When I first heard this work (along with the third violin sonata) a few years back, I was in complete awe and it was an absolute revelation to me. Filled with such a magical and sweeping sense of fantasy, mystery, at times ecstasy and other times tragedy. It is one of the all time great masterpieces of the genre, without a doubt, but so criminally unknown and underappreciated
@alankuo24024 жыл бұрын
MOVEMENT I (SONATA FORM) INTRODUCTION 0:00 Two motives are introduced: Int-1, a noble motto theme that permeates the entire sonata; and Int-2, with a gentle, caressing contour. Int-1 is immediately subjected to imitation, and Int-2 to diminution in a cadenza-like passage in the violin. 0:56 Int-3, a short repeated-chord figure that resembles the Muse-theme used by Medtner in several other works. This motive reappears in extended form as the movement’s third theme. Second cadenza passage, now in the piano. 1:32 piu mosso, more Int-1. Third cadenza passage, in violin, that leads to… FIRST THEME (G MAJOR) 2:06 T1-1 Bright, rollicking theme with sextuplet accompaniment 2:35 T1-2 Downward chromatic motion SECOND THEME (B MINOR->D MAJOR) 2:58 T2. Turbulent, syncopated theme that seems to ricochet about wildly, passing back and forth between violin and piano. 3:40 T1-1 reappears, leading into T3 THIRD THEME (G MINOR->?) 3:56 Int-1 4:06 T3-1, an extension of Int-3. Somber yet serene melody with little aspiration. Development achieved through repetition in different registers and textural backdrops. 4:27 T3-2. Brief subsidiary phrase that reaches upward then wilts downward. 4:55 Int-1 is woven into the texture against T3-1, increasing tension. CLOSING 5:20 Int-1, Int-2 5:40 T1-1 6:03 Int-1, T1-1. V-I D Major DEVELOPMENT 6:35 T3-1, T1-1. An inverted ninth chord! Somebody call the Vienna Music Society! 7:10 T3-1, with Int-2 accompanying in three different note values (quarter, 8th, 16th). Pedal tones in bass. 7:33 Int-1 appears in the bass, while three simultaneous instances of T3-1 heightens tension 7:57 T1-1 8:10 T1-1, T3-1, with solos for both piano and violin 8:55 T3-2 and T1-2 introduce chromatic motion, darkening the atmosphere 9:44 Chromatic movement in both instruments continue to heighten tension 9:56 T1-1 in menacing bass octaves 10:20 Partial restatement of T2 in development. Second theme does not appear in recapitulation. 10:58 Int-1, T1-1, and Int-2 announce recapitulation RECAPITULATION FIRST THEME (G MAJOR) 11:24 T1-1. Near-exact but truncated repetition. THIRD THEME (C MINOR->?) 12:08 T3-1. Violin accompanies piano entry with delicate pirouettes. 12:35 T3-2 13:02 Int-1 joins T3-1 CLOSING 13:27 Int-1, Int-2 13:47 T1-1 13:57 T2 makes its brief appearance here due to it being in the development 14:30 T1-2 appears in heavy imitation CODA 15:05 Int-1, T1-2. Arrival at G major. 15:34 T1-1, T1-2, Int-1, and T2 return in dense counterpoint, three or four simultaneously CADENZA I 16:39 Int-1 in the piano, while the violin plays a melodic line that includes Cad-1, a similarly contoured 3-note cell that makes up most of the two cadenzas and appears in the final movement’s A theme. Virtuoso cadenza for violin. MOVEMENT II (THEME AND VARIATIONS) THEME 17:49 A plaintive, unmistakably Russian theme in two sections - the violin first plays each section solo, in bleak chords and double-stops, and the piano repeats in fuller harmonization 19:06 Return of A section with arpeggiated accompaniment VARIATION I 19:30 Straightforward embellishment of the theme with triplets, violin scales, and dance rhythms, with some chromatic turns. Cad-1 appears. VARIATION II 21:23 A graceful descending figure is the basis of this variation, while the theme makes fleeting appearances in compressed form amid the texture. Highly chromatic. VARIATION III 23:31 A lively ternary scherzo in A major. Two new melodies are introduced in the violin (the first of which resembles a theme from the Danza of Medtner’s first violin sonata), while the piano plucks out the theme in staccato. 23:56 The B theme appears almost undetectably in the last sixteenth of each beat. 25:26 Return of the A section, with the two new melodies played simultaneously. VARIATION IV 24:46 A busy 6/8 dance. The A theme’s is embellished melodically and rhythmically. VARIATION V 25:50 Theme A is played at double speed in the violin and normal speed in the piano. VARIATION VI 26:30 Tempest-esque two-note slurs pervade this variation, accompanying both A and B sections. 28:49 Balalaika-like strumming concludes the movement. CADENZA II 28:07 Opens similarly to the first cadenza, but the focus is shifted to the piano. 28:58 Sudden pentatonic chords MOVEMENT III (RONDO ABACABA Coda) One of Medtner’s few (only?) rondo forms. It may be seen as a hybrid sonata and rondo form. Of the four A sections, the first and third act as first themes, while the second and fourth act as transitional closing sections bridging B->C and B->Coda. The lyrical B section reaches a huge climax in its second appearance - the “big tune” second theme, as it were. The central C section incorporates A and B section material in addition to its own, thus acting as development. A (G MAJOR) 29:04 Dramatic pentatonic opening comprised of Cad-1. 29:20 A-1. Fanfare-like theme with characteristic rhythm. Underneath, the words “весна идет” (“Spring is coming”). Cad-1 appears in the theme. 29:37 A-2. Falling melodic phrase. major 30:13 A-2, minor 30:19 A-3 B (B MAJOR) 30:59 Violin plays the tender theme (B-1, B-2) over rippling quintuplets in the piano. The constantly unstable harmony prevents a real climax from being achieved. Structurally acts as a sonata’s second theme. 32:11 A sudden staccato chord snaps us out of our trance and leads toward the second A section. A (G MAJOR) 32:22 This section serves mostly as a transition from B to C (i.e. sonata closing theme/section) using A section material. Opens on a I6/4 chord in tonic G major but a resolution is sidestepped. C (ALSO DEVELOPMENTAL) A contrastingly energetic section imbued with lively dance rhythms. 32:59 C-1. Stern chords and bass octaves. 33:13 C-2. Drooping melodic phrase. 33:21 C-3. Fierce repeated notes. 33:40 Counterpoint with C-1 and C-2. 34:03 B-1 appears in the bass. 34:16 C-3, now with A-1. 34:30 B-1 again, in canon. 34:44 A-1 against C-3, building tension towards return to C-1. 35:03 C-1, triumphantly and in canon A (G MAJOR) 35:29 Tonic G major is inconspicuously achieved through ii-V-I movement against static accompaniment. Muted fanfare of root seventh chords announces return of A-1. 35:59 A-2, major 36:26 Fragmentation of A-1 clarifies relation to Cad-1 36:36 A-2, violin 36:41 A-3 B (F MAJOR->?) 36:59 Floating in reverie. B-1 and B-2 in piano left hand, while violin spins out B-2 with fragments of Theme 1-1 and 1-2 (from the first movement, indicating cyclic unity). 38:00 Speed picks up with B-1 in both instruments, arpeggio quintuplets return 38:34 B-2, growing quickly in intensity 38:51 Climax of B-2, and emotional climax of the whole sonata (in my opinion). B-1 sawed out in fortissimo octaves in the violin. A 39:09 A short transition to the coda. Completely chromatic motion. CODA 39:50 T1-1 against chromatically moving A-1 in the bass. 40:27 T3-1 (first movement) peeks out during a brief rest, but is quickly overtaken by… 40:33 A-2, G major definitively reached 40:42 Triumphant return of Int-1 with violin chords and piano 40:52 C-3 41:06 The movement ends with inverted Cad-1, mirroring the opening
@benlindsay60123 жыл бұрын
In some ways the general style of this monumental sonata reminds me of Beethoven's last period. Thanks for posting this gem!
@vaclavmiller80324 жыл бұрын
Great to see this back up!
@thirtythreepi3 жыл бұрын
the final movement of his 2nd piano concerto is also a rondo!
@verslaflamme81854 жыл бұрын
great analysis. thanks.
@jacklevinson14 жыл бұрын
thank you very much for posting this!!!!!
@kumo-kun183110 ай бұрын
Excellent video! Will one day we can see the e minor sonata analysis?
@JoshuaPluta2 ай бұрын
Have you thought about doing this for the third violin sonata? I would love to see it.
@BioProton2 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for uploading this masterpiece! Is your annotated score with all the highlighted themes available?
@alankuo24022 жыл бұрын
Unfortunately, I cut the pdf up into images before annotating it, so all I have is a bunch of .pngs. drive.google.com/drive/folders/18TaLJ3Nqku-0fHuBCvvlVQnijQwfdthE?usp=sharing
@richardwilliamsjr.14702 жыл бұрын
@@alankuo2402 That's totally okay! Thank you for sharing them
@Berlinchesmusic4 жыл бұрын
👌👌
@gentle_goy234325 ай бұрын
Метнер очень недооценен!
@benjaminsmith36572 жыл бұрын
The first two movements are absolutely phenomenal, Tragedy, beauty, love. The last movement unnecessary.
@JoshuaPluta Жыл бұрын
That was my thought at first but after many listens and appreciating it over multiple years now at this point, I now regard it as my favorite movement.