@11101S This piece requires enormous dexterity, strength and many tricky techniques so I would almost dare to say it's more difficult than most Liszt - Paganini studies combined! La Campanella is more challenging technically though, if perfect playing is required.
@Lunogiaros Not at all. The first portion of the Ouverture (played in this video) is surprisingly easy. It doesn't require that much stamina/strength, because you can play most of it with a relaxed hand (that is, not tense due to having to stretch octaves all the time): It's easy to let your hand 'bounce' up and down when it's relaxed, allowing you to play repeated chords/notes quickly. That's what makes, for instance, Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody 6 so darned tough to play.
Hi Hexameron, could you give me some information about this specific recording that you've posted? Eg. pianist name, record company, year of release, etc. I'm doing a project on this piece of music and I'd like to include this in my bibliography. Thank you.
@chopzart I am the pianist on this recording. This recording was uploaded by Hexameron without my permission - unfortunately Hexameron has a terrible record for uploading 100s of recordings by living artists without giving credit to the artists - the sort of behaviour that should have no place on YouTube. My recording of Alkan's Overture was recorded for the British label ASV in January 1995 and is part of my complete set of the 12 Etudes dans les tons mineurs Opus 39 . Best wishes, Jack Gibbons
This piece is amazing. Alkan's use of chords is unprecedented and I might dare to add still not duplicated. It's sad that things so unconventional and unique are overlooked and pieces such as Alkan's are almost forgotten.
At any rate, whenever I attempt it my forearms begin to burn horribly! :P
i love this piece, but as soon as jack gibbons gets to the dotted rhythms in the opening section, he does not play them with rhythmic accuracy, which really takes away from his performance, for me.
@HensCambier Have you heard Hamelin playing the Symphony for Solo Piano? You will probably appreciate that better. It's a neat experience hearing the four movements played through as a set.
It's sad we no longer have people like this lying around... we do, but they put their brains into something else, like engineering...not that is't bad though, just that we miss them.
@Aul1kki If i were to take a guess why alkan is not popular..I'd say that since his music complex and structurally very blocky with little to no ornamentation and instead very chord focused music is why he is often over looked. However even with this..I am still a fan of Alkan.
@Aul1kki It is too dificult and due to the lack of taste from our times he is so forgoten.... another one is Dussek! Oh Just listen to his sonatas.................... forgoten too :(
the chords he plays at 0:33 show an E-sharp, B-natural, then what looks like a D-sharp and E. Is it meant to be an E-sharp at the end and a D-natural?
@123eldest: Yes it should be printed as an E sharp and D natural in the right hand at 0:33, otherwise the clash with the left hand would be horrendous and the chord progressions would make no sense!
@Reynartthefox Yes, the E# carries through whilst the Enat is cancelled. A bit strange that this is implied, but if you look at the augmented unison on the previous chord, you'll see that the # is the last accidental written, therefore it's theoretically correct as it is.
Almost as if Beethoven and Mendolsohnn had made a symphony together. I think Alkan did what he wanted to do with this entire work, very orchestral. Not very often do you hear Beethoven complemented that well.
This piece does take a bit of getting used to, but I loved the first time I heard it - it perfectly captures the sense and drive of a full orchestra, apart from a few pianistic episodes as the piece continues. I'd love to hear an orchestral arrangement of this - has Mark Starr made an arrangement of it?
You hit the nail on the head, my friend! A Classical-era orchestral overture came to mind when I heard this, almost Mozart/Schubert (a la Unfinished Symphony) in quality.
I had to listen to this one a couple times before it grew on me. It is much different from the other etudes in the set. He uses a lot more themes in this etude, and you don't hear them as repeated, or developed, as often as you might in another Alkan work. The length of the work also adds another aspect for appreciation.
Wow. I need to learn this!
TehHansell 1 month ago
The real forearms workout.
ContraereaSerba 3 months ago
Does any one empirically how difficult this piece compares to Liszt-Paganini etudes or sth. similar,couse i want try to play this this year???
11101S 6 months ago
@11101S This piece requires enormous dexterity, strength and many tricky techniques so I would almost dare to say it's more difficult than most Liszt - Paganini studies combined! La Campanella is more challenging technically though, if perfect playing is required.
Lunogiaros 4 months ago
@Lunogiaros Not at all. The first portion of the Ouverture (played in this video) is surprisingly easy. It doesn't require that much stamina/strength, because you can play most of it with a relaxed hand (that is, not tense due to having to stretch octaves all the time): It's easy to let your hand 'bounce' up and down when it's relaxed, allowing you to play repeated chords/notes quickly. That's what makes, for instance, Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody 6 so darned tough to play.
AdamKuczynski 3 months ago
Schubert really was a genius.
DannyDaWriter 8 months ago
Hi Hexameron, could you give me some information about this specific recording that you've posted? Eg. pianist name, record company, year of release, etc. I'm doing a project on this piece of music and I'd like to include this in my bibliography. Thank you.
chopzart 9 months ago
@chopzart I am the pianist on this recording. This recording was uploaded by Hexameron without my permission - unfortunately Hexameron has a terrible record for uploading 100s of recordings by living artists without giving credit to the artists - the sort of behaviour that should have no place on YouTube. My recording of Alkan's Overture was recorded for the British label ASV in January 1995 and is part of my complete set of the 12 Etudes dans les tons mineurs Opus 39 . Best wishes, Jack Gibbons
JackGibbonsHQ 1 month ago
This piece is amazing. Alkan's use of chords is unprecedented and I might dare to add still not duplicated. It's sad that things so unconventional and unique are overlooked and pieces such as Alkan's are almost forgotten.
At any rate, whenever I attempt it my forearms begin to burn horribly! :P
SYOPianist 11 months ago
i love this piece, but as soon as jack gibbons gets to the dotted rhythms in the opening section, he does not play them with rhythmic accuracy, which really takes away from his performance, for me.
88alan8800 1 year ago
I AM SPEACHLESS!!!!!!
SordidGuy 1 year ago
One word: EPIC!
exelpaperclip123 1 year ago
Father of power metal!
Angel94angel94 1 year ago
With music like this, he's bound to be an immortal and wonderful musician
STDPr0ductions 1 year ago
Unbelievable. I'm simply in awe. Everyone should know the name Alkan just as they know Bach or Mozart...
cfwpiano 1 year ago 10
alkan had no boring songs. if he was going to write a song. it would have to be amazing
imaball 1 year ago
Once again Alkan, you're too damn ahead of your time!
Pageboy72 1 year ago
Hmm, I just can't appreciate this. I can't find anything in it, it sounds cheap to me. I like Liszt, but this, no.
HensCambier 1 year ago
@HensCambier Have you heard Hamelin playing the Symphony for Solo Piano? You will probably appreciate that better. It's a neat experience hearing the four movements played through as a set.
OrangeSodaKing 1 year ago
@HensCambier if you say "i don' t like this cause it sounds cheap to me" you must AT LEAST explain why does it sound that way, what does it lack?
honestly i think that this is truly a masterpiece....
m4n4k1n 1 year ago
Comment removed
Lisztman88 2 years ago
It doesn´t if you have good technique and play it in right way
addeex1 2 years ago
The fact is that very few people are concert pianists with years and years of technique under their belt.
pearsewl 2 years ago
So I'm wrong?
addeex1 2 years ago
Comment removed
kastlesucksTDOTS 2 years ago
It's sad we no longer have people like this lying around... we do, but they put their brains into something else, like engineering...not that is't bad though, just that we miss them.
=(
Egide0 2 years ago 2
alkan, your genius, beatiful.
solbap 2 years ago 18
i tried the first 6 pages.. damn!!! very tiring!!!
rvn10rvn17 2 years ago
Wonderful! Just wonderful! I can't understand why alkan's music is so underrated.
Aul1kki 2 years ago 48
Alkan is underrated because people keep playing the same Beethoven sonatas and Chopin etudes over and over.
Lisztman88 2 years ago 7
@Aul1kki If i were to take a guess why alkan is not popular..I'd say that since his music complex and structurally very blocky with little to no ornamentation and instead very chord focused music is why he is often over looked. However even with this..I am still a fan of Alkan.
Jman0101 1 year ago
@Jman0101 That's the same reason so many people don't get Medtner.
Lukecash12 1 year ago
@Aul1kki It is too dificult and due to the lack of taste from our times he is so forgoten.... another one is Dussek! Oh Just listen to his sonatas.................... forgoten too :(
alexilmagnifico 8 months ago
the chords he plays at 0:33 show an E-sharp, B-natural, then what looks like a D-sharp and E. Is it meant to be an E-sharp at the end and a D-natural?
123eldest 2 years ago
@123eldest: Yes it should be printed as an E sharp and D natural in the right hand at 0:33, otherwise the clash with the left hand would be horrendous and the chord progressions would make no sense!
Reynartthefox 2 years ago
@Reynartthefox Yes, the E# carries through whilst the Enat is cancelled. A bit strange that this is implied, but if you look at the augmented unison on the previous chord, you'll see that the # is the last accidental written, therefore it's theoretically correct as it is.
HandyTheXxxX 3 months ago
Almost as if Beethoven and Mendolsohnn had made a symphony together. I think Alkan did what he wanted to do with this entire work, very orchestral. Not very often do you hear Beethoven complemented that well.
Lukecash12 2 years ago
I wish he'd brought out the left hand melody more near the end. The right hand was too loud, I think it should have been more delicate.
goobleglob 2 years ago
This piece does take a bit of getting used to, but I loved the first time I heard it - it perfectly captures the sense and drive of a full orchestra, apart from a few pianistic episodes as the piece continues. I'd love to hear an orchestral arrangement of this - has Mark Starr made an arrangement of it?
4candles 2 years ago 3
You hit the nail on the head, my friend! A Classical-era orchestral overture came to mind when I heard this, almost Mozart/Schubert (a la Unfinished Symphony) in quality.
sanctusignis 2 years ago
I find it odd. Some alkan peices I love while others I tend to find wierd, odd yet interesting none the less. This one Im not so sure.
Jman0101 2 years ago 2
I had to listen to this one a couple times before it grew on me. It is much different from the other etudes in the set. He uses a lot more themes in this etude, and you don't hear them as repeated, or developed, as often as you might in another Alkan work. The length of the work also adds another aspect for appreciation.
ReturnOfTheStienway 2 years ago
It's a wonderful piece, this is my first listen and I'm very impressed.
OrangeSodaKing 2 years ago 2