Here is the release of Nikolai Medtner's music under the BIS label, featuring pianist Geoffrey Douglas Madge and the Artur Rubinstein Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Ilya Stupel. The album spans a total playing time of 152 minutes and 44 seconds, divided into two parts, highlighting Medtner's profound contributions to piano concerto and solo sonata genres.
Medtner, an emblematic figure of 20th-century classical music, is celebrated for his intricate and expressive compositions predominantly for the piano. His oeuvre includes three piano concertos and several sonatas that are noted for their lyrical beauty and complex rhythmic structures. The album showcases Piano Concertos No. 1, 2, and 3, alongside the Piano Sonata in G minor, Op. 22, and pieces from the "Forgotten Melodies" cycles such as the Sonata reminiscenza in A minor and Sonata tragica in C minor.
Geoffrey Douglas Madge, the featured pianist, is recognized for his dedication to performing and recording rarely performed and challenging repertoires, with his work extending from Bach to contemporary composers like Xenakis and Sorabji. This release, recorded in Łódź, Poland, in 1991, also reflects on the collaborative efforts of Madge and Stupel, emphasizing their role in reviving and interpreting Medtner’s compositions, which are deeply rooted in the romantic traditions of the 19th century but with a distinctive personal style.
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