Part of his Op. 39 Forgotten Melodies II, this sonata is one of Medtner's finest works. Medtner insisted on this sonata always to be preceded by his Op. 39/4 "Canzona Matinata" (Morning Song). For him, Op. 39/4 decribed the "youth of life", and the Sonata Tragica the "realities of life". Very similar to Brahms, Medtner follows the motivically-obsessed style of composition first begun by Beethoven. As a further nod to Beethoven, Medtner chooses the key of C minor for his "tragic" sonata - a key often employed by the former for his darkest works.
Since the structure of this sonata - which is just a single movement in sonata form - can be hard to grasp on first listens, here it is:

EXPOSITION
00:00 First theme; violent and tragic.
01:10 Transition
01:23 Second theme; very closely related to the first theme, but in major. It sounds like a consolation from the tragic blow of life at the beginning.
02:17 Third theme, taken note-for-note from the preceding Op. 39/4 "Canzona Matinata. There, it appears in the melancholy middle section. Thus, while lighter, it may signify doubt about the consolation in this sonata.
02:58 Second theme again (see 01:32); first doubting, wavering, then reassured (3:38), working itself to a frentic, ecstatic climax. Although this section ends in major, I see it more as a delusional, overcompensating reaction in the face of the tragedy.

DEVELOPMENT
04:40-6:24 Untypically short for Medtner. Note how the first theme comes crashing in right at the beginning, masterfully played by Tozer, as if to negate the preceding pseudo-triumph right away.

RECAPITULATION
06:25 Only the first theme appears in the recapitulation, the positive, consolidatory subject is missing entirely, and replaced by an ominous cadenza (07:32), already containng the coda.
08:21 A ferocious coda that ends as the piece began - with the tragic main theme, symbolizing perhaps its insecapability

Full Op. 39 Playlist: [ Ссылка ]

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