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Topic: Getting into Alkan's music.  (Read 2313 times)

Offline chomaninoff1

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Getting into Alkan's music.
on: April 04, 2016, 08:46:21 AM
I'm trying to branch away from the composers I usually listen to, so I listened to Alkan's Op. 39 Etudes. Wow, I must say his music is quite bad ass  :) I very much enjoyed this set of works, and am wondering if you guys could list some of his more accessible works. Tbh, I'm feeling a bit lazy, and do not want to have to wade through all of his works to find the ones I like. It would be great if ya'll could give me a list a suggestions of pieces you like by Alkan.

Thank ye very much!  :)

PS. to those that don't really know Alkan either, give this a listen.
a stupendous performance by Vincenzo Maltempo.

Offline ahinton

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #1 on: April 04, 2016, 09:52:53 AM
For those who need such an introduction, try the Esquisses or the 25 Préludes, of which the latter was premièred by the composer before an audience in which Chopin sat next to Liszt (who'd risk that?!)...

Best,

Alistair
Alistair Hinton
Curator / Director
The Sorabji Archive

Offline chomaninoff1

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #2 on: April 05, 2016, 12:51:00 AM
thank you, alistair.
hehe interesting story  :)

Offline chomaninoff1

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #3 on: April 07, 2016, 07:09:13 AM
anybody else have any suggestions? or is alkan not popular here...?

theholygideons

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #4 on: April 07, 2016, 07:57:01 AM
PS. to those that don't really know Alkan either, give this a listen.
a stupendous performance by Vincenzo Maltempo.
Vincenzo is probably the worst performer of Alkan's music. His interpretations feature far too many mistakes and to try and, to rectify it, he slows down at places of difficulty. As a result, the continuity of alkan's music is lost in his playing.

anybody else have any suggestions? or is alkan not popular here...?
The resurrection of Alkan's music has reached a state in which it is no longer obscure and quite irksome when people mention his name.

Offline ahinton

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #5 on: April 07, 2016, 09:17:45 AM
Vincenzo is probably the worst performer of Alkan's music. His interpretations feature far too many mistakes and to try and, to rectify it, he slows down at places of difficulty. As a result, the continuity of alkan's music is lost in his playing.
So you say. Who, then, do you consider to be "probably the best"?...

The resurrection of Alkan's music has reached a state in which it is no longer obscure
Fortunately, that's true, but...

and quite irksome when people mention his name.
In what way is mention of Alkan's name "irksome"?

Best,

Alistair
Alistair Hinton
Curator / Director
The Sorabji Archive

theholygideons

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #6 on: April 07, 2016, 10:37:29 AM
So you say. Who, then, do you consider to be "probably the best"?...
Fortunately, that's true, but...
In what way is mention of Alkan's name "irksome"?

Best,

Alistair
because Alkan is like soooo last century. Those people who say his name just to sound cool are truly the laggards of the trend.

Offline visitor

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #7 on: April 07, 2016, 10:48:05 AM
anybody else have any suggestions? or is alkan not popular here...?
one of my first few purchases of Alkan scores was for a barcarolle, really not too difficult note and pace wise, layout of the piece makes sense and most at a late intermediate w a good teacher or on own at early advanced  should be able to make quick work of it, i read through one last weekend while just poking around in some scores and books i need to organize and put away. Quite enjoyable actually

Offline ahinton

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #8 on: April 07, 2016, 11:25:47 AM
because Alkan is like soooo last century. Those people who say his name just to sound cool are truly the laggards of the trend.
Really? I was under the impression that he was 19th century! Just goes to reveal the extent of my ignorance!

Best,

Alistair
Alistair Hinton
Curator / Director
The Sorabji Archive

Offline chomaninoff1

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #9 on: April 07, 2016, 11:52:24 AM
thank you, alistair and visitor.

@theholygideons
Unfortunately I was born at the very end of the last century, so I did not have the privilege of listening to Alkan all of last century when it was "cool." FYI, music isn't a trend. If you only listen to certain music because it is "cool" then I feel sorry for you.  :'(

You really seem to have a stick up your ass, though. The reason why I mentioned Alkan might not be popular here is because only one person commented. And I'm sure we can both agree that Chopin and Beethoven are more popular then Alkan.

Sorry if I am not as up to date as you, but I do not know much any of Alkan's music, so I asked other members for suggestions. I joined this forum so I could learn more about piano and piano music, not have to deal with pretentious members that degrade me for not being as knowledgable as them...
Btw, I thought Vincenzo Maltempo's performance was quite impressive if I say so myself.

Have a nice day. :-)

Offline diomedes

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #10 on: April 07, 2016, 01:14:08 PM
Don't overlook the quasi-Faust from the grand sonata. You might even find the rest of the sonata to be interesting, I didn't. Alas, in addition to that op.39 might be all that I'm really familiar with and enthusiastic about of Alkan.

I did listen to his preludes very very long ago, but none of them really stuck in my mind. No wait, it was the equisses. Regardless....

Also he transcribed the first movement of Beethoven 3rd concerto for solo piano, it's more Beethoven than it is Alkan but it's fantastic.
Beethoven-Alkan, concerto 3
Faure barcarolle 10
Mozart-Stradal, symphony 40

Offline outin

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #11 on: April 07, 2016, 02:11:46 PM
one of my first few purchases of Alkan scores was for a barcarolle, really not too difficult note and pace wise, layout of the piece makes sense and most at a late intermediate w a good teacher or on own at early advanced  should be able to make quick work of it, i read through one last weekend while just poking around in some scores and books i need to organize and put away. Quite enjoyable actually



This is the only Alkan piece I have learned and while it took me some time to play it decently, it was indeed very enjoyable to learn and play. Quite a beautiful piece.

Offline ronde_des_sylphes

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #12 on: April 07, 2016, 05:05:20 PM
For starter pieces to learn: the Nocturne, look through the Esquisses, and the Song of the Madwoman are all very accessible.

The op.39 set is surely his crowning glory, though the Cello/Piano sonata is quite a remarkable work.

I think Raymond Lewenthal's Alkan is still fascinating in its pioneering revivalism. His radio talk is on Youtube.
&nohtml5=False


Also he transcribed the first movement of Beethoven 3rd concerto for solo piano, it's more Beethoven than it is Alkan but it's fantastic.

The cadenza is very heavily Alkan-tinted though (including the unexpected reference to Beethoven 5). Colossaly difficult too.. I have bad memories of this. ;)
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Offline chomaninoff1

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Re: Getting into Alkan's music.
Reply #13 on: April 08, 2016, 12:55:34 AM
For starter pieces to learn: the Nocturne, look through the Esquisses, and the Song of the Madwoman are all very accessible.

The op.39 set is surely his crowning glory, though the Cello/Piano sonata is quite a remarkable work.

I think Raymond Lewenthal's Alkan is still fascinating in its pioneering revivalism. His radio talk is on Youtube.
&nohtml5=False

The cadenza is very heavily Alkan-tinted though (including the unexpected reference to Beethoven 5). Colossaly difficult too.. I have bad memories of this. ;)


Wow, thanks a lot! Will be sure to listen to this.
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