It seems as if Brahms had never considered such music, but Medtner felt disappointed and bitter, especially towards Karatygin and Emil. Medtner's complex family background with German-Russian roots shaped his musical expression. Emil played a significant role in Nikolai's career. After their escape from Russia, Nikolai and Anna lived in exile, while Emil remained symbolically between them—his ashes rest in an urn on Nikolai's London grave.
Although the music of the two composers differs considerably, Medtner was persistently called the "Russian Brahms." He himself vehemently rejected this label. His violin sonatas reveal his multifaceted and often misunderstood compositional talent. These demanding works require concentration and stamina from the listener. The first violin sonata is characterized by its quiet elegance and contains subtle allusions to composers such as Gabriel Fauré.
The Sonata Epica stands as a significant work in Medtner's oeuvre, commemorating Emil's death and demonstrating his consummate technical mastery. This composition traverses diverse emotional landscapes, uniting complex contrapuntal structures with a conservative harmonic language. His music, though occasionally neglected, retains its timelessness and captivates attentive listeners with its depth and intensity. Medtner's unique style, which blends various influences and cultural elements, lends his works a special timeless quality.