Etude in C minor

The Étude in C Minor is an early standalone piano work composed while Medtner was still a student at the Moscow Conservatory. Although not assigned an opus number, it is an important glimpse into the young composer's emerging style. Even at this early stage, the piece reveals characteristics that would remain central to his mature music: motivic concentration, contrapuntal thinking, and a preference for musical substance over mere virtuoso display.