Faced with decades of shifting styles and music trends that characterized the early decades of the twentieth centuries， Nikolai Medtner remained faithful to the classical masters' roots。 This two-volume series of Medtner’s complete sonatas includes a Preface by Eugene Istomin， Performance Notes by Geoffrey Tozer， and an Editorial Note by Marc-Andre Hamelin。 A must for pianists seeking alternatives to the core group of "standard" sonatas of this century， these works range from intermediate to very difficult。
Series I features Sonata in F Minor， Op。 5; Sonatas Nos。 2， 3， and 4 of Sonatentriade， Op。 11; and three others。 Series II comprises the Russian composer's final seven sonatas: Sonate-Ballade， Op。 27; Sonata in A Minor， Op。 30; Sonata-Reminiscenza， Op。 38， No。 1; Sonata tragica， Op。 39， No。 5; Sonata romantica， Op。 53， No 1; Sonata minacciosa， Op。 53， No。 2; and Sonate-Idylle， Op。 56。 A bonus selection of three melodies includes "Canzona matinata，" "Canzona seranata，" and "Alla Reminiscenza。"