Nikolai Medtner - Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2 (Lydia Mordkovitch; Geoffrey Tozer)

Information

Composer: Nikolai Medtner

• Violin Sonata No. 1 in B minor, Op. 21
• Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major, Op. 44

Lydia Mordkovitch, violin

Geoffrey Tozer, piano

Date: 1994

Label: Chandos

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%209293

-----------------------------------------------------------

Review

Lydia Mordkovitch and Geoffrey Tozer face stiff competition in this repertoire from Alexander Shirinsky and Dmitri Galynin, not only because they offer exceptionally fine performances, but also because their two-CD set offers all three violin sonatas plus the remaining (very attractive) shorter works that make up Medtner's total output for violin and piano. Having said that, Mordkovitch and Tozer may well follow this up with a second disc featuring the remaining pieces, and besides, they present performances that are as fine as those of their rivals. Anyway, the opportunity of hearing these sonatas afresh has only increased my admiration for these neglected gems, and if their appearance means that they gain even greater popularity then so much the better.

In general, Mordkovitch's readings emphasize a more lyrical and relaxed approach (as opposed to Galynin's more intense and passionate readings), and this is particularly so in the lyrical first movement of the short, attractive First Sonata—a little too relaxed perhaps in the outer sections of the lilting second movement ''Danza''. Elsewhere (for instance the Allegro appassionato and Finale-Rondo of the Second Sonata), I sensed in Mordkovitch's performance a more intuitive grasp of structure which allowed the music to unfold with a degree more ease and direction. Nevertheless, in their own way, both artists are persuasive interpreters of these works and can be strongly recommended to the first-time explorer. The recorded sound is warm and well balanced.'

-- Michael Stewart, Gramophone

-----------------------------------------------------------

Nikolai Medtner (5 January 1880 [O.S. 24 December 1879] – 13 November 1951) was a Russian composer and pianist. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory from 1891 to 1900, having studied under Pavel Pabst, Wassily Sapellnikoff, Vasily Safonov and Sergei Taneyev among others. His works include 14 piano sonatas, three violin sonatas, three piano concerti, a piano quintet, two works for two pianos, many shorter piano pieces, a few shorter works for violin and piano, and 108 songs including two substantial works for vocalise. His 38 Skazki for piano solo contain some of his most original music.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Medtner

***

Lydia Mordkovitch (30 April 1944 – 9 December 2014) was a Russian violinist. She studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory under David Oistrakh, later serving as his assistant. During this period, she won the National Young Musicians Competition in Kiev in 1967 and the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud Competition in Paris in 1969. She settled permanently in the UK in 1980. Mordkovitch recorded for RCA Red Seal and Chandos. She was featured in over 60 recordings for Chandos, including works of J.S. Bach, Ami Maayani, Shostakovich and English composers such as Bax, Alwyn, Bliss, Howells, and John Veale.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Mordkovitch

***

Geoffrey Tozer (5 November 1954 – 21 August 2009) was an Australian classical pianist and composer. He studied with Eileen Ralf and Keith Humble in Australia, Maria Curcio in England and Theodore Lettvin in the United States. His career included tours of Europe, America, Australia and China, where he performed the Yellow River Concerto to an estimated audience of 80 million people. Tozer had more than 100 concertos in his repertoire, including those of Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Medtner, Rachmaninoff, Bartók, Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Gerhard. He recorded for the Chandos label.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Tozer

-----------------------------------------------------------

FLAC, tracks

Links in comment

Enjoy!