Alkan, Charles-Valentin (1813 - 88)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles-Valentin_Alkan

[kernelbogey]

TTN this morning (24 February):
04:41 AM
Charles-Valentin Alkan (1813-1888)
Le Festin d'Esope (Op.39 no.12) in E minor, from '12 studies'
Johan Ullen (piano)

First time I've heard Alkan - greatly impressed.

[BBMmk2]

TTN this morning (24 February):
04:41 AM
Charles-Valentin Alkan (1813-1888)
Le Festin d'Esope (Op.39 no.12) in E minor, from '12 studies'
Johan Ullen (piano)

First time I've heard Alkan - greatly impressed.

You should explore more!

[kernelbogey]

You should explore more!

I agree! John Shea introduced the piece as by 'the myterious Frenchman Alkan', and he just doesn't much appear on R3. The Grove article, which must be about 40 years old, expresses the hope that he will gain his rightful place among composers....

[Jonathan]

Mark Viner's superb set of Alkan recordings continues next month with volume 3 which includes the Grande Sonate - The 4 Ages.I

(Edited to remove typo)

[Bryn]

Mark Viner's superb set of Alkan recordings continues next month with volume 3 which includes the Grande Donate - The 4 Ages.

Very much looking forward to that. It was back in April 2011 that I first heard Mark play the Alkan Sonatine at Schott Music. It was clear then that he was going to be a great proponent of Alkan's muse.

[MickyD]

This is nice - provided you like the sound of early pianos.



Available for less than 2 euros on Amazon.fr at the moment!

[Cockney Sparrow]

Yuri Favorin's disc must have been recommended (somewhere) on FoR3. I'm no authority (as a listener - only) on piano music, nor a seeker of piano music - not to any great extent. I listened to Favorin on a streaming service and thought the virtuosity was considerable and the music more than worth being reheard. I was impressed enough to seek out the CD (not readily available in physical form). I'm not sure how the Favorin recording stands against other performances.

I'll try to listen to the other Alkan discs mentioned.

2 of Viner's discs and the Favorin are available on Naxos Music Library. Also the Gibbons Disc is there - Label Universal Classics, Catalogue No.: 00743625022728). The Favorin recording is on the MUSO Label. (NML : http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...-library/page2 )

[antongould]

Sadly not much of Charles-Valentin on R3 last year - 18 pieces, 2 hours 25 minutes - 5 Breakfast, 3 EC, In Tune and TTN and on the latter, one is tempted to say lazily, the same piece on each occasion Op.39 No.12 ....... oh look they’ve played it again on 24/02/20 ....

[gurnemanz]

Last year I got the Alkan Edition from Brilliant Classics and have greatly enjoyed investigating. Download for the equivalent of 13CDs is a snip for £8 MP3 or £9.75 FLAC from Presto. Mark Viner and Stanley Hoogland mentioned above are there and the excellent Vincenzo Maltempo who makes the largest contribution. I've also put it on a USB stick plugged into my bedside radio.

[Bryn]

Last year I got the Alkan Edition from Brilliant Classics and have greatly enjoyed investigating. Download for the equivalent of 13CDs is a snip for £8 MP3 or £9.75 FLAC from Presto. Mark Viner and Stanley Hoogland mentioned above are there and the excellent Vincenzo Maltempo who makes the largest contribution. I've also put it on a USB stick plugged into my bedside radio.

Unfortunately, I think that set only has a small selection from the Hoogland CD mentioned. A similar situation obtains re their 3-disc set.

[gurnemanz]

Unfortunately, I think that set only has a small selection from the Hoogland CD mentioned. A similar situation obtains re their 3-disc set.

True. You get Mark Viner in 12 Études dans tous les tons majeurs (5* Guardian review) and Hoogland on his 1858 Pleyel grand only in 6 tracks - about 20 mins.

[Bryn]

True. You get Mark Viner in 12 Études dans tous les tons majeurs (5* Guardian review) and Hoogland on his 1858 Pleyel grand only in 6 tracks - about 20 mins.

Yes. I'm happy to wait for Mark to record his way through the works. I find his musicianship quite astoundingly suited to Alkan's, though Hoogland's period instrument offers a fine complement.

[Jonathan]

I'm really looking forward to his Scherzo fucoso plus the complete Op.37 marches - the first of which I corresponded with Mark Viner about when I learnt it last year.

[BBMmk2]

I'm really looking forward to his Scherzo fucoso plus the complete Op.37 marches - the first of which I corresponded with Mark Viner about when I learnt it last year.

Sounds quite promising?