Happy 199th birthday, Alkan!

Thanks for being a big influence on me as a musician. Next year is the big year, though!!



What does PW think about having an Alkan e-cital next year?

Chopinaddict beat you to it.

A happy birthday to the great man.

I well remember as a young teen reading Harold Schonberg's 'The Great Pianists' and being utterly fascinated by the chapter on Alkan. Clearly this was something to look into, and I grabbed the Jack Gibbons recording of the Op. 39 Etudes (it was fairly new then) in a music store and somehow persuaded my mum to buy it for me.

It was life changing. I devoured it, and for daze on end I listened to the Concerto in the morning before school and then again in the evening.

I went on to collect other Alkan recordings (Lewenthal, Ogdon, etc), and have since never lost my love for this very unique composer.

Cheers, Charles-Valentin!

Oh wow, I just saw that. Sorry about that. I didn't know C.A. already posted a thread.

Jason, I agree. To this day, I feel that his Concerto for Solo Piano is my all-time favorite piano piece.

I am a few hours ahead, so I am always the first to celebrate... But our friend deserves attention, so two threads are fine. I think we need some special event for next year.

already practising for next year

Do tell, what are you working on?

Another selection of Alkan that was posted in honor of the occasion.

I've always loved this set of variations.

-Daniel