Customer Reviews

Alkan: Piano Works

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Charels Valentin Alkan (The Berlioz of piano) has been one of the most underapreciated and even unknown composers of the XIX century . Certainly , besides his introspective character and hard temperament , he was a very meticulous composer and made of the piano his prima donna to express a big amount of piano music .
I knew about Alkan in the seventies through the Etudes op. 39 and the scherzo diabolico performed for Michael Ponti .
The Alkan sound in a first impression is extremely weird , but never lacks interest . The melodies are surrounded for mysterious efluvies and inspired moments , and many times the melody is interrupted for fortissimos who move the listener . In many aspects his tonal language demands from you all the possible atention , because it is not easy establish an inmediat rapport .
But , in the other hand there are just a few gifted keyboardist who are capable of playing so difficult score .
The list is very reduced : Raymond Lewenthal , Earl Wild , John Ogdon ,. Mark Hamelin , Ronald Smith , Michael Ponti and Bernard Rigneissen among the most remarkable .
Ronald Smith is a great virtuosi , but also a sensitive performer . He is searching the real intention behind the score and his fingers give the accurate pulse to every piece . When you play Alkan , you must draw the music , due its impresionistic and descriptive character . Due the fact Alkan was a deep thinker and passionate reader , inmersed in spiritual , religious and mythological issues , his music owns this syncretism .
Alkan has been considered as a simple composer of fireworks piano and obviously that 's a mistake . I can accept hat a part of his music can be listed under these terms but not in his majority .
Acquire this CD and make the attempt to get close to this weird music . The challenge runs for you but you will be rewarded .
Fortunately for us , Mark Hamelin one of the top pianists in the world includes Alkan ' s piano music in his personal repertoire . And that 's a good signal .