Nikolai Medtner facts for kids
Nikolai Karlovich Medtner (Russian: Никола́й Ка́рлович Ме́тнер, Nikoláj Kárlovič Métner; born January 5, 1880 – died November 13, 1951) was a famous Russian composer and pianist. For many years after his death, not many people knew about his music. But now, he is becoming known as one of the most important Russian composers who wrote for the piano.
Medtner lived around the same time as other famous composers like Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexander Scriabin. He wrote many pieces of music, and every single one of them includes the piano. His works include 14 piano sonatas, three violin sonatas, three piano concertos, and a piano quintet. He also wrote many shorter piano pieces and 108 songs. His 38 Skazki (which means "Tales" or "Fairy Tales") for solo piano are some of his most unique and creative pieces.
Biography
Nikolai Medtner was the youngest of five children. He was born in Moscow on Christmas Eve in 1879, according to the old calendar used in Russia back then. If we use today's calendar, his birthday was January 5, 1880.
Nikolai started learning piano from his mother when he was very young, until he was ten. He also had lessons from his uncle, Fyodor Goedicke. Later, he went to the Moscow Conservatory, a famous music school. He finished his studies in 1900 when he was 20 years old. He even won a special prize called the Anton Rubinstein prize.
Even though Medtner liked older, traditional music, other musicians thought highly of his compositions and his piano playing. His family wanted him to become a performer, but Nikolai decided he wanted to focus on composing music instead. His former teacher, Sergei Taneyev, supported this choice. Medtner was inspired by the deep and thoughtful piano music of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Before the Russian Revolution of 1917, Medtner lived with his parents. During this time, he fell in love with Anna Mikhaylovna Bratenskaya, a talented violinist. Anna was married to Nikolai's older brother, Emil. When World War I started, Emil was in Germany and couldn't leave. He kindly gave Anna permission to marry Nikolai. So, Medtner and Anna got married in 1918.
Unlike his friend Rachmaninoff, Medtner did not leave Russia right away after the Revolution. Rachmaninoff helped Medtner arrange a music tour in the United States and Canada in 1924. Medtner often played concerts where all the music was his own. He didn't really like the business side of touring, so he didn't perform very often. In 1936, he and Anna moved to London, England, where he was well-respected. They lived a quiet life, teaching, playing music, and composing every day.
When World War II began, Medtner lost money because his music publishers in Germany couldn't pay him. He also started to have health problems. A student of his, Edna Iles, helped him by giving him a place to stay. There, he finished his Third Piano Concerto, which was first played in 1944.
In 1949, a special group called the Medtner Society was started in London. It was founded by Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar Bahadur, who was the Maharajah (ruler) of Mysore in India. The Maharajah loved Medtner's music and wanted to record all of it. Even though Medtner's health was getting worse, he recorded his three Piano Concertos and many other pieces before he died in London in 1951. He even played with other famous musicians like Benno Moiseiwitsch and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Medtner was so thankful to the Maharajah that he dedicated his Third Piano Concerto to him.
Nikolai Medtner passed away at his home in Golders Green, London, in 1951. He is buried next to his brother Emil in Hendon Cemetery.
Music
Piano Sonatas
Medtner wrote 14 piano sonatas. A sonata is a piece of music usually for one or two instruments.
His First Piano Sonata, Op. 5, has four movements (sections). It was written between 1901 and 1903. It sounds a bit like music by Scriabin or Rachmaninoff, but it's still very original.
The Second, Third, and Fourth piano sonatas are all one-movement pieces. They were written from 1904 to 1907 and are known as the "Sonata-Triad," Op. 11. The second one, in D minor, is called "Sonate-Elegie" (Elegy Sonata). It starts slowly with one of Medtner's most famous tunes.
The Fifth Sonata in G minor, Op. 22, was once his most popular. It was written in 1909–1910. It's a compact piece, lasting about sixteen minutes, but it's full of beautiful harmonies.
The Sixth Sonata, Op. 25, is called "Sonata-Skazka," which means "Fairy Tale Sonata." This short piece in C minor was written in 1910–11. It has three movements, and the last two are connected. This was the only Medtner sonata that Rachmaninoff ever played.
The Seventh Sonata in E minor, Op. 25, is called Night Wind. It was finished in 1911 and dedicated to Sergei Rachmaninoff, who immediately knew it was a great work. It's a very long one-movement piece, lasting almost 35 minutes. Medtner said, "The whole piece is in an epic spirit."
The Eighth "Sonata-Ballade" in F♯, Op. 27, was created between 1912 and 1914. It has three parts: a Ballade, an Introduction, and a Finale. The last part has a musical connection to his song The Muse. Medtner himself recorded this piece.
The Ninth Sonata in A minor, Op. 30, is a one-movement work. It didn't have a title when it was published, but Medtner's friends called it the "War Sonata." This is because it was written during the war from 1914–1917.
The Tenth "Sonata-reminiscenza" in A minor, Op. 38, No. 1, is part of a group of pieces called "Forgotten Melodies." This single movement is one of Medtner's most poetic works. As the name suggests, it has a nostalgic and thoughtful feeling. This sonata is played most often today.
The Eleventh, "Sonata Tragica" in C minor, Op. 39, No. 5, is also part of "Forgotten Melodies." This is a fast, dramatic, and powerful one-movement sonata. Medtner recorded this sonata himself in 1947.
The Twelfth Sonata, called "Romantica" in B♭ minor, Op. 53, No. 1, was finished in 1930. It has four movements: a Romance, a Scherzo, a Meditazione, and a Finale.
The Thirteenth Sonata, the "Minacciosa" ("menacing") in F minor, Op. 53, No. 2, is another one-movement work. It has a very complex sound. Medtner said it was "my most contemporary composition, for it reflects the threatening atmosphere of contemporary events."
The last of his sonatas, "Sonata-Idyll" in G major, Op. 56, was finished in 1937. It has two movements.
Other Works
Medtner also wrote three piano concertos, which are pieces for piano and orchestra.
Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor, Op. 33 (1914–18). This one-movement piece is dedicated to his mother. It starts with exciting piano music and a strong orchestra.
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 50 (1920–27). This concerto is dedicated to Rachmaninoff. It has three movements: Toccata, Romanza, and Divertimento. The first movement is full of energy, with the piano and orchestra talking to each other.
Piano Concerto No. 3 in E minor "Ballade", Op. 60 (1940–43). This work is dedicated to the Maharajah of Mysore, who helped Medtner so much. It has three connected movements. Medtner recorded all three of his concertos with the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1947.
Violin Sonata No. 3 in E minor, Op. 57 (1938). This is a big piece with four movements. It's similar to his Night Wind Piano Sonata. The last movement has musical elements that sound like Russian Orthodox church music.
The Piano Quintet in C major, Op. posth., was published after Medtner died. He worked on it from 1903 until he finished it in 1949. Medtner felt this piece was a summary of his entire musical life.
Legacy
Many pianists have played and recorded Medtner's music. Some early supporters included Edward Mitchell and Geoffrey Tozer. More recently, pianists like Marc-André Hamelin have recorded all of his piano sonatas. Other famous pianists who have played his works include Benno Moiseiwitsch, Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels, Evgeny Kissin, and Daniil Trifonov.
Fewer singers have recorded his songs. Medtner himself recorded some with sopranos like Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Today, groups like the International Nikolai Medtner Society in Berlin work to share his music with more people. They even organize music festivals to perform and discuss his works.
Images for kids
-
Medtner's home at Golders Green, London, where he lived from 1935 to 1951.
See also
In Spanish: Nikolái Médtner para niños
