Alkan: Prelude in E minor Op. 31

[hartistry]

Nice playing.

[titusbeertsen]

Sounds like a midi for sure.

[PY05]

@titusbeertsen how can u say this sounds like midi...sounds nothing like it

[titusbeertsen]

@PY05 I mean, it doesn't sound like a human performance right? Way to perfect, even MAH couldn't play like this.

[thegreatapologist]

@titusbeertsen Nah, he could nail this. I don't think it's nearly as hard as you think it is.

[nicke1126]

Maybe its a midi file?

[Jim0734]

@nicke1126 I agree. It's too hard to be an anonomous performance.

[ConvergeLyrics]

this sounds like a computer is playing it

[OceanbornSWT]

Very similar to Chopin definately... But also I'm wondering who influenced to who or who made this by first time... CHOPIN vs ALKAN :O

[OrangeSodaKing]

@OceanbornSWT Chopin's Op. 10 came before Alkan's Op. 31. But Raymond Lewenthal says that "tune-tracing" and comparing melodies to say so-and-so ripped so-and-so isn't totally fair, and I guess after thinking a bit more about it, it makes sense. Check his lecture out on YouTube! It's amazing.

[mattcabideinchrist]

Flight of the yellow-jacket.....

[axdy91]

It's annoying when someone uploads a piece but doesn't name the performer.

[Jim341046]

@axdy91 Gibbons? I doubt there's mamy people that can record this!

[axdy91]

@Jim341046 No, I already have his recordings of Alkan and this prelude is not among them. It's probably some other obscure pianist.

[0GuitarMax0]

what. the. fuck...

[palpitamento]

it reminds me alkan's "Le vent"

[Jim341046]

When you see the score you think it looks possible but the fingering is a nightmare - and that's at half speed - just on the first page. 99.999% can forget it. Actually I'd like to hear someone else give it a go? Any takers with a camera? Your prize will be $5,000 without mistakes at this speed.

[KeithWhalen11]

@Jim341046 I'd chip in for the cash prize!

[KeithWhalen11]

I'm transcribing this for guitar, a lot of the parts have to be chopped down an octave. Don't expect it to be this fast though! Yikes.

[Jim341046]

@KeithWhalen11 it would be an amazing trumpet solo too..

[Jim341046]

A bit like Bach this but with turbo and nitrous. Bach is already a Ferrari California but this is a Ducatti wfuwfuwnefunfsfsnodifunsoifn tt

[catabavti]

chi sta suonando?????who is playing??????

[catabavti]

spettacolo....impressionante

[minasgekos]

who's playing???

[Jim341046]

@minasgekos Jack Gibbons I think

[minasgekos]

@Jim341046 i dont think so. this recording sounds very old.

[Jim341046]

Can I warn anyone thinking of giving this a go, it is still a formidable piece even slowed down.

If you're not a concert performer, you won't be used to tucking your 4th finger inside your fifth or jumping 12ths at speed. You will need both here. If Grade 8 was a blue ski run, this is a black double diamond.

[nihilus58]

This destroys flight of the bumblebee! I have always wondered why Alkan is not as popular as the other well-known pianist/composers. This is great!

[Jim341046]

Well said. I can play the simple version of Flight of the Bumble Bee. This is a thousand times harder

[TheResidentevilfan92]

It might be the fact that his music is so hard. But I agree he should be much more popular than he is.

[Jim341046]

I'm living and breathing Alkan at the moment.

[OrangeSodaKing]

The ending is very very similar to Chopin Etude Op. 10 No. 4.

[StarWarseu]

@OrangeSodaKing at 0:58-1:05 it is

[OrangeSodaKing]

@StarWarseu Oh my, 0:58-1:05 is VERY similar to Chopin's etude Op. 10 No. 4. The ending is structured the same as Chopin's etude.

[StarWarseu]

@OrangeSodaKing Yer youre right, there was a couple of videos posted a while back of someone who'd discovered similarities between Chopin pieces and Alkans, this instance was one. However the videos are no longer on youtube sadly.

[Jim341046]

I found a free score for this in Wiki I think but it was called Etude de Velocite. So maybe it is an etude?

[robbiethemann]

it is both

[Lukecash12]

Gorgeous piece!

[wanjabelaga]

wow!

chopin meets nancarrow?

[forrestisnotmoody]

this seems like it would be the most epic of encores EVER.

[aguyfromtexas]

I meant to reply to this comment when I replied to my own ;)

[aguyfromtexas]

From the first second of this I thought of Chopin 10 no 4. Ive never heard any of Alkan's music before, but if this is just a prelude, I hate to imagine the probable difficulty of any of his etudes.

[writerspleasure]

you must research his compositions, even here on y/t - look up his etude "the knight" and hamelin playing the allegro barbaresco. there is genius throughout all his works.

[Lukecash12]

Honestly, I agree. I don't think I've yet found a piece that isn't severely profound once you catch on to the subtleties. It seems like he was some sort of technical and musical Demigod.

[writerspleasure]

you are definitely onto the alkan magic.

[kasyapa]

you are 100% true there.

[Lukecash12]

Well sir, then you are my kind of chap.

[aguyfromtexas]

I'll have to think of that next time I have a concert =]

[kasyapa]

i'll be adding you. :)

[flouz2]

@aguyfromtexas monstruous !!!!!!!!

[anonymousQ45]

@aguyfromtexas the opening theme is actually almost identical to Liszt no.10 F minor etude

[Evil5ymphony]

@aguyfromtexas they are very difficult ;_;

[OrangeSodaKing]

It's like an easier version of Le Chemin de Fer.

I actually think it's a little more playable than you all think.

[Desmonddd2002]

I agree, to his etude it is relatively easier

[ginocretino]

sounds like Liszt Transcendental etude no. 10!

[addeex1]

I can hear both chopin etude and liszts TE 10 ^^ But it´s really sound good and IF alkan copied a bit I consider him still as a genious to mix the songs toghether and remaking it.

Haha this is only a prelude, kind of incredible O__o

[Yamsareverytasty]

Which chopin etude? I'm doing research on this and I'm trying to compare alkan with liszt and chopin

[staystilljason]

Etude 10-4

[Yamsareverytasty]

Thanks, will have a listen. I'm currently analysing Alkans music and stuff like this is really helpful!

[Marcomedina]

no... try scherzo focoso for that reference

[Ives1964]

Ok let's all go practice...

[MacintoshPC]

I don't think my metronome can go slow enough for me to practice this song. Lol.

[grdiii]

Frankly I can't see the comparison with either the Chopin op10#4 or TE 10. Reminds me more of an amped up version of the last part of Impromtu Op 36 by Chopin. But, like, waayy amped up.

[Marcomedina]

At around 1:00 or so, that little transition is also in the chopin etude, but in a different key. I frankly could care less if he copied chopin. It fits the piece, does it not? Doesn't make Alkan any less a composer in my book.

[ReclaimTheGlory]

I would say that it is much harder then Op.10 No.4, and a lot harder (for me) then Liszt TE 10, even though I have no idea why that was brought up, as I can't think of two pieces that are less alike

[Anders039]

Some chord-progresses sounded like TE1.0

[talonboy5432]

Chopin and Alkan were close friends and Liszt commented that Alkan's technique was "frightening"

So even if I detect anything that's reminiscent I would think that they probably studied each other works and wrote variations which they made into their style.

[mziel53]

I can't imagine myself playing with such brilliant technique!

[talonboy5432]

THIS IS A PRELUDE!?

Omg...Alkan is officially on my list now...Liszt please make way thanks...

[88alan8800]

haha are you kidding? liszt transcndental 10 is nothing like this... clearly you havent played it. or compared scores. im thinking 10 is probably harder because of the awkwardness of the close proximity of the hands in some of the passages. that is what i found most dificult

[ManWithManyShurikens]

but still if you stop this video at 1:30 you can see some nice left hand jumps :) And they have to be played pretty fast :D

[mukeshcuster]

is someone playing this or is it computerised

[tsubakisan]

Amazing, I really like Alkan, but I think sometimes his music is a so difficult... maybe that'd be the reason I love him? :D

[cerzule]

Amazing, and beautiful!

[Aul1kki]

I agree that this is little bit like chopin's etude op.10 n.4. But this is just so many times harder. But still amazing piece! Actually alkan and liszt are my favourite composers when you want hardness and beauty.

[trigalg693]

I don't think it's harder, the patterns are simpler in this one. Tempo about the same.

[supermanifold]

Chopin? No. This is unmistakably reminiscent of Liszt's Transcendental Etude No. 10.

[Aul1kki]

Hmm. Which part of this piece is something like in Liszt's transcendental etude n. 10? There are video from stienwayz, where are good example how this and chopin's 10 4 are little bit same.

[supermanifold]

the first few bars,  and elsewhere.

[mvs1312]

maybe it was just a coincidence, or if it was not and Alkan took just 5 or so bars from Chopin's etude op10 no4, who hasn't borrowed some ideas from other composers into their songs? I know Chopin did it, and Beethoven and Liszt and many others, so its not a surprise to see just 5 or so bars of similarity from the 4th etude.

[Aul1kki]

What was the point in your comment? Of course it's like that, but sometimes it's funny to see where somebody pick his ideas. Or found similarity between pieces.

[jiolsmolimassunemo]

if it's a good idea, why not use it again?

[Anders039]

Wow!!

[4thMG]

um............WOW.

[jasonextreme]

Sounds soooo much like Chopins etude op.10 no.4.

[mickyj300x]

Well, apparently Alkan was influenced by Chopin... so... yeah.

[mvs1312]

not really, because he knew his technique was somewhat better than Chopin. He liked his music so we can see that in very few of his pieces. for example a little part of allegretto alla barbaresca is influenced by Chopin's grande polonaise brillante.