Alkan - Etude No. 7 Op. 35

[halfabeet]

Imagine how demoralised the pianist would have been if they'd hit a wrong key in one of those final two chords :-0

[shortcircuit94]

Hexameron, I really appreciate that you uploaded all this music. I would have not found these wonderful pieces for a long time had I not stumbled upon your videos! :)

[ryancalarts]

I like it a lot!

[TempodiPiano]

This etude is a monster. How ugly !

[PianoBlond]

awesome., it tells a story, and it does it in wonderfully...

(222 likes 2 dislikes lol :D)

[Gerjay]

This piece is brilliant.

[LiSaiFun]

A beatiful example of absolutely needless music. Even if this piece was created 200 years ago, it would be sunk into oblivion, just as some other time.

[RSCPT]

Wow, I'm impressed by these comments. Classical and Romantic music is where you can find probably the most sophisticated trolling on the net. Bravo. ^_^

(kinda blew it with your first comment, JP) T-T-T-TRROLLL in the dungeon!)

[randymcknob]

Rubbish

[jeyendeoso]

The big fire in London!

[JPConnolly2]

Okay, I love Alkan--really--but this particular piece is horrible.

[arsviatticae]

@JPConnolly2 Too hard or are you trolling?

[JPConnolly2]

@arsviatticae Merely my humble opinion. The piece is flawed on many levels, but I'll just pick the most salient. It represents Alkan's weak misreading (to borrow a phrase from Harold Bloom) of Mozart K.331/i. So listening to it within the context of that agon, it fails to measure up to its predecessor in respect to inner and outer form, structural voice leading, rhythmic organization, and the coherence of structural levels. Again, I'm a huge Alkan fan--just not in this instance.

[amxmachine]

@JPConnolly2 you know why this is such a good piece? because it sounds good and makes you feel. i feel a ton more from this than that sonata you mentioned... sorry this is such a hard concept for you to conceive

[JPConnolly2]

@amxmachine I can assure you that yours is not a hard concept for me to "conceive." We're just talking about two different things. You argue for the piece on purely aesthetic grounds. I, on the other hand, am arguing against the piece both aesthetically and analytically. You retain the right to enjoy this work as I retain the right *not* to. My larger point: there is more to the inherent artistic strength of a work than "it sounds good and makes you feel."

[AdamKuczynski]

@JPConnolly2 So, would you prefer to see some great homogeneity in music, where everything lives up to your criteria regarding "inner and outer form, structural voice leading, rhythmic organization, and the coherence of structural levels"? I certainly would not!

I find it amusing that you bring up Mozart, as I find him a grossly overrated composer (not a bad one, just too darned repetitive)! :-)

I'm curious to hear which works of Alkan you like (since he was, imo, incredibly innovative/diverse).

[JPConnolly2]

@AdamKuczynski Homogeneity? Absolutely not. I do, however, believe we have heuristics--here,mine are Schenkerian analysis/structural voice leading, rotational form, and anxiety-of-influence considerations-- that allow us to evaluate the relative artistic strength of a given composition.

The Concerto for Solo Piano is a tremendous work. It's exquisitely crafted, and it's a scathing rhetorical critique of the "romantic" piano concerto as genre.

[cancakmur]

definately best of op. 35

[MasterAzunai]

Dear god.... simply perfect. This is the kind of music that the piano was written for.

[Barbapippo]

Why wasting one's time with such a ridiculous composer, I cannot understand... the best comment to rubbish like this will always be Mozart's K 522

[VayDooble]

@Barbapippo Hello, Barbapippo. I am disturbed not a little by your comment. Please could you provide justification for deeming C-V. Alkan ridiculous? I personally believe that Alkan is a composer of the heights of Liszt or Chopin (who are also not ridiculous). You then continue to dismiss this masterful work as rubbish, without any justification. Such harmonic and melodic prowess in a piece far surpasses much! You then compare it with a song by Mozart, which is in a completely different form...

[mtheadedwally]

@VayDooble I dare say that Mozart would agree with you - such incredible feeling and passion in music, not to mention the sheer virtuosity of the pianist cannot, and should not, ever be described as ridiculous. Such an ignorant and ill-informed comment could only be made by someone so insanely jealous of the fact that thwy will never be able to play it; we should marvel in the masters, not dismiss them

[amxmachine]

@VayDooble by looking at the comments on their channel you begin to see the form of a troll shrouded in a fog of hateful jealousy. there is no convincing someone who is blind in the ears :)

[bratzko79]

Hexameron for president!!!

[gordianknot555]

Epic win.

[AmalgamOfMeat]

It's pieces like this that make me mad that Alkan isn't more popular >:[

[chutdigadut]

3:04 .... bad ass

[ThaSchwab]

This is a great piece but I was looking forward most to the ever-so-rare plagal cadence at the end. There was none, if I'm not mistaken.

[twilightz0ne1]

How come the notes are broken up like that when they are written in chords?

[rbob200]

such virtuosity, excellent tremolo.

[seabassthemexican]

AHHHHHH SHIT!!! my friend told me this song would make me shit myself....and well im not to argue

should not have had that been n' beef burrito....

[joao975ca]

This looks more like a Ballade rather than an etude...

Anyway, this is just outstanding! Incredible combination of two contrasting sections, leading to a powerful climax in the coda...brilliant!

[54321thedeathbed]

someone made three accounts just to dislike this

[fenderbender92]

Who is the interpretor in this video? He's magnificent!

[BenjaminTheHolyDiver]

This mey be Alkans best

[guythenew]

This is fantastic. I can't decide whether to kill myself now (5:12) or wait till the end!

[cedricrlongreen]

wow

[Imowedthecarpetonce]

Alkan must've wanted to confuse people at 4:25. 12/8 in the right hand and 4/4 in the left

[LongDriveChamp03]

10:20 to the end :) The incredible Alkanian triumphant conclusion.

[Piggywarz]

its not that HUGE a distance anyway

its a tenth....

PLUS a little more for the black key.

i cant, but i think others probably can

[Piggywarz]

if your hands are too small for the chord,

just do a gliss on the chord.

[13loodLust]

Woe is my small Asian hands.

[paulturtle92]

@13loodLust Owch ><, same here.

How far can you extend?

My absolute maximum fluent playing limit is an octave+2 white notes.

[paulturtle92]

oops, wrong post earlier.

Those chords, at 1:55 to 2:00.

If my hands aren't big enough, should i play 1 note after another, or simply play them a broken chord of some sort?

[cammywatt95]

@paulturtle92 i would play them as a spread chord

[ColtonBrook]

Standing ovation; wild applause!!!!!

[DjSidux]

I'm afraid those 3 who pushed "don't like" are deaf :/

Anyway, just amazing, captivating and stunning music as expected from Alkan! Just unbelievably incredible.

[ChopinBachBrahms]

The left hand chords around 6:05 made my hand cramp up and hide.

[cammywatt95]

5:19 seemed very out of place lol! Great music though, full of surprises and energy

[Himbotron]

this song is impossible

the chords are just too big

[alexanderkrampe]

That is great, but it is also noise music.

[airva21901]

I can't play this my hands are too small

[Starbirdy9999]

It's Beethoven on steroids!

[pingkai]

@Starbirdy9999 Sorry I can not feel a lot of "Beethoven" from this piece.

[Laudan08]

great melody, great level of difficulty. alkan works only need a piano included.

[Jim341046]

This stuff really touches my heart. It's amazing he's hardly known.

[BNM321zxy]

alkan is not only great in techniques, but also in Musicality! never underrate alkan!

[PrincessDesert]

@BNM321zxy

you think Alkan never sounds naive, cuz I want to underestimate him. See Liszt has naif/little thought parts, and then extraordinary/deep parts in his music, that's his contrast style.

[BrianHo1337]

apparently Alkan discriminates people with small hands (or short fingers), lol. You need at least 22cm of handspan to play this (look at the left hand -.-)

[BNM321zxy]

i really like the part 5:19-5:56!

[BNM321zxy]

06:02-- how could you play those six notes at the left hand?

[Shadowtel]

@BNM321zxy You can take the F and the G both with your thumb, or with your little finger. But after figuring that out their's still no beginning at this.

[cowheadcow]

@BNM321zxy you can hit the top g and f at the same time with your thumb.

[owlpenguin]

06.02 How I supposed to play the left hand? 6 notes on the left hand?

[Angel94angel94]

I shouldn't listen to this music, otherwise i'll want to learn the piece and it's soo hard :(

[ReturnOfTheStienway]

just listening to this again. I never get tired of it!!! Such a different side of Alkan I hear in this piece.

[anonymousQ45]

i think this is rigenssen i kno i spelled the name wrong, dammit

[FranzLisztian]

Very programmatic!

[siebhirn]

5.19 firefighters are coming...

[AmericanCars101]

My gosh This makes me picture a village on fire with people fleeing and scrambling everywere! This is awsome! I love it

[AlexanderZographos]

very insightful!!!

[08L1V10N]

this a iii - i cadence right?

[Lukecash12]

This really illustrates the perspective of the common person in this situation. Each piece of Alkan's is a world unto itself.

[Zebeldarebel]

I was trying to figure out what was so etudish about this piece, but then the rest of the piece came and I saw the light.

[RSCPT]

This piece always leaves me in awe. Music has power of untold amount, and Alkan truly was one to bring it to its most epic potential.

More people should hear this music.

[HandyTheXxxX]

I always thought so myself.

[SlyFox616]

I generally don't enjoy Alkan's compositions, but this piece is very much an exception. A rare, unique, and under-appreciated gem.

[sonicv3]

wow - love alkan

[madlovba2]

INCREDIBLE work! I love Alkan's works, and this etude is one of the most beautiful piece what I've ever heard.

I think this piece tells a story: "Fire in the Neighboring Village". I think these are the "movements" of this story:

1. 00:00 (Adagio) Pastoral life, with peace and romance.

2. 01:47 (Sostenuto) People observe something; "something is going on".

3. 02:13 (Allegro moderato) Dim smoke.

4. 02:20 (Adagio) People again, like in sostenuto part.

5. 02:32 (Allegro moderato) Smoke again.

[madlovba2]

14. 08:10 (Andante) After the fire, the villagers quiet down; they survived it.

15. 10:36 (the written tempo is Andante, but the whole part is mostly in 1 bar) Powerful ending with beautiful arpeggios as the last chords.

This is an amazing story with amazing music. Extremely difficult and beautiful. Alkan use very good extensions between the "movements" (like at 04:14-04:25, the 2nd and the 4th "movement" or the part before the ending).

[StrangelyReal]

@madlovba2 Except for the smoke part. It is definitely FIRE!!!

[qiqi91]

10:20 ~ feel like in heaven~

[Izzie40404]

The slow sections are of such a gospel-sounding nature, I wonder if he grew up in a religious background.

[Ltlevim]

He did, but he was Jewish.

[Lukecash12]

I don't understand "but he was Jewish". What does that have to do with the question? Plus, there is evidence that he was also Christian. He translated the entire bible from Greek and Hebrew into French, you know.

No offense intended, you just confused me.

[Lemonizm]

Evidence that he was Christian? Seriously, everyone knows that he was Jewish.

Just because Marc Chagal painted Jesus Christ doens't make him a christian.

[Lukecash12]

There's a big difference between artistic representation and translating the entire Bible. If you knew a thing or two about it, you'd know that translating Greek and Hebrew is some of the most difficult work a human being could possibly do. I'm sure he had quite a bit of emotions invested into it. And he even said if he could start everything over, he would paraphrase every single verse into music.

That seems like some strong evidence that he had faith in Jesus.

[Lemonizm]

Sorry, I'm not convinced.

[Lukecash12]

?????

[flamethrowerabc]

jews use the same bible, you know

[Lukecash12]

The Tora and Old Testament are identical, yes. But the Hebrews don't follow the gospel, revelations, acts, and Paul's teachings. This is common place knowledge.

[DEEZA95]

touching

[ValkiriouS]

OH MY GODDESS !!!~

[KeithWhalen11]

I always loved No. 7 from this set as well, thanks for putting it up with the score Hex.

[OrangeSodaKing]

Beautiful! Reminds me of a Chopin Ballade in some places.

[Pianista061292]

This piece is incredible...........

[justchilln2]

For a few moths I have only been playing Alkan's music. lol

[Und1ne]

5:57 and past... amazing

[Politikonboard]

i think i need a new pair of pants after listening to that

[Angel94angel94]

we all do

[123eldest]

@Politikonboard I think you'd need a new pair of hands after playing it =]

[Lukecash12]

Inexplicable genius. Could any composer be more original, and so remarkably poignant in every piece he/she writes? This seems in the realm of those who really interpret Beethoven well.

[felipesarro]

I also think that Alkan's music is very much in the Beethoven style.

[Or3st1s]

@Lukecash12 not really "inexplicable" when chopin and Liszt where commending (and Liszt said he was envious) of Alkan's technique! he could play anything and he was also awesome writting :)

[brandonok14]

@Lukecash12 The idea that Alkan is in the pantheon of great composers died long ago. He is Mendelssohn with more octaves. Get a fucking grip.

[Lukecash12]

@brandonok14 I don't appreciate the language or the berating sentiments towards Alkan. We realize that some of you just don't really think Alkan was very significant, but we've done our fair share of study, and have spent years listening to his works. You can just as well withhold your opinions about Alkan, but if you need to feel intellectually superior, I'd be happy to debate this with you via private messaging.

Have a good one.

[MrBrailowsky]

@Lukecash12 I support your opinion. Congratulations. Alkan is an outstanding composer that rivalizes with Liszt, Chopin, and others.

[MasterAzunai]

@MrBrailowsky He far surpasses Liszt... and I love Liszt. I can't really say about Chopin, they're simply too different.

[CSPlayerDamon]

@brandonok14 Then you're implying that Mendelssohn isn't good? Since, they both lived the same age, you can say that Mendelssohn is Alkan or Alkan is Mendelssohn by your sense, which is a bit overboard and seems a little stupid if you ask me.

[TheSingingCello]

@Lukecash12 It's possible, you have to remain committed to understanding every key, as well as know the process of somehow retaining old idea's and recycling from the ones that seemed bad or useless. imo the hardest part is knowing how the intervals are unique for each key, as well as really understanding the phases and cadences. But obtaining a level of this kind of proficiency requires something resembling madness

[Lukecash12]

talk about uncommon notation starting at the Cantica segment in Andante...

[ReturnOfTheStienway]

I think this piece is very Alkan, in a sense predictably Alkan, and undeniably his idiom of writing in certain parts.

[ReturnOfTheStienway]

This etude is my favorite out of all the major etudes. The form is incredible.

[Sorcerer88]

i listened to this piece before but i didn't understand it, only with smith's description could i really enjoy it. thanks for illuminating this piece for us!

[4candles]

This is one of Alkan's best pieces IMO.

[ReturnOfTheStienway]

Me too!

[Jman0101]

I like alot of alkan etudes...no.9 in the major keys is also a very fun piece to listen to.

[Ho0chie]

weirdly enough i was listening to Bernard Ringeissen's recording of this before i came on to youtube and saw it in my subscriptions new posts :D

thanks for another great post

[yuehchopin]

sehr süß!