Recommend Alkan work

[soderlund]

Hi,

I was wondering if someone could recommend me a work of Charles-Valentin Alkan. I have a recital in the end of this term, a few months away, and I'd like to perform a piece of Alkan. Also, I have mentioned him for my piano teacher, but she didn't know his music.

I am looking for something that is not very difficult technically. Perhaps one of the preludes or a nocturne. It's just that I am not familiar with these works, I have never heard recordings etc. The things I have heard of Alkan (which include most of his op.35 and op.39 etudes, and something from Esquisses I think), are very beautiful, and I would like to introduce my teacher to this music as well. Any recommendations? A work that's beautiful and fit for a recital, but not very hard technically.

Jonathan

[thalbergmad]

The astoundingly beautiful Nocturne Op22 might be in order.

No great strain on the fingers, but delicate pedalling required.

Thal

[soderlund]

Okay, I looked at the score, it seems perfect. Only four pages, and not difficult technically. Do you have the music? The edition I found on imslp.org doesn't seem very good.

Any other suggestions? This one seems good though.

[soderlund]

By the way, I just took a look at op.31, the 25 preludes. Almost all of them seem fine except perhaps two or three in "Molto presto" or "Prestissimo". I thought especially about no. 17 and no. 19, because they seemed like good pieces to develop technique as well. The first in thirds and the latter in octaves. Are they beautiful pieces, good musically?

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I have a soft spot for (and have played in recital) Les diablotins from the Esquisses. Also the Song of the Madwoman on the Seashore. Neither is difficult, but both are unusual and quirky. I'd recommend both of them.

[soderlund]

I looked at Les diablotins, it also seems like a good piece. Fun, and I could imagine it being of a very special character, looking at the music. I couldn't find The song of the Madwoman on the Seashore though, do you have the sheet music to that one?

Thank you

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Here it is.

[soderlund]

Thanks. This looked very interesting. And in seven flats, I've only seen that in one other piece, in Beethoven's Marcia Funebre. This seemed good too. Now I have some pieces to pick from. But I'm still curious about the preludes, then one prelude in the equivalent key and then one of the pieces would be perfect.

Jonathan

[pianovirus]

There are also 2 sets of 4 Impromptus, which I found quite interesting, especially the second set which consists of pieces in 5 or 7 rhythms.

[hodi]

Check out his chants
there are tons of them
Opus.65 has some very nice pieces.

[alpacinator1]

Maybe Saltarelle? I love that song. But at the end it seems to get very challenging, much too hard for me to even attempt

Towards the beginning, it doesn't seem all that evil for someone with a good ammount of experience though...

[soliloquy]

Maybe Saltarelle? I love that song. But at the end it seems to get very challenging, much too hard for me to even attempt

Towards the beginning, it doesn't seem all that evil for someone with a good ammount of experience though...

Saltarelle Op. 23?  That piece is actually pretty vicious.  Try looking at the Preludes Op. 32 and the Esquisses Op. 63.  All of the preludes are entirely managable, and most of the esquisses are also.  I think the Op. 63 is possibly one of the most interesting and varied short piece compilation to come out of the Romantic Era; more-so than the Chopin Preludes even (yes I know, blasphemy).  If you're looking for something with maybe a bit more bravura, a couple of the Etudes dans tous les tons Majores aren't impossible.  Avoid 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11 though.  6 is also pretty rough but doable.

[dnephi]

#12 is my favorite of the major key etudes.

[soderlund]

Thank you, for all your good advices. Sadly, there won't be any Alkan at my recital in December, because it's filled with Liszt, Bach, Beethoven and Chopin, actually a bit too many pieces as it is.
I solved the problem by lending my teacher Jack Gibbon's double cd with the studies in the minor keys. I do want to play some Alkan, someday. Perhaps this spring, I don't know. I now have lots of good suggestions anyway.

I think some pieces from Esquisses wouldn't be bad. Saltarelle is a bit too hard though, it will take a few years before I would attempt that one.
op.35 no.2, the D major etude is a really charming piece that doesn't seem to difficult, I might give that one a try later. It also depends on what my teacher thinks of the music, I don't know yet. I have a lesson on Tuesday, she should have listened to it by now.

Again, thanks for all the suggestions, I will use them for later. Perhaps I could include some Alkan in my recital this spring. 

[fiasco]

When I wanted to learn some Alkan but realized most of it is just beyond me, I went for the last movement of the Sonata, 50 Ans.  A powerful, moving piece, yet not very difficult at all.  On a par with the Raindrop prelude, say.