics
Released
Feb 12, 2021
Catalog #
BRI96061
UPC
5028421960616

About

The first volume in this project, undertaken with missionary zeal by both singer and pianist, to rescue Medtner’s song output from obscurity, was met with enthusiasm in the Dutch press. ‘The melancholy, autumnal atmosphere evokes Tsarist Russia, of which the once Uzbek but long Dutch-resident Ekaterina Levental has perfectly captured the spirit. Her smooth singing is a joy to listen to.’ (Opus Klassiek) Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951) was a Russian (with German roots) who lived outside the Soviet Union from 1921 and lived in London from 1936 until his death. He was a good friend of Rachmaninov and composed in a related style, with a hint of Scriabin here and there. His work dates from ‘the long 19th century’, ignoring the current of contemporary modernism; he continued to compose in a late romantic, tonal style until his last breath. Yet his music sings with its own voice. Medtner, a considerable virtuoso, wrote sonatas and concertos that place great demands on the pianist, at first glance rhapsodic in form but hiding considerable formal sophistication. Seventy years and more after his death, Medtner no longer seems behind the times; his music may be enjoyed on its own terms, and a renaissance in his appreciation began around 30 years ago, but it was focused on the big sonatas and concertos. The pronounced narrative character of his music is perhaps best appreciated in the shorter piano pieces such as the Skazki ('fairy tales'). It is these pieces to which Medtner’s songs are most related.

Tracklist 21 tracks

  1. 1 No. 1. Ekho (Echo) 03:42
    Track
    1
    Title
    No. 1. Ekho (Echo)
    Duration
    03:42
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  2. 2 No. 2. Retrospect 03:33
    Track
    2
    Title
    No. 2. Retrospect
    Duration
    03:33
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  3. 3 No. 3. Message 04:10
    Track
    3
    Title
    No. 3. Message
    Duration
    04:10
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  4. 4 No. 4. Ya vas lyubil (I loved thee well) 03:05
    Track
    4
    Title
    No. 4. Ya vas lyubil (I loved thee well)
    Duration
    03:05
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  5. 5 No. 5. Mogu l' zabit'eto sladkoye mgnoven'ye (The Waltz) 02:45
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 5. Mogu l' zabit'eto sladkoye mgnoven'ye (The Waltz)
    Duration
    02:45
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  6. 6 No. 6. Mechtatelyu (To a Dreamer) 04:14
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 6. Mechtatelyu (To a Dreamer)
    Duration
    04:14
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  7. 7 No. 1. Angel (The Angel) 02:30
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 1. Angel (The Angel)
    Duration
    02:30
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  8. 8 No. 2. Tsvetok (The Flower) 02:46
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 2. Tsvetok (The Flower)
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  9. 9 No. 3. Lish' rozï uvyadayut (When roses fade) 02:31
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 3. Lish' rozï uvyadayut (When roses fade)
    Duration
    02:31
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  10. 10 No. 4. Ispanskiy romans (Spanish Romance) 02:13
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 4. Ispanskiy romans (Spanish Romance)
    Duration
    02:13
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  11. 11 No. 5. Noch' (Night) 02:06
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 5. Noch' (Night)
    Duration
    02:06
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  12. 12 No. 6. Arion (Arion) 04:34
    Track
    12
    Title
    No. 6. Arion (Arion)
    Duration
    04:34
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  13. 13 No. 1. Bessonnitsa (Sleeplessness) 06:39
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 1. Bessonnitsa (Sleeplessness)
    Duration
    06:39
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  14. 14 No. 2. Slyozï (Tears) 02:23
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 2. Slyozï (Tears)
    Duration
    02:23
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  15. 15 No. 3. Impromptu 02:35
    Track
    15
    Title
    No. 3. Impromptu
    Duration
    02:35
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  16. 16 No. 4. Val's (The Waltz) 03:13
    Track
    16
    Title
    No. 4. Val's (The Waltz)
    Duration
    03:13
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  17. 17 No. 5. O chyom tï voyesh', vetr nochnoy (Night Wind) 01:39
    Track
    17
    Title
    No. 5. O chyom tï voyesh', vetr nochnoy (Night Wind)
    Duration
    01:39
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  18. 18 No. 1. Elegiya (Elegy) 07:23
    Track
    18
    Title
    No. 1. Elegiya (Elegy)
    Duration
    07:23
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  19. 19 No. 2. Telega zhizni (The Wagon of Life) 02:36
    Track
    19
    Title
    No. 2. Telega zhizni (The Wagon of Life)
    Duration
    02:36
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  20. 20 No. 3. Pesn' nochi (Night Song) 03:19
    Track
    20
    Title
    No. 3. Pesn' nochi (Night Song)
    Duration
    03:19
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters
  21. 21 No. 4. Nash vek (Our Time) 03:41
    Track
    21
    Title
    No. 4. Nash vek (Our Time)
    Duration
    03:41
    Composer
    Nikolai Medtner
    Performer
    Ekaterina Levental, Frank Peters