Nikolai Karlovich Medtner ： Six Fairy Tales No.1 Op.51-1

Medtner’s “Six Fairy Tales No. 1” is a character piece that compresses into a brief span a story-like atmosphere and shifting tension and release. Its memorable themes and rhythmic motion guide the flow, while the expressive character changes subtly within well-shaped phrases. At the opening, carefully bring out the direction of the sound and the resonance of the inner voices, keeping the melody clear without making the accompaniment too heavy. Rather than exaggerating contrasts in dynamics, let the music move naturally toward each phrase’s climax, using the spacing between phrases to suggest changes of scene. The work’s fantastical atmosphere and momentum emerge more fully when the pedal is used without clouding the sound and the handover between individual voices is kept in mind.