Medtner: Wandrers Nachtlied, Complete Songs, Vol. 4

Medtner: Wandrers Nachtlied, Complete Songs, Vol. 4
Composer Nikolai Medtner
Artist Ekaterina Levental mezzo-soprano
Frank Peters piano
Format 1 CD
Cat. number 96066
EAN code 5028421960661
Release February 2023

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About this release

New recordings of Goethe and Heine settings by a master Russian song-writer, by performers thoroughly versed in the composer’s complex harmony and heritage.
While Nikolai Medtner only emigrated from Moscow to Berlin in 1921, eventually settling in London, the Russian composer traced a deep connection to German culture through the ancestry of his mother. He was familiar with the German language and culture from his childhood, and made his first visit to Berlin in the winter of 1904-5, then returned for most of 1907 and the summer of 1909.
It can be no coincidence that these original-language settings of two of Germany’s greatest poets date from this period in Medtner’s life. In his mid-20s at this point, Medtner had become internationally known as a pianist of formidable technical and interpretative gifts, but he continued to compose and to teach, taking up a post at the Moscow Conservatoire in 1909.
While Medtner’s pianism often lends the quicker songs a scintillating brilliance, such as the Elfenliedchen which is third in the Opus 6 collection of Goethe’s songs, the overall mood of the collection is imbued with the feelings of love and longing which are key-signatures of Romanticism (German or Russian). Medtner was always drawn towards musical contemplation of life’s deeper themes, and he accordingly sets both poets at their most philosophical and visionary, in the Wandrers Nachtlied of Goethe and the Bergstimme of Heine.
On this album, recorded in 2022, Ekaterina Levental and Frank Peters couple the Opp 6, 15 and 18 settings of Goethe with the three Op 12 settings of Heine: a unique but natural pairing on record. The booklet includes both original texts and English translations.

- The 4th volume of this exciting new series, the recording of the complete songs by Medtner, bears the title Wandrers Nachtlied, referring to the dark and eternally longing character of some of the songs presented.
- Nikolai Medtner was born in Moscow in 1880. After piano lessons with his mother he entered the Moscow Conservatory where he had lessons from Pavel Pabst and Sergey Taneyev. He won the prestigious Anton Rubinstein Prize at age 20. A younger contemporary of Scriabin and Rachmaninoff he was destined for a brilliant pianistic career but he chose to concentrate on composition. In 1936 he settled in London where he spent the rest of his life teaching and composing till 1951.
- Medtner’s style is rooted in the 19th century, full-blooded romantic, with a highly personal harmonic and melodic language, often complex and dense, but hauntingly beautiful.
- Ekaterina Levental was born in Uzbekistan. She settled in The Netherlands where she studied at the Conservatory of The Hague. She embarked on a successful career as singer, dramatist and theatre producer. Pianist Frank Peters is a highly respected Dutch pianist, both as soloist and chamber music partner. He is an indefatigable champion of the piano works of Medtner.
‘Levental’s soft high notes are truly exquisite, and she can do things with the voice that most modern singers cannot, such as to drain the voice of vibrato for expressive effect. All things considered, she is a virtuoso vocalist of the old school, and such artists are extremely rare nowadays… “We are very lucky to have a pianist like Peters, who fully understands this dichotomy, as the pianist on this album.” (Artmusiclounge.com). “Levental has a dark, rich voice, but her pure tone is never burdened by excess vibrato… She couldn’t ask for a more responsive partner than Peters, who reveals an astonishingly deft touch and an uncanny ear for detail.” Fanfare (Volume 1, 96056). “The phrasing is so perfect, the sense of line so keen, the rubato so natural sounding, that this seems the only way to sing them… this lucidity is due to the purity of Levental’s voice, which she employs with sure intonation and minimum vibrato, as well with an exquisite (but always controlled) play of colour… This is a major release.” Fanfare (Volume 2, 96061).

Listening

Track list

Disk

Disk 1

  1. Nikolai Medtner: 9 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 6: I. Wandrer’s Nachtlied II – Wanderer’s Nightsong II
  2. Nikolai Medtner: 9 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 6: II. Mailied – Spring Song
  3. Nikolai Medtner: 9 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 6: III. Elfenliedchen – Song of the Elves
  4. Nikolai Medtner: 9 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 6: IV. Im Vorübergehn – I Roamed the Meadows
  5. Nikolai Medtner: 9 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 6: V. Liebliches Kind (aus ‘Claudine von Villa-Bella’) – Loveliest Lass
  6. Nikolai Medtner: 9 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 6: VI. Inneres Wühlen (aus ‘Erwin und Elmire’) – Conscience
  7. Nikolai Medtner: 9 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 6: VII. Sieh mich, Heil’ger (aus ‘Erwin und Elmire’) – Hear Me, Lord
  8. Nikolai Medtner: 9 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 6: VIII. Erster Verlust – First Love
  9. Nikolai Medtner: 9 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 6: IX. Gefunden (Epithalamion) – Rooted Firm
  10. Nikolai Medtner: 3 Gedichte von Heinrich Heine, Op. 12: I. Lieb Liebchen – The Carpenter
  11. Nikolai Medtner: 3 Gedichte von Heinrich Heine, Op. 12: II. Lyrisches Intermezzo (Fichtenbaum) – Lyrical Intermezzo
  12. Nikolai Medtner: 3 Gedichte von Heinrich Heine, Op. 12: III. Bergstimme – The Voice of the Mountain
  13. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: I. Wandrer’s Nachtlied I – Wanderer’s Nightsong I
  14. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: II. An die Türen will ich schleichen (aus Wilhelm Meister) – The Beggar
  15. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: III. Selbstbetrug – Self-Deceit
  16. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: IV. Sie liebt mich! (aus ‘Erwin und Elmire’) – She Loves Me!
  17. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: V. So tanzet (aus ‘Lila’) – So dance Ye
  18. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: VI. Vor Gericht (Ballade) – Before the Court
  19. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: VII. Meeresstille – Sea Calm
  20. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: VIII. Glückliche Fahrt – Happy Voyage
  21. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: IX. Nähe des Geliebten – Near the Beloved
  22. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: X. Der untreue Knabe (Ballade) – The Faithless Lad
  23. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: XI. Gleich und Gleich – Like to Like
  24. Nikolai Medtner: 12 Lieder von W. Goethe, Op. 15: XII. Geistergruß – The Spirit’s Greeting
  25. Nikolai Medtner: 6 Gedichte von W. Goethe, Op. 18: I. Die Spröde – The Flirt
  26. Nikolai Medtner: 6 Gedichte von W. Goethe, Op. 18: II. Die Bekehrte – Conquered
  27. Nikolai Medtner: 6 Gedichte von W. Goethe, Op. 18: III. Einsamkeit – Solitude
  28. Nikolai Medtner: 6 Gedichte von W. Goethe, Op. 18: IV. Mignon – Mignon
  29. Nikolai Medtner: 6 Gedichte von W. Goethe, Op. 18: V. Das Veilchen (Ballade) – The Violet
  30. Nikolai Medtner: 6 Gedichte von W. Goethe, Op. 18: VI. Jägers Abendlied – Huntrer’s Even-Song