Charles Valentin Alkan
Charles-Valentin Alkan, (November 30, 1813, Paris - March 29, 1888, Paris) was a French pianist and composer. He is linked to the tradition of great romantic virtuosity, started by Paganini on the violin, and later on the piano by Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt.
Life
Of Jewish origin, he was the second of six siblings, several of whom also devoted themselves to music. At the age of six, he entered the Paris Conservatoire, where he began a brilliant career, beginning with a first prize in music theory at age seven. His teachers were Pierre Zimmermann (piano, counterpoint and fugue) and Dourlen (harmony). When he was nine years old, Cherubini observed that he was "extraordinary for his age"; with a great ability for the piano. He won first prize for piano in 1824, for harmony in 1827, and for organ in 1834. He published his first opus in 1828, when he was only fourteen. Despite enjoying great success as a child prodigy, he later admitted feeling overshadowed by the even greater success of the young Liszt. He visited London in 1833, and was described by Fétis as "joyful, outgoing, and confident."
Around 1834, he became a close friend of Santiago Masarnau (as evidenced by an often intimate exchange of letters that lasted for forty years).
I love you, except for the incredible variety of your knowledge, than for yourself, for the goodness of your soul; which is perhaps the fruit of your unusual knowledge. I love you, but with a friendship that does not admit to being shared - a friendship that constantly resembles the fleeting love that a passionate woman can feel for you for a moment. Charles-Valentin Alkan to Santiago de Masarnau (3.1.1835)
Alkan dedicated his Trois études de bravoure op. 16 of 1837.
His friends included Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, George Sand, Delacroix, Victor Hugo and Lamennais. In 1838, at the age of twenty-five, Alkan had reached the pinnacle of his career. He frequently performed with Chopin and earned a reputation as a virtuoso rivaling Liszt, Thalberg or Kalkbrenner. At this time, which coincides with the birth of Elie-Miriam Delaborde (his presumed illegitimate son and his favorite student), he retired to compose for a few years and it was not until 1844 that he returned to give concerts. In 1845 he performed at the Erard room, with whom he maintained a long working relationship until 1880, giving classes twice a week. His concerts did not go unnoticed by Liszt, nor by Schumann.
Despite having collaborated with the Paris Conservatoire as a part-time professor of music theory from 1829 to 1836, he was never a member of the faculty. In 1848, after Zimmermann's death, there was some controversy when the director of the Conservatory did not choose him for the post, in favor of Antoine François Marmontel, a former student of Alkan's. During those years, he lived close to Chopin, and after his death in 1849, he took in many of his students.
His posts were almost as intermittent as his concerts, in which he often performed more music by other composers than his own. Her work was known more for its publication than for being performed in concert. In line with her enigmatic character, there are stages of her life for which there are few data.
At 74 years old, Charles-Valentin Alkan, nicknamed the "Berlioz of the piano" by Hans von Bülow, was found dead on March 30, 1888, later spreading the false rumor that he was crushed by his library. He was buried on April 1 in the Jewish part of the Montmartre cemetery.
Influences and style
Alkan's piano music, and in particular his works for solo piano, often stands out for the originality of his virtuosity. The search for effects, the imitation of natural phenomena or other programmatic stimuli led him to develop an experimental pianism that has only recently been rediscovered and valued, thanks to pianists and researchers such as Marc-André Hamelin, Pierre Réach, Stéphanie Elbaz, John Ogdon, Jack Gibbons, Kenneth Hamilton. His bold use of extra-musical elements earned him comparisons to Berlioz.
Alkan admired, on the other hand, the music of the 18th century and published transcriptions of Bach, Handel and Marcello among others, and composed in "old style". He was further influenced by Chopin, from whom he adopted ornamental phrasing, combined with a different harmonic-melodic style. According to Hugh Macdonald, Alkan's concertos sound similar to the two Chopin concertos of the same period, but with some touches of Beethoven's noble style, with dignified and expansive melodies.
A surprising aspect of Alkan's style is the technical rigor of his writing, rejecting harmonies that would make it easier to read, with the result of including a triple sharp on up to two occasions. This obstinacy is combined with a taste for rhythmic precision. He was interested in the use of unusual rhythmic combinations and unconventional ideas about tonal structure. Still, he made a great contribution to piano technique.
He was a strong advocate of the pedal piano and composed several notable works for the instrument, especially during his mature years.
Work
Alkan's compositions are predominantly for piano, an instrument which he played brilliantly and which also plays an essential role in his three chamber music works.
- Descriptive studies: Le Chemin de fer, Le Preux, L’Amitié.
- 25 preludes Op. 31, in all major and smaller shades, in 3 suites.
- Concert Studio "Le Preux"
- Les Mois, 12 works in 4 suites.
- Big Sonate 'Les Quatre Âges' for piano.
- Trois great études.
- A cello and piano sonata, op.47.
- Concert for piano solo
- Toccatina op.75
- Skipelle op.23
- Barcarolle op.65 (Trente blacks, Quatrième suite, Six blacks) no.6
- Douze études dans tous les tons mineurs, op.39
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