122 years ago

[orangesodaking]

YESTERDAY, (how could I mix up dates?) 122 years ago Charles-Valentin Alkan died. Contrary to the myth, it was not by a falling bookshelf while reaching up to get a Talmud! He had a heart attack or stroke, and while collapsing he reached out to grab onto a piece of furniture (some sort of heavy coat/umbrella stand sort of thing) and it fell down with him. His concièrge found him a few hours later, pulled it off of him, took him into his room where he died.

So, since I messed up by not posting this yesterday, I'm going to honor him TODAY by posting one of his humorous pieces: "Marche Funebre sulla morte d'un Pappagallo" (Funeral March on the Death of a Parrot) Enjoy!

[stevebob]

Do you happen to know genesis of that apocryphal but widely circulated account of Alkan's demise?  I first heard it long ago from the high school English teacher who also introduced me to Alkan's music.  She recounted the event in a matter-of-fact way, and it wouldn't have occurred to me (nor, apparently, to her) to question its validity.  (Of course, that was before the phenomenon of the "urban legend" had gained currency on our cultural radar.)

[orangesodaking]

In the first post, the "heart attack or stroke" comes from Jack Gibbons speaking about Alkan's death in the 45 minute lecture you can find on Youtube.

Stevebob: from pages 24 and 25 of William Alexander Eddie's "Charles-Valentin Alkan: His Life and His Music" (2007, published by Ashgate):

"If general music lovers know anything about Alkan they recount the bookcase/death story. In the Alkan literature an unusual amount of interest too has been engendered regarding the exact circumstances of Alkan's death and this issue, moreover, has acquired something of the flavour of a Victorian melodrama. The most popular and dramatic versoin is the notion that Alkan was in the process of stretching up to the top of a bookcase for a volume of the Talmud, the books of Jewish law. There are many volumes of the Talmud and by tradition, no other book can be placed higher. It is therefore reasonable to assume that given Alkan's devout nature, these volumes would be kept at the top. It was believed by some apparently that this bookcase fell on Alkan and he was found, crushed to death, holding a volume of the Talmud. The source of this melodramatic tale can be traced to a verbal account by Isidore Philipp, recounted to Robert Collet, a piano professor at the Guildhall School of Music in London. Philipp, according to the legend, dragged Alkan out from beneath the bookcase. Philipp was also one of the four mourners along with Blondel (the head of Erard's), the violinist, Maurin, and de Bertha. Since Philipp's tale is verbal it may have become elaborated along the way and indeed Delaborde [Alkan's son] and Philipp may have been in collusion regarding this version. De Bertha's account however contains no such melodrama. He reported merely that 'Alkan was found stretched out, lifeless in his kitchen'. It might be assumed that Alkan was about to prepare his evening meal since he was found in front of his cooker. A more modified version of the Philipp story was given by a relative of Alkan Mme Guerret who reported 'yes, to my knowledge, it was his cupboard certainly which fell on him and caused his death'. The ambiguity here is 'to my knowledge' which may not have been first hand knowledge. Mme Guerret employed the French noun 'armoire' which is certainly not a bookcase but could possible be translated as a 'kitchen cupboard'. To complicate the issua is Alkan's pupil José Vianna de Motta's account of a natural death reinforced by the lack of any police record of an unusual mode of death.

The most recent research on the issues surrounding Alkan's death has been provided by [Hugh] Macdonald. He reports that Jean Yves Bras, the French Alkan scholar, discovered a letter from Marie-Antoinette Colas dated 4 April 1888, several days after Alkan's death. Accordingly she reported that Alkan had failed to collect his lunch around 11.00 am on 29 March, 1888. Alkan especially in later years was extremely predictable in upholding practical and domestic details so the omission of this domestic routine was unusual. At about 11.00 am the concièrge heard faint moans from Alkan's apartment. After forcing an entry, the concièrge observed Alkan prostate in the kitchen with the heavy unbrella stand on top of him. Possibly he may have fainted and had reached out for an object to support him. The concièrge had carried him through to his bedroom but Alkan died at about 8.00 pm."

[stevebob]

Thanks very much for your detailed response.  I had no idea that the story involved Isidor Philipp, and was surprised at the mention of Collet's name as well.

[orangesodaking]

Mmhmm! Also to throw in another twist, the biological mother of Alkan's illegitimate son is not known but is assumed to be George Sand. Wasn't her last name Delaborde? I could be wrong...

[stevebob]

It's close enough for to prompt some speculation:  George Sand's own surname at birth was Dupin, but Delaborde was her mother's.

[orangesodaking]

Ah-ha! You're right! I had heard something like that, but of course, I mistakenly told you incorrect information at first because I didn't go back to reliable sources and double check.

"His [Elie-Miriam Delaborde's] birth was registered under the name of his mother Lina Eraïm Miriam, aged 38, of Nantes, and an unnamed father."

This comes from Wikipedia, which cites the French Alkan Society's fourth bulliten. Hope you can read French! https://www.alkansociety.org/HTMLobj-310/Bulletin_de_la_Soci_t__Alkan_4.pdf

[martin_blank]

Wow, just when I'm ready to un-bookmark these stoopid forums y'pull me back in, ha-ha!  Great topic, O-soda!

Any thoughts on the discrepancy between the assertions by William Alexander Eddie and Hugh MacDonald?

My peripheral understanding of the Alkan death is that the sensational version was a fabrication from Elie-Miriam Delaborde and that Vianna da Motta did not even know Alkan, let alone having studied under him; this is corroborated by MacDonald, but, the Vianna da Motta aspect is at odds with the Eddie quote in a previous post.

see Hugh MacDonald, The Musical Times, MAR/1988
https://www.jstor.org/pss/965271

Incidentally, it's also my understanding that, after Liszt's death, Vianna da Motta finished under von Bulow.

If it matters, my peripheral understanding comes from the oral history passed down to me long ago in a previous life, when I studied for many years under a top student of a top student of two top students of Frankie da true mo-fo.  Oop, wrong forum!

Good luck everyone!

[orangesodaking]

Link doesn't work. If it's not too long, could you copy-paste the text? I'm intrigued.

[antichrist]

completely genius

[sjeon]

Well, It is kind of sad that Alkan is not that celebrated as Chopin's birthday are...

[orangesodaking]

2013 is the big 200! I think something will happen then.

I am definitely going to play a recital in 2013 with Alkan included in my program. I think others should do the same!

[vviola]

I was thinking about learning No. 14 from Op. 63 awhile back... Any pieces you recommend, other than the etudes, OSK?

[orangesodaking]

Duettino! That's a wonderful one.

What other pieces are you currently working on/have you learned? This will help me by knowing what level you play at.

The Chants Opp. 38a, 38b, 65, 67, and 70 are wonderful pieces. My favorite is the very first one Op. 38a No. 1 in E Major (check it out on Youtube), but the left hand is fairly busy. The Op. 65 chants are great too. No. 1 is a great free flowy one, No. 2 is "Goblins", No. 3 is another pretty one, No. 4 is like an orchestral march, No. 5 is a little darker and flowy, and No. 6 the Barcarolle is very pretty and haunting. (No. 6 is the most liked).