Bravo! I think that you did a really good job. Although you made mistakes, and were sort of tense the entire time that you were playing, I believe that you presented it wonderfully. You also did not stretch the tempo at the end to its maximum like Igor Roma did. I commend you for being able to handle such an extremely difficult piece.
Good god, reading through the comments anyone would think this was terrible, he's an amatuer pianist by his own admission!. I don't care about the wrong notes or the correct phrasing, I think this is fantastically played. Bravo alkanlizst, I wish i could play it this well!
PLEASE, someone explain to me where some of you find the, (excuse the lack of a better word), "balls" to critique hamelin of all people... [side note]pianistsang... really!? ... enjoy the music, and respect the artist ..
On youtube, try the one by Edward Cohen (user edjacoh) - it is very good. CD recordings: Hamelin, Lewenthal, Roma or Gibbons, depending on your tastes.
PianostSang: You're right. The pianist should relax. Of course, that's much easier said than done. It took me a long time to learn to relax during virtuosic sections, and I still have a long way to go. But I commend this pianist for performing this wonderful work!
well, not really understand why to perform such EMPTY music. most of Alkan's works seem even emptier and blander than Liszt's.
Recommend Brahms and Chopin, there's enough virtuosity to show off one's skills, but what is more - there is heart and profound content (in most pieces of these).
Because people today are open to new music. We've seen enough Chopin everywhere. Everyone knows about him and he sounds great but Alkan just brings out a new kind of music.
I believe this piece is well presented however this doesn't mean it is well played. He misses some crucial parts where emphasis is required in the right and not the left, and in other places the main theme is not subtle enough. This piece is indeed extremely difficult to play and unfortunately the tone is heavy here when it's supposed to be light and playful. Despite these observations, I look forward to a more developed execution of this piece in future.
You look very tired when you stands up at the very end of the piece. This is a very difficult piece. I'm not trying it for now. Do you have those other 4 studies? The Symphonie?
I think I was just glad to have finished - yes it is very difficult. I've worked on the Symphonie, which I think is a wonderful piece; I feel that the last movement is actually harder than this.
Not a comment on this video except to say this is also good music.Would love to find Egon Petri recordings all ive seen is his Hammerklaveir which I have treasuree for decades now1
The Petri Alkan recording I referred to earlier in the comments is on a CD on the Pearl label. Naxos also have a recording of him playing, amongst others, the Brahms Paganini variations - reputedly it was done in one take, quite an achievement.
I've not really looked in depth at the Chopin/Godowskys as I find them a bit dry and they don't really appeal to me musically, so I would hesitate in giving a definitive judgement, but I'd say that something like the "Ignis fatuus" etude is harder than this. Neverthesless, Festin d'Esope is a considerable technical challenge to me - this is certainly not as clean as I'd like.
Bravo! I believe yours is a bit more than an attempt: you must have studied this really hard. Keep up the good work!
I have both the Lewenthal and Hamelin recordings of Charles-Valentin Alkan, equally astonishing as for quality (maybe Lewenthal a little bit better) but, in my opinion, the best among all the Alkan performers still remain Ronald Smith (recording by EMI Classics).
Thanks. I very much like the Lewenthal recording. Another interesting Alkan performance is a semi-official recording by Egon Petri of the Symphonie (tape recording made of him playing in a university practice room) - in musical terms it is highly interesting.
It's too bad Alkan wasn't more of a publicity hound, else this music would be more of a part of our musical heritage. This is great! I think I hear the spot where the bilious revelers upchuck! Thanks for posting.
Don't be hard on yourself - this is more than just an attempt. You play it very well considering the technical difficulties. Most pianists I have known wouldn't go anywhere near the Alkan studies, let alone perform them!
Very good job, alkanliszt! :-) BTW, I have a cd on Alkan (plus Liszt's Hexameron) played by Lewenthal. I've doubt why Cziffra has been so hailed, not Lewenthal.
I have never heard Lewenthal's playing of this, and would like to hear it. But, my point still stands: Alkan explicitly says 126 and not to deviate "whatsoever" from the tempo issued; should we take it seriously or just disregard it?
I interpret Alkan's "senza licenza quantunque" as an anti-rubato comment. I think on balance I would rather play variations 17 and 18 a little slower, but coherently, than play them at a speed which I may not be able to deal with. In part response to your question, should "Comme le vent" be played strictly at the metronome markings? To my knowledge this has not yet been done in a recording context.
(cont'd), it is the general rule to compensate by playing all the rest slightly slower than 126 and thus having the 64th note passages come out in tempo and playable.
Even Raymond Lewenthal, a pianist of considerable technical prowess, expressed doubts as to the practicality of playing variations 17 and 18 (I assume you mean these two; 19 is the Lamentevole variation) at the proscribed tempo.
My approach was to slightly lower the tempo at the start of variation 15, so as to approach these variations at a more practical tempo, and to increase the tempo again following variation 19, which I see more as a procession than an octave speed contest (I used to prefer the latter!)
"Le Festin" has a tempo marking, in poor Italian, that says no tempo deviation "whatsoever". This is mm=126 (quarter note). Alkan says to keep every part of this piece in that tempo throughout, which makes the 18/19th variations extremely fast. However, if one cannot play it up to that speed (Hamelin and others would say not to play it at all because the metronome marks define the character)
'Hamelin and others would say not to play it at all because the metronome marks define the character'
This is where I believe Hamelin is intrinsically wrong. He misses several musical details in the piece or fluffs them simply to make this metronome mark. It is impossible to play the piece well or musically with no tempo deviation.
Furthermore, I believe those who say 'better not to play it at all' citing the fact that 'the speed defines the character' do a grave injustice to the efforts of people like AlkanLiszt. While this is not at tempo, there is an intrinsioc artistic value in this performance far better than a lot of the ill thought out but very fast semiquavers Hamelin so often produces.
One of the things that annoys me about Hamelin is that he clearly has the technique to do whatever he wants with the music (whereas for me it's a considerable struggle).. but from a musical perspective it seems like he doesn't think about obvious things: for example variation X (2.46) he plays it "straight", and doesn't bring out the major incarnation of the theme in the lower right hand part at all. Nevertheless, it would be nice to have his technical facility..
Who would say no to a technique like Hamelin? Do you think that the amount of work required to get - and maintain such a technique blinds you to musical vision? Maybe working on technique prevents you working on - or looking at issues of musicality?
I think Hamelin claims he never had to work hard on technique. I wonder if this is true. I also wonder precisely what he means by not having to work hard? I can't remember where I heard him quoted as saying this though...
I'm not convinced that acquiring that level of technique is necessarily a barrier to musical vision; after all Liszt reputedly practised obsessively in his 20s and it didn't seem to hurt his musicality. Somewhere I read a claim that Hamelin only works on pieces untill he has mastered the technical details and then leaves them; if that is true I can't see such an approach benefitting the overall musical result.
I'm not surprised if that really is Hamelin's approach. It is such a shame, because if only he could look more deeply at interpretation he could give a truly incredible performance.
Maybe that is true about Hamelin just using the pieces to increase his technical command. Have you listened to his Haydn? I think it is perfect Haydn playing. I have not heard his Late Beethoven but I know from others that it is interesting. Also, I think that if he just left pieces, like broken-hearted women scattered in his wake, then he would not have returned to the Alkan Concerto and re-recorded it.
technical facility is like in physical education being able to run fast or lift heavier weights. doesnt make a more proficient football player, but i guess youre right it is nice to have good technique...
Hamelin is technically better, but then again if you have heard his Alkan live you will find it is also chock full of mistakes. The music is such that it is insurmountably difficult to play note perfect in live settings.
It's overall a performance with some untidy sections.. but it is a horrendously difficult piece of music. Hamelin is, of course, much more precise technically.
Bravo! I think that you did a really good job. Although you made mistakes, and were sort of tense the entire time that you were playing, I believe that you presented it wonderfully. You also did not stretch the tempo at the end to its maximum like Igor Roma did. I commend you for being able to handle such an extremely difficult piece.
VilliusPossessoris 2 weeks ago
this is actually a very very very hard piece to play and he doenst do very much wrong
most the wrong notes he plays arent actually wrong
they are meant to sound that way
so stop putting him down whoever dares to!
Simo2009BORO 1 year ago
I feel bad for the page turner who has to keep up with this instead of just enjoy it.
theDON535 1 year ago
Bravo !!!
photonwaves 2 years ago
Awesome performance, Great technique
kastlesucks 2 years ago 2
I like 3:52
kastlesucks 2 years ago
LOVE ALKAN!!!GREAT JOB!!
Adriandp8 2 years ago 3
Good god, reading through the comments anyone would think this was terrible, he's an amatuer pianist by his own admission!. I don't care about the wrong notes or the correct phrasing, I think this is fantastically played. Bravo alkanlizst, I wish i could play it this well!
deviantrake 2 years ago 7
PLEASE, someone explain to me where some of you find the, (excuse the lack of a better word), "balls" to critique hamelin of all people... [side note]pianistsang... really!? ... enjoy the music, and respect the artist ..
brkntgr 2 years ago
someone comment me.
whos the best playing this? i wanna hear an accurate playing
el1te0n3 2 years ago
Hamelin is the best !
havenotname 2 years ago
On youtube, try the one by Edward Cohen (user edjacoh) - it is very good. CD recordings: Hamelin, Lewenthal, Roma or Gibbons, depending on your tastes.
alkanliszt 2 years ago
Hamelin.
But don't be hating on people's attempts to play Alkan's music. This is one of the better ones.
OrangeSodaKing 2 years ago
GREAT!!
GaryPansey 2 years ago
eczkiekuku:
That's pretty cool there, bro.
PianostSang: You're right. The pianist should relax. Of course, that's much easier said than done. It took me a long time to learn to relax during virtuosic sections, and I still have a long way to go. But I commend this pianist for performing this wonderful work!
OrangeSodaKing 2 years ago
I congratulate you on being able to play this extremely difficult etude.
But you need to RELAX. You look too tensed up. When you tense up, you make your phrasings A LOT shorter; try to make them much longer.
But GREAT job!
PianistSang 2 years ago
@PianistSang oh and i suppose you are perfect at piano are you?
Simo2009BORO 10 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
well, not really understand why to perform such EMPTY music. most of Alkan's works seem even emptier and blander than Liszt's.
Recommend Brahms and Chopin, there's enough virtuosity to show off one's skills, but what is more - there is heart and profound content (in most pieces of these).
Cheerz!
eczkiekuku 3 years ago
Because people today are open to new music. We've seen enough Chopin everywhere. Everyone knows about him and he sounds great but Alkan just brings out a new kind of music.
xiphoid13 3 years ago 6
You might wanna look at his 23 other etudes before you judge
staystilljason 3 years ago 2
or his other 80 odd opuses (opii?)
staystilljason 3 years ago 4
It's every bit as profound in content. I just hope that we can forgive Alkan for not being a saint seeing as we aren't exactly saints ourselves.
Lukecash12 3 years ago
I believe this piece is well presented however this doesn't mean it is well played. He misses some crucial parts where emphasis is required in the right and not the left, and in other places the main theme is not subtle enough. This piece is indeed extremely difficult to play and unfortunately the tone is heavy here when it's supposed to be light and playful. Despite these observations, I look forward to a more developed execution of this piece in future.
fungus12 3 years ago
I would imagine you would have this memorized if you can play it like this...you should try it sometime without the music!
PianoMan8912 3 years ago
Great Job! It would probably take me a year just to learn the notes!!
Eristhenes 3 years ago
oh...a bit of wrong keys..some mistakes...it's alrite...err..sort of..
remynady 4 years ago
remynady: yeah he had a few wrong notes, but did you hear how many he got right?
OrangeSodaKing 2 years ago 5
Que estudio tan guiso. That's like the minor version of a childhood piece haha. very funny
alfonsoven88 4 years ago
very very well done!
nycfemale2008 4 years ago
You look very tired when you stands up at the very end of the piece. This is a very difficult piece. I'm not trying it for now. Do you have those other 4 studies? The Symphonie?
covallini 4 years ago 3
I think I was just glad to have finished - yes it is very difficult. I've worked on the Symphonie, which I think is a wonderful piece; I feel that the last movement is actually harder than this.
alkanliszt 4 years ago
I love Alkan's last minor etude! Your interpretation is really good and I very much enjpyed it!!!!
NeoComposer 4 years ago
Not a comment on this video except to say this is also good music.Would love to find Egon Petri recordings all ive seen is his Hammerklaveir which I have treasuree for decades now1
lovesGenet 4 years ago
The Petri Alkan recording I referred to earlier in the comments is on a CD on the Pearl label. Naxos also have a recording of him playing, amongst others, the Brahms Paganini variations - reputedly it was done in one take, quite an achievement.
alkanliszt 4 years ago
Monumental...Bravo...Is this really much more difficult that Godovsky/Chopin surrealisms?
sagalat 4 years ago
I've not really looked in depth at the Chopin/Godowskys as I find them a bit dry and they don't really appeal to me musically, so I would hesitate in giving a definitive judgement, but I'd say that something like the "Ignis fatuus" etude is harder than this. Neverthesless, Festin d'Esope is a considerable technical challenge to me - this is certainly not as clean as I'd like.
alkanliszt 4 years ago
Bravo! I believe yours is a bit more than an attempt: you must have studied this really hard. Keep up the good work!
I have both the Lewenthal and Hamelin recordings of Charles-Valentin Alkan, equally astonishing as for quality (maybe Lewenthal a little bit better) but, in my opinion, the best among all the Alkan performers still remain Ronald Smith (recording by EMI Classics).
graant71 4 years ago
Thanks. I very much like the Lewenthal recording. Another interesting Alkan performance is a semi-official recording by Egon Petri of the Symphonie (tape recording made of him playing in a university practice room) - in musical terms it is highly interesting.
alkanliszt 4 years ago
It's too bad Alkan wasn't more of a publicity hound, else this music would be more of a part of our musical heritage. This is great! I think I hear the spot where the bilious revelers upchuck! Thanks for posting.
TheSanityInspector 4 years ago
Don't be hard on yourself - this is more than just an attempt. You play it very well considering the technical difficulties. Most pianists I have known wouldn't go anywhere near the Alkan studies, let alone perform them!
PhilTheEngineer 4 years ago
Great Job!
I would definately compare it to Hamelin.
BTW, you bear a striking resemblance to Dr. Who in this.
agreatguy6 5 years ago
Thanks.. I think Hamelin is a lot cleaner, but I don't agree with everything he does. However nor do I agree with everything I do!
Not sure what to make of the Dr Who comment, but at least it explains the phone box outside the concert hall :D
alkanliszt 5 years ago
For some reason, your jacket reminds me of Dr. Who.
Dunno.
Good job, though!
agreatguy6 5 years ago
You should listen to a recording of the Italian pianist Igor Roma, it is unapproachable in its virtuosity.
erpooh 5 years ago
I was aware of the existence of this recording. but sadly I have not yet heard it.
alkanliszt 5 years ago
Very good job, alkanliszt! :-) BTW, I have a cd on Alkan (plus Liszt's Hexameron) played by Lewenthal. I've doubt why Cziffra has been so hailed, not Lewenthal.
MusicaAntiqua71 5 years ago
Yes, I have heard this cd also. I like Cziffra a lot, but Lewenthal is seriously under-rated, as far as I'm concerned.
alkanliszt 5 years ago
Yes I have some old recordings of Lewenthal. It is interesting to listen to his recordings because he recorded some Alkan works on the Pleyel.
ivrykeys 4 years ago
I have never heard Lewenthal's playing of this, and would like to hear it. But, my point still stands: Alkan explicitly says 126 and not to deviate "whatsoever" from the tempo issued; should we take it seriously or just disregard it?
Lisztman1 5 years ago
I interpret Alkan's "senza licenza quantunque" as an anti-rubato comment. I think on balance I would rather play variations 17 and 18 a little slower, but coherently, than play them at a speed which I may not be able to deal with. In part response to your question, should "Comme le vent" be played strictly at the metronome markings? To my knowledge this has not yet been done in a recording context.
alkanliszt 5 years ago
(cont'd), it is the general rule to compensate by playing all the rest slightly slower than 126 and thus having the 64th note passages come out in tempo and playable.
Lisztman1 5 years ago
Even Raymond Lewenthal, a pianist of considerable technical prowess, expressed doubts as to the practicality of playing variations 17 and 18 (I assume you mean these two; 19 is the Lamentevole variation) at the proscribed tempo.
alkanliszt 5 years ago
My approach was to slightly lower the tempo at the start of variation 15, so as to approach these variations at a more practical tempo, and to increase the tempo again following variation 19, which I see more as a procession than an octave speed contest (I used to prefer the latter!)
alkanliszt 5 years ago
"Le Festin" has a tempo marking, in poor Italian, that says no tempo deviation "whatsoever". This is mm=126 (quarter note). Alkan says to keep every part of this piece in that tempo throughout, which makes the 18/19th variations extremely fast. However, if one cannot play it up to that speed (Hamelin and others would say not to play it at all because the metronome marks define the character)
Lisztman1 5 years ago
'Hamelin and others would say not to play it at all because the metronome marks define the character'
This is where I believe Hamelin is intrinsically wrong. He misses several musical details in the piece or fluffs them simply to make this metronome mark. It is impossible to play the piece well or musically with no tempo deviation.
davealkan 3 years ago
Furthermore, I believe those who say 'better not to play it at all' citing the fact that 'the speed defines the character' do a grave injustice to the efforts of people like AlkanLiszt. While this is not at tempo, there is an intrinsioc artistic value in this performance far better than a lot of the ill thought out but very fast semiquavers Hamelin so often produces.
davealkan 3 years ago
One of the things that annoys me about Hamelin is that he clearly has the technique to do whatever he wants with the music (whereas for me it's a considerable struggle).. but from a musical perspective it seems like he doesn't think about obvious things: for example variation X (2.46) he plays it "straight", and doesn't bring out the major incarnation of the theme in the lower right hand part at all. Nevertheless, it would be nice to have his technical facility..
alkanliszt 3 years ago
Who would say no to a technique like Hamelin? Do you think that the amount of work required to get - and maintain such a technique blinds you to musical vision? Maybe working on technique prevents you working on - or looking at issues of musicality?
I think Hamelin claims he never had to work hard on technique. I wonder if this is true. I also wonder precisely what he means by not having to work hard? I can't remember where I heard him quoted as saying this though...
davealkan 3 years ago
I'm not convinced that acquiring that level of technique is necessarily a barrier to musical vision; after all Liszt reputedly practised obsessively in his 20s and it didn't seem to hurt his musicality. Somewhere I read a claim that Hamelin only works on pieces untill he has mastered the technical details and then leaves them; if that is true I can't see such an approach benefitting the overall musical result.
alkanliszt 3 years ago
I'm not surprised if that really is Hamelin's approach. It is such a shame, because if only he could look more deeply at interpretation he could give a truly incredible performance.
davealkan 3 years ago
Maybe that is true about Hamelin just using the pieces to increase his technical command. Have you listened to his Haydn? I think it is perfect Haydn playing. I have not heard his Late Beethoven but I know from others that it is interesting. Also, I think that if he just left pieces, like broken-hearted women scattered in his wake, then he would not have returned to the Alkan Concerto and re-recorded it.
grdiii 3 years ago
technical facility is like in physical education being able to run fast or lift heavier weights. doesnt make a more proficient football player, but i guess youre right it is nice to have good technique...
callenishss 3 years ago
in response to alkanliszt,
Hamelin is technically better, but then again if you have heard his Alkan live you will find it is also chock full of mistakes. The music is such that it is insurmountably difficult to play note perfect in live settings.
Lisztman1 5 years ago
It's overall a performance with some untidy sections.. but it is a horrendously difficult piece of music. Hamelin is, of course, much more precise technically.
alkanliszt 5 years ago
great piece... good performance... lots of perseverence and guts to play something like that... well done!
Tom
tompilk 5 years ago
It takes a big technique and a touch of masochism to take on Alkan -- congratulations!
emtube 5 years ago