While alkans piano music includes the operatic fantasias and transcriptions fashionable in his time, his more remarkable works must be his virtuosic etudes. Commencing with busoni, who performed this incredibly difficult music but alas, never recorded it, beginning with egon petri who made a private recording, alkans music began to be launched slowly. This disc constitutes the third of four in maltempos alkan survey, which will take in the whole of the op. The manthe music, and was the founder and president of the alkan society from 1977 until his death in 2004. Alkan geniusenigma full album played by vincenzo maltempo. These collections are filled with simplified excerpts from wellknown piano solos by the masters, arranged for elementary to early intermediate level students. Concerto for piano solo, comme le vent, en rythme molossique, scherzo diabolico.
Alkans oeuvre is almost entirely written for piano, and this disc brings together several of these works. Album alkan edition, charlesvalentin alkan by various. At the height of his fame in the 1830s and 1840s he was, alongside his friends and colleagues frederic chopin and franz liszt, among the leading pianists in paris, a city in which he spent virtually his entire life. Symphonie pour piano solo performed by vincenzo maltempo piano online at alibris. They require a pianist who possesses transcendental technical prowess, the stamina of a marathon runner, a sure command of largescale structure. Later in life he withdrew from social life and lived as a recluse, engaging in intense study of the bible and the talmud. The piano music of charlesvalentin alkan 181888 is fortunately gaining more and more recognition by todays general public. Unfortunately, this pressing contains a flaw not found in the original threedisc release alkan. A new recording of alkan on piano classics, another milestone in piano classics crusade for the rehabilitation and recognition of charles valentin alkan as one of the most original romantic composers of the 19 th century. Grande sonate les quatre ages, symphonie pour piano solo pcl0056 alkan.
Wonder no more, as toccata classics has embarked on a quest to bring these arcane and enigmatic. The alkan revival had only started in the 1960s and much ground had been covered on behalf of alkans once neglected piano music in terms of recordings that one might wonder why it has taken so long for his organ music to receive similar attention. Chandos records is one of the worlds premier classical music record companies, best known for its ground breaking search for neglected musical gems. To help in performance, the editors have realized ornaments and added. Overture, for piano in b minor etudes dans tous les tons mineurs no. The recording will be released in september on pcl10189. Charlesvalentin alkan composer toccata music group. This piano classics release of alkans 25 preludes is mark viners 2nd cd in his project to record of all of alkans piano works. Fortunately the main pianist in this alkan edition brilliant classics 95568. The fourth through the seventh of alkans twelve etudes in the minor keys op. Brilliant classics was particularly fortunate to obtain his services. Charlesvalentin alkan was a frenchjewish composer and virtuoso pianist. Piano classics is the first destination for enthusiasts of classical piano music.
Recordings of alkans works alkan society version 20 october 2019 page 5 of 48 opus 27. In addition to recording alkan works, he wrote two books on alkan finally compiled into one volume, alkan. In his youth he was good friends with chopin who was his neighbour in paris, liszt and the writers george sand and victor hugo. The alkan revival had only started in the 1960s and much ground had been covered on behalf of alkan s once neglected piano music in terms of recordings that one might wonder why it has taken so long for his organ music to receive similar attention. In modelling his five sets of chants on the first book of mendelssohns songs without words, alkan ensured that. The recording will be released by piano classics in march on pcl10209. With this handsome volume on the piano, students of all ages will quickly master these timeless piano works.
A stylistic evaluation of charles valentin alkans piano music, a lecture recital together with three recitals of selected works of j. Souvenirs 3, morceaux dans le genre pathetique for piano, op. Le festin desope, variations for piano in e minor etudes dans tous les tons mineurs no. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and. This new recording contains some rarely heard repertoire from a rarely heard composer. Adventurous piano music, ranging from the miniaturist to the gigantic, of the composer in whose presence even franz liszt was afraid to play.
Find piano classics credit information on allmusic. All tracks previously released on individual piano classics cds. This page has been realized thanks to the very precious contribution by segundo g. Later in life he withdrew from social life and lived as a recluse, engaging in intense study of the. So far gone is the pedalier today that attempts to find a specimen in usable condition have failed. Sorabji published an article on alkan in his 1932 book around music. Ive reached an intermediate level at the piano and wanted a book with a good mix of classic pieces around my level. Dover publications and dover books classic literature, coloring books, childrens books, music books, art books and more. Motifs 48, esquisses sketches for piano in 4 books, op. One of them, played by giovanni bellucci, is devoted to alkans early works the three concerti da camera op 10, and the first ever recording of the six pieces op 16. Offering both high quality and a rich selection of compositions at a remarkably low price, easy piano classics is a wonderful resource for beginning and intermediatelevel piano students. Purchase through the society link to amazonuk page.
Between 1844 and 1848 alkan produced a series of virtuoso pieces, the 25 preludes op. Mark viner, performer charleshenri alkan, composer. Chosen from the four stylistic periods of piano repertoire and presented in their original form, the 100 pieces in this collection have been favorites of pianists throughout the years. The first two pieces, capriccio alla soldatesca and le tambour bat aux champs, esquisse are depictions of military life and warfare, and are awash with sound effects such as drumrolls, horns and march rhythms. Charlesvalentin alkan, often called the berlioz of the piano, was a mysterious, reclusive genius of the romantic epoch, and will forever be linked in our imagination to chopin and liszt, both of whom caught the parisian publics attention to a. Piano and keyboard piano composed by charlesvalentin alkan. His early 1990s recording for music and arts set reference standards for technical finesse, sustaining power, and stylish elegance. Charles valentin alkan, one of the greatest pianists in history even liszt was afraid to play in his presence, recluse, genius composer of mainly piano works of extraordinary virtuosity and originality. Accompaniment 19 favorite pieces for late intermediate through early advanced students from the four stylistic periods of piano repertoire by alfred publishing staff and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Mar 26, 2015 vincenzo maltempos previous three discs of alkan for piano classics, all of them outstanding, were recorded on a modern steinway. Charlesvalentin alkan 18 1888 48 motifs esquisses, op. Geniusenigma on piano classics, a series of loud clicking noises between 11. Vincenzo maltempos previous three discs of alkan for piano classics, all of them outstanding, were recorded on a modern steinway. Jan 20, 2019 charlesvalentin alkan 18 1888 48 motifs esquisses, op. The piano classics label has already documented a number of. Marche triomphale pour piano usa, 6516 lp 1984 ronald smith rec 1970 emi, hqs 1247 lp 1971. Charlesvalentin alkan bio, albums, pictures naxos classical. Stephanie mccallum born sydney, australia, 3 march 1956 is a classical pianist.
In addition to recording alkan works, he wrote two books on alkan finally compiled into one. The 12 studies in all the major keys follow the key sequence of ascending fourths. Charlesvalentin alkan 181888 douze etudes dans tous les tons majeurs op. Learning how to play the worlds most beautiful classical music has never been easier, because now there is easy piano classics. The late british pianist ronald smith was a foremost champion and pioneer of alkans music, so much so that he was called mr. Complete music for piano solo by mark viner, alkan.
About british pianist mark viner continues his alkan project with a new recording of the towering grande sonate op. Alkans music has other gems available look up the brilliant classics set that i already mentioned and also. In my next beethoven double cd for pianoclassics you can listen to the 3 books of bagatelles, the variations op. Charlesvalentin alkan, often called the berlioz of the piano, that mysterious, reclusive genius of the romantic epoch, will forever be linked in our imagination to chopin and liszt, both of whom caught the parisian publics attention to a greater extent than did alkan. British pianist mark viner continues his alkan project with a new recording of the towering grande sonate op. The piano classics label has already documented a number of those exceptional performances, most notably in the revelatory series of discs. After searching around, i came across this alfreds collection. He is becoming increasingly well known for championing lesser known piano works, including those of charlesvalentin alkan.
The first two pieces, capriccio alla soldatesca and le tambour bat aux champs, esquisse are depictions of military life and warfare, and are awash with sound effects such as. Alkan vincenzo maltempo geniusenigma 2015, cd discogs. Grande sonate les quatre ages, for piano in d major, op. Alkans concerto for solo piano aka movements eight, nine, and ten of the composers twelve etudes in the minor keys op. Alkan piano music charlesvalentin alkan 181888 was a french composer and pianist of great originality. Arabesque vincenzo maltempo rec 2014 piano classics pcl0083 2015 opus 27. Welcome to the official piano classics youtube page. For this latest selection, he has opted to play a 19thcentury. If youre just learning the piano or simply adding to your repertoire, this collection belongs in your music library. Obviously, the allowance of three hands at a piano is a desperate makeshift, a concession to the publisher.
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