Charles Valentin Alkan page with free midi's to download

CHARLES-VALENTIN ALKAN

30thNovember 1813   ---   29thMarch 1888

CHARLES-VALENTIN  ALKAN (born 1813, Paris, France -- died 1888, Paris), French pianist-composer,
one  of  the  leading  virtuosos  of the  19th  century  and one  of the  most enigmatic  figures in  19th
century  music. Alkan was born  to Jewish parents, and  all of his  siblings (five  brothers and a sister)
also assumed the surname Alkan and were musicians. Valentin drew notice at the age of seven, when
he won the first of many first prizes at the Paris Conservatory. By the age of 17; he had  established a
reputation as a virtuoso pianist.

As a young man he moved in a  circle of  friends that included George Sand, Victor Hugo, Frédéric Chopin
and  Franz  Liszt, but for  long periods of time beginning in his 20s he withdrew from society and concert
performance and devoted himself to composingmusic. His music, difficult and often unorthodox, displays
considerable  ingenuity  and imagination  in  advancing  the  possibilities of  keyboard  technique  in  this
respect  Ferruccio  Busoni, an Italian composer and  pianist, considered  him to  be excelled only  by Liszt
and Johannes Brahms. Alkan himself felt that he was overshadowed by Liszt.

In his  rare concert appearances  he preferred to play  the  works of  18th-century  composers, then out
of fashion rather than his own compositions. His numerous works composed mostly for piano and pedal
piano  include preludes  and studies in  all the major and minor  keys, 12  pieces, Les mois (The Months)
the sonata  Les quatre âges, and  the Piano Concerto  in C Sharp Minor. César Franck transcribed several
of his pieces for organ.

Some additional information.

Not sure  I agree with  everything you have said  about my hero. He was a  lot older when he became a
recluse - after he lost the chance to become head of keyboard at the Paris Conservatoire in about 1849
to Marmontiel. In  his 20s he was  lionised by the public, I think  he became disgusted with the shallow
turn society took after the 1848 riots.

Suggest you read Ronald Smith's biography "Alkan the Enigma" just re-released. This was passed onto
me by Peter Bird via my email.

Copyright 1994-1998 Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated on 2020
By Steven Ritchie

And now for the Music

New"Finale, in Eb Opus 39, No.7". Sequenced by Mark Davies

New"Menuet, in Bb Opus.39, No.6". Sequenced by Mark Davies

New"Scherzo Diabolique, Opus.39, No.3". Sequenced by Peter R Wolfe

(1167)"Etude Opus.76, No.1 for the left hand alone". Sequenced by Peter R Wolfe

(1168)"Etude Opus.76, No.2 for the right hand alone". Sequenced by Peter R Wolfe

(1169)"Etude Opus.76, No.3 for both hands". Sequenced by Peter R Wolfe

(41a)"Etude Opus.35, No.5". Sequenced by Peter R Wolfe

(42a)"Etude Opus.76, No.2". Sequenced by Peter R Wolfe

(40a)"Etude Opus.39, No.12". Sequenced by Peter R Wolfe

(38)"Chantes Opus.38, No.1". Sequenced by Peter R Wolfe

(82)"Le Festin D'esope, Opus.39". Sequenced by Peter R Wolfe

(1170)"Hallelujah, (Psalm 150)". Sequenced by David Coronel

(1171)"Finale alla saltarella Prestissimo, from the piano et violoncelle, Opus.47". Sequenced by Philip DeWalt

(1172)"Gros Temps"(Foul Weather) From "Les Mois", Opus. 74, No.1". Sequenced by Philip DeWalt

(1173)"Un Nuit D'ete, Suite No. 1 from Les Mois". Sequenced by Philip DeWalt

(1174)"Saltarelle, Opus.23". Sequenced by Philip DeWalt

Extracts from his Symphony for Solo Piano.

"Symphony for Solo Piano Movement No.1". Sequencer Unknown

"Symphony for Solo Piano Movement No.2". Sequencer Unknown

"Symphony for Solo Piano Movement No.3". Sequencer Unknown

"Symphony for Solo Piano Movement No.4". Sequencer Unknown

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just remove spaces and brackets for email address), thank you.

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