Has anyone ever transcribed either the Alkan Symphony for solo piano or the Concerto, ops 39, for orchestra? I was thinking about tackling this just on Cakewalk for fun and was wondering if it's ever been done before. Any suggestions as to what instruments belong in what parts?
I orchestrated the exposition of the Symphonie. The solo voce, after the main theme by low strings, is a clarinet, not an oboe as I once thought! An oboe doesn't have the range required to conclude the passage even though the timbre is much more in character. Perhaps an English horn would be a better instrument than the clarinet as it retains the timbre of the oboe and has the range to conclude the passage.
Besides this small issue, the rest of the exposition writes itself out with instrumentation not too difficult to figure out.
Also, the double basses require a C extension.
As for the Concerto, Klindworth took Alkan's indication
quasi trombe too literally for the exposition. Alkan clearly indicates
Tutti, not tromboni solo. I haven't orchestrated it yet (I'm still thinking about instrumentation and division of solo and orchestral parts, which is quite complicated) but the opening is not just trombones but trumpets (to give it a brighter timbre), the other brass instruments for support, and full strings. I don't think I hear woodwinds until after the opening theme.
The second movement starts out very easily as Alkan clearly indicates the orchestral and solo parts.
The third movement is an instrumentation nightmare as certain passages cannot be performed with the double basses (well below their register) but don't seem to sound right using the tubas to double the celli.
I'm also having difficult accompanying the right hand solo parts.
Topic: Alkan piano symphony transcribed for orchestra