Nikolai Karlovich Medtner ： Three Fairy Tales No.2 in C-Dur Op.9-2

Included in Medtner’s Three Fairy Tales, Op. 9, this C-major character piece presents a compact musical world shaped by a songful melody that suggests a story and a lightly moving accompaniment. Beneath its brightness, delicate shades of expression can be heard. The interplay of melodic ideas and changes of character are among its chief attractions. In performance, the principal melody should remain clear without being covered by inner voices or accompaniment, while the harmonic shifts should be carefully conveyed. Evenness of touch is important, but the playing should not become mechanical; attention to the direction of each phrase and to natural breathing helps bring out the work’s imaginative atmosphere.