Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Alkan etudes op. 39!?

Apparently many of them are written in minor keys. What do you guys think of them? I just discovered them a few moments ago.

Amongst some of the greatest piano music ever written. Jack Gibbons or Hamelin would be my recommendations.

You're going to have a terrific time exploring this music. Tally ho! :p :p :p

For recordings I prefer Raymond Lewenthal over both Gibbons and Hamelin.

I like Lewenthal, but if you want the Concerto, it will have to be Gibbons or Hamelin... or maybe Ogdon.

If you seriously wanted to study one of them, I'd recommend #7.
It's shorter than the others.

They're all pretty hard though :p .

Reaper,

He is one of those forgotten 19th Century composers that was overshadowed by Liszt. His works are terrifyingly difficult yet very intriguing as well.

Enjoy the unguided tour.

John

I found No.3: the Scherzo Diabolico not Insanely difficult to study. Lots of fire and pathos in that one.

All are great piano works, none are for the feint-hearted to attempt without life-support.

Have fun!

Alkan seems to be becoming more and more popular these days - deservedly! My favourite from the op. 39 set is the final variation movement "Le festin d'Esope", check out Hamelin on Youtube for that.
But there's so much more from Alkan apart from op. 39. Actually, my current favourites are more from op. 35 (all in major keys). For example #4, what a delicate and elegant piece. Also #5 Allegro Barbaro (of which a good one is available on Youtube) is great. And, for true horror, check out #3 "mains reunis" ("hands together"; #1 and #2 are for LH and RH, respectively) from op.76, and "Scherzo focoso op.34" (a recording: http://hem.bredband.net/alkan/Scherzo%20focoso.mp3).
But it's important to realize that not all of Alkan is "extreme sports", there are many nice miniatures for in the Preludes (op. 31) and Esquisses (op. 63).

If we're just generally on Alkan, my favorite is the Quasi-Faust, Op. 33, II.

That's very similar to the Liszt Sonata, actually.

There is plenty of brilliant music in the Op.39 set - I'm especially fond of the Overture (no.11) and En Rhythme Mollosique (no.2). I've played them both but not recently!

Hamelin's recording of the Op.15 Trois Morceau is also amazing, especially "Le Vent" which I am just starting to learn again after a long break. Happy listening!

Op.39 is "12 Etudes in all the Minor Keys", so they're all in minor keys.

It's a towering masterpiece.

Mel

His etudes are some of the most complex, terrifying and amazing pieces ever written for piano. Like some of the others said, check out Hamelin playing some of his pieces on YouTube.

The Symophony for Solo Piano is one of my very favorite pieces. I'm a fan of Hamelin's playing - his technical virtuosity and voicing claritiy are unrivaled - but there are many who don't like it. Lewenthal and Gibbons are also wonderful.

The Concerto is my favourite Alkan. Gibbons just says it all to me. And his recording of the Allegro Barbaro is tops in my book.

I heard Hamelin perform the Symphony for piano solo in 1991 or 1992 in Minneapolis. Awesome. both the piece and the performer.

I stick so far with an easier piece of Alkan's, 'Chanson de la folle au bord de la mer'; "Song of de crazy woman on the sea side" in e-flat minor. It's basically a creepy melody that runs crazy for a few bars in the center. Three minutes, two pages of score, highly rewarding.