Alkan for mortals

Quote from: guendola on February 19, 2008, 05:43:07 PM

I heard that Alkan wrote some piano music that is playable by mortal non-professional pianists. Where to start? Does anyone know works by him that can be mastered by intermediate amateur pianists?

Much of his music is playable.

30 Songs - Borrowed the format from Mendelssohn, though with his own flavour.
Preludes, Op.25 - Contains some of the oddest pieces ever written during the era.
48 Sketches, Op.63 - Most are accessable and they can be combined to form a nice suite. Most are less than 2 minutes.
4 Nocturnes - written in the style of the era. No.1, Op.22 is perhaps the most familiar for the ear. ca.5-6" The last, "The cricket", Op.60bis is a chorale with a bit of turmoil in the middle section. Rhythmically fun... the night ends with the cricket's chirp. ca.5"
The Months, Op.74 - the 12 months in musical form. Each depicting different scenes or moods.
"Hail, to the ashes of the poor", Op.45 - beautiful musical paraphrase; like an old man telling a tale by the fireside with his lyre. ca.8-9"
Funeral march, Op.26 - perhaps the spookiest of all funeral marches. ca.8-9"
"By the rivers of Babylon", Op.52 - a musical impression of text. "the heads are dashed against the rocks..." ca.7"
3 Marches, Op.37 - Perhaps not really worth mentioning but accessable.
Alleluia, Op.25 - a piece composed entirely of chords hailing "Alleluia!!!" Play during Sunday church services. ca.3"
3 Impromptus, Op.32 - Not much as improvised pieces but carefully composed music. Try the first for a slow somber melody and end with the third for a romp on a speeding train.

From 12 studies in minor keys, Op.39:[/i]
No.2 Molosic rhythm - Much more accessable than its companion pieces. Rhythm is incessant and fun to play. ca.8"
No.5 and 6 - Part of the symphonie, the funeral march and minuet. Musically very pleasing, especially if you are able to wring out the trio sections. Fully capable of standing on their own. Ca. 5" and 6" respectively.

From 12 studies in major keys, Op.35:[/i]
No.8 - one of the most charming of pieces ever written, if you can figure out how to coordinate your hands while carrying on a 'conte'-like melody. Fully forth the effort once learned. Ca.5"
No.9 Contrapunctus - perhaps one of the most enjoyable of all inventions. Fugal writing, canons, imitation... Ca.7" or less if you don't take repeats.
No.10, "Song of love, song of death" - opens with a contemplative melody, almost like thinking of a lover, like a nocturne... then the lust begins... and then finally, the end of life. ca.12" Despite its length, most of it easy to play.
No.11 - If you can play monotonous chords and bring out one note of the chord to play a conte-like melody... otherwise, you're just playing chords. Rather ingenious little study. Ca.5"