Alkan's Op.35

[santiagoguerrero]

Alkan's Op.35 seem to be overshadowed by the Op.39 ,It's obvious that the Op.39 is more demanding but,how hard would you rate the Op.35.
Easier than the transcendental?
Harder than Chopin's Op.25?

[opus10no2]

They're more similar to Chopin's etudes than for example Liszt's.
The Op35 etudes use repetitive patterns and explore harmonic and melodic variation within this pattern.
The Op39 are a bit more like Liszt except on a grander scale - some use of repetitive patterns and figurations but they're more varied in terms of texture - in the Alkan and Liszt they seem to have extended passages which explore the musical possibilities of one or two figurations and then they move on to an other - like a series of etudes in one piece.

Few people would argue that Op35 contains Music as great as Op39 but there is greatness within it.

I'd say they're comparable to Chopin's etudes in terms of difficulty BUT the performance *standard* hasn't been set as high by many performers.

If you see what I mean - there have been many terrific sets of Chopin but Alkan's op35 hasn't been recorded by a true supervirtuoso like Hamelin yet.