THE SYMBOLISM OF NIKOLAI MEDTNER'S «FAIRY TALES» ON THE EXAMPLE OF «FAIRY TALES» OP.8 NO.1

Abstract

«Fairy Tales» as a unique genre of piano music, which received a vivid implementation in the work of the pianist and composer of the first half of the twentieth century Nikolai Medtner, deserve special attention. In this study, we propose to consider the symbolic content of the composer's piano «Fairy Tales», created in the heyday of the ideas of symbolism of the «Silver Age» and revealing some parallels with the work of Alexander Scriabin. The focus of our article is «Fairy Tale» op. 8 No. 1 as a source of motifs-symbols in the composer’s subsequent tales. The artistic images and philosophical aspects of Fairy Tales, features of texture and harmony, performing manner, as well as some issues of their influence on performing practice are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the method of shaping, the use of harmonic solutions and expressiveness of means. The work emphasizes the importance of «Fairy Tales» as a musical and cultural phenomenon that combines the traditions of Russian music and Medtner's individual worldview. Such an analysis in a comprehensive consideration of the compositional, intonation, textural and harmonic features of «Fairy Tales» and the identification of theme symbols is carried out for the first time. On the basis of the analysis, characteristic intonation complexes/moves are identified that repeat motifs and other features in different opuses that allow us to talk about the presence of certain theme symbols. This study not only provides new insights into Medtner’s compositional language, but also opens up promising avenues for future musicological research, particularly in the area of symbolic analysis and the study of thematic motifs in the works of other composers of the Silver Age.

Keywords

• nikolay medtner
• symbolism
• «fairy tales»
• piano music
• musical analysis
• theme-symbol