It’s finally out! Nikolai Medtner: Music, Aesthetics, and Contexts. A belated commemoration of the seventieth anniversary of the composer’s death, this publication was spent on a great deal of my time and efforts for the past two years. Yet it was worth every minute! My sincere thanks go to Christoph Flamm, the best co-editor I could think of, and to all the authors of the twelve chapters who contributed their perspectives of research and performance practice from the US, UK, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Ukraine. The volume is available from the publisher, or from the retailer of your choice.
Sharon’s Doodly Roses
Just came across American pianist Sharon Su and her impressive recordings of music by Clara Schumann, Louise Farrenc, and Cécile Chaminade. Also, this professional finger wiggler, as she refers to herself, sports one of the wittiest and most creative bios I have encountered so far. Check out this artist and her multiple social media outlets dedicated to her musical and written publications.
Bach and Reger Piano Transcriptions
First appearance as a pianist in quite a while! I will contribute to a concert of Deutscher Tonkünstlerverband on the following Tuesday, 16 November, 8 pm, at Schwartzsche Villa Berlin-Steglitz. I’ll be performing two of my own piano transcriptions: Aria and Fughetta after Bach’s Drum schließ ich mich in deine Hände from BWV 229, and an abundantly ornamented version of Reger’s beautiful Nachtlied, Op. 138 No. 3. Apart from that, there will be music by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Strauss, Scriabin, and others. Meeting some amiable people would be so much of a delight!
Sonatas of the East
After having presented a paper with the catchy title The Eastern Sonata at conferences in Detmold, Bonn, and Moscow, I have now finally completed the written version (in German language) which includes further examples and references to secondary literature. For everybody interested in my discussion of Beethoven’s legacy and reception in Russia, Sergei Taneyev‘s theory of sonata form, and Nikolai Medtner‘s early piano sonatas, please refer to this source. As always, feedback and suggestions are much appreciated.
Who Owns Pseudo-Beethoven?
I am wondering if standard copyright applies to the score of the AI-generated orchestral work constructed after the drafts of Beethoven’s 10th Symphony, which was performed recently by Beethoven Orchester Bonn and Dirk Kaftan for the Beethoven 2020 anniversary. Given that it isn’t actually a human work, and that it is uncertain how significantly Walter Werzowa contributed to it, shouldn’t it be in the public domain? Maybe the Beethoven-Haus Bonn can clarify.