SKAZKI Gunnar Sama

• Nikolai Medtner (1880 - 1951): Quatre Morceaux, Op. 4:
• 1 Quatre Morceaux, Op. 4: I. Etude 03:18
• 2 Quatre Morceaux, Op. 4: II: Caprice 03:05
• 3 Quatre Morceaux, Op. 4: III. Moment musical (Gnomenklage) 02:12
• 4 Quatre Morceaux, Op. 4: IV. Prelude 02:31
• Drei Novellen, Op. 17:
• 5 Drei Novellen, Op. 17: I. Andante (Daphnis und Chloe) 03:36
• 6 Drei Novellen, Op. 17: II. Tempo giusto 04:49
• 7 Drei Novellen, Op. 17: III. Allegro, molto sostenuto 06:19
• Skazki, Op. 35:
• 8 Skazki, Op. 35: I. Andante maestoso 03:46
• 9 Skazki, Op. 35: II. Capriccioso, con grazia 06:02
• 10 Skazki, Op. 35: III. Cantabile, narrante 03:48
• 11 Skazki, Op. 35: IV. Allegro appassionato e tempestoso 04:00
• Skazki, Op. 42:
• 12 Skazki, Op. 42: I. Russian Tale (Allegro sostenuto) 06:21
• 13 Skazki, Op. 42: II. Con moto disinvolto e grazioso (Phrygian Mode) 02:16
• 14 Skazki, Op. 42: III. Moderato, narrante 05:12
• Drei Hymnen an die Arbeit, Op. 49:
• 15 Drei Hymnen an die Arbeit, Op. 49: I. Vor der Arbeit (Allegretto molto tranquillo) 03:36
• 16 Drei Hymnen an die Arbeit, Op. 49: II. Am Amboss (Allegro, molto pesante e poco rubato) 03:12
• 17 Drei Hymnen an die Arbeit, Op. 49: III. Nach der Arbeit (Allegro vivace) 03:41
• Song transcription by Boris Shatkes, Op. 36 No. 3:
• 18 Song transcription by Boris Shatkes, Op. 36 No. 3: When roses fade 02:03
• Total Runtime 01:09:47

Info for SKAZKI

Medtner's music fascinates and surprises, in the midst of what also seems to be well known. You may imagine that you have heard the melodies before, in childhood or in a dream. But, even if you haven’t, it is as if you have been waiting for this music to return. In some mysterious way, it evokes the memory of the unheard. He named many of his piano pieces SKAZKA – tale. Some of them carry subtitles, but it is uncertain whether the composer had specific narratives in mind, as the name would suggest. The influential Soviet musicologists Boris Asafyev may have been right when he claimed that "these are not descriptive tales or tales that illustrate an event. These are tales of personal experiences – of conflicts in the inner life of man". In this recording, Gunnar Sama plays five of Medtner's albums, composed over the course of some 30 years.

Gunnar Sama, piano (C. Bechstein, Concert D282)

Recorded October 2018 at Sofienberg Church, Norway
Recording Producer and Balance Engineer by Morten Lindberg
Produced by Jorn Simenstad & Morten Lindberg

Gunnar Sama
(b. 1949) had his debut in 1975 in Universitetets Aula in Oslo, After studies with Liv Glaser at The Academy Barratt Due, and studies for the Diploma at The Norwegian Academy of Music with prof. Robert Riefling. Sama has also studied with prof. Ryszard Bakst at The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and with prof. Jiri Hlinka. He won 2nd price at the «Premio Jaen» piano competition in Spain in 1976. Gunnar Sama has worked as an accompanist at The Norwegian Academy of Music. In addition to the traditional repertoire Sama has a special interest in unfamiliar works and composers. His first CD, “Piano Works by Nikolai Medtner” (PIANO-002, Lindberg Lyd, Norway) was released in 2000.

Booklet for SKAZKI