Took me a few listens, but I'm now convinced these may be among the greatest set of piano miniatures of all time. They are strikingly original, alluring, and so much is done out of so little. I can't stop listening.
Absolutely agree. These miniatures are so underrated and they gave pretty much the best out of all miniature repertoire out there for piano. Even without analysis can be heard and told so much from the structure, concept, forms, tone coloring, experimenting with the technique with effects with music picturing etc. Not to mention including Jewish traditional melodies, and inventions with tone sounding and techniques. And pretty much contributes to the ''French style'' showing what distinguishes it from German or other ones, esp at that time. It is not about ''ingeniousness'' but about the whole entity of these miniatures - and most important - they are all own beings, not any are similar and boring. Even non-classical listeners can find it enticing for any mood. At the end what is the criteria of an ''ingenious'' piece? are there at all such things, or did theorists and musicologists just advertised such as to be accepted publicaly x)
Late as all hell, but thank you for making this video. These are easily some of Alkan’s most gorgeous works, and I really really hate to compare, but many of these even outshine much of Chopin and Liszt’s output too. This opus handily negates anyone who calls Alkan’s works unmusical - if they can’t appreciate this, then I don’t have a fucking clue what they’re getting out of his contemporaries lol. Edit: While I’m here, I’ll also mention that Alkan’s piano abstractions are also on full display in this opus. He was amazing at taking concepts and turning them into music (i.e. pieces like “Le Grillon”, “Le Vent”, “Song of the Madwoman on the Seashore”, “Le Festin d’Esope”, “Le Chemin de Fer”, not to mention writing a fucking Symphony and Concerto for solo piano). Some of the most poetic piano writing in all of its history, which is especially impressive because it’s also some of the first of its kind.
@@ciararespect4296 They’re just words 😂 Don’t wet yourself over it 😂😂😂 What’s with the ridiculous emojis? 😂😂😂😂😂 Also, they may be nothing special to you, but I’m willing to bet you also just don’t care as much about Alkan’s artistry as I do - which is fine, difference of opinion and all that - but they’re pretty damn special to me lol
Rappers nowadays have to say “this rap shit is easy”, Alkan shows this romantic shit is easy to him by putting the cantabile right before the crescendo back into the main theme… I grew up on Chopin and Liszt but Alkan’s the guy the last few years that has me just shaking my head the most when I listen to him
He wasn’t in the boys club, so many others like him that also didn’t receive the respect they deserved because of politics. Glad you are discovering Alkan now.
Le Laus Deo qui conclut le recueil est, de tous les morceaux à thème religieux que j'ai entendu d'Alkan, celui qui est emprunt de la spiritualité la plus profonde. Ces esquisses sont réellement de petits chefs-d'œuvres !
With all his pianistic acrobatics.. he opens with La Vision... Which ends with a fragment of a beautiful German song, Der Mond ist aufgegangen... Is it by accident?
refined musical humor and irony, and, of course, self-irony, virtuoso lightness and ease, whatever the master joker Valentin Alkan was inspired by in these sketches! or - form of wisdom. Laus Deo
Французский композитор Шарль Валантен Алькан написал эскиз фа-диез минор «Грации» op.63-19 из цикла «49 эскизов», где каждый из трёх мелодических голосов соответствует каждой из богинь - верхний - Красота (Аглая), средний, преимущественно на органном пункте cis - Чистота или Непорочность (Евфросина), нижний - Любовь (Талия). Также, 22-й эскиз, ре-бемоль мажор из этого же цикла, называется «Чистота» - он посвящён отдельно второй богине и невероятно благозвучен своим движением в терцию. Также, имя первой богини - Красота, фигурирует и в его первом экспромте, си мажор, op.32
My favourites from the esquisses esquisses are toccatina, musique militaire, increpatio, en songe, scherzetto, les diablotins, tutti de concerto and laus deo.
what is the piece starting at 36 minutes in. I've been searching under number 24 (as I see on the paper) and clicking on each of your song names, but i don't think each name listed in the description shows each individual song. thank you
know i know that im right because i went back to look and there are NO TIME STAMPS!! it only lists 4-6 songs and then all of thewse myriad of songs get lost in between. ive looked up some numberd songs before , but i need to know so much shit like the 'prelude vs other tyeps of sgongs. then the opera number, then the number then the home address etc there are no time stamps. only major starts of songs not caounting the inbetween tineyer songs
