Little is known about Alkan's reclusive years when he kept only the most tenuous links with the outside world. We do know, however, that during this time Alkan mastered the pédalier, that curious and defunct child of the piano and organ and a plausible (if typically aberrant) choice of instrument for one who took first prize at the Conservatoire in those more conventional instruments. Alkan played an Erard pédalier, a full grand piano whose bass strings were connected to a thirty-note pedalboard. It was, perhaps, for this reason that Alkan kept two apartments, one on top of the other, as a means of containing the hellish din which was undoubtedly produced when the old man was in full cry. ... Though a man who lived much of his life within the disciplines of the past, his idiosyncratic style anticipated twentieth-century composers such as Bartok, Cowell, Mahler, and Messiaen. Alkan's astonishingly innovative use of traditional musical language may well yet vindicate Busoni's judgment of this often great (but always greatly misunderstood) figure.(1)In the 1860s until 1872 Charles-Valentin Alkan (1813 - 1888) continues to compose for piano and increasingly for pedal piano. He then devotes himself, together with his son Élie-Miriam Delaborde, to a series of so-called petits concerts(1).
It is in these years that he becomes increasingly interested in the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, and the Talmud. He reads and translates from Greek, Hebrew and Syriac, and even mentions that he would like to set the entire Bible to music.
Let's first listen to Alkan's late piano works and then admire his abundant output for pedal piano.
Allegro vivace in A minor, the first movement of Sonatine pour piano in A minor, Op. 61 (1861), one of my favorite Alkan works.
Listen to the other movements here, here and here.
48 Motifs (Esquisses), Op. 63 (1861), comprising in fact 49 pieces, another jewel of a collection. All are available on YouTube. Here are a few of my favorites.
No. 1 La Vision (A Dream), C major, No. 11 Les Soupirs (Sighs), B-flat major, No. 35 Musique Militaire, B-flat major, No. 36 Toccatina, F minor, No. 41 Les Enharmoniques, E minor, and No. 45 Les diablotins (The Gremlins), G-sharp minor.
No. 6 Fuguette, A minor, No. 44 Transports, C-sharp major, No. 48 En Songe (Dreaming), F major and No. 49 Laus Deo, C major, the No. 44 in quite a modern take.
Zorcico. Danse Iberienne in D minor, for piano, WoO (1864).
No. 6 Barcarolle in G minor from Troisième recueil de chants (Third Book of Songs), Op. 65 (1866), another instantly recognizable Alkan tune.
No. 2 Chanson de la bonne vieille (Song of the Good Old Woman) in A minor from Quatrième recueil de chants (Fourth Book of Songs), Op. 67 (1868).
No. 3 Allegro vivace in A major and No. 4 La voix de l'instrument (The Voice of the Instrument) in A major from Cinquième recueil de chants (Fifth Book of Songs), Op. 70 (1872).
Toccatina in C minor, Op. 75 (1872) here performed by Huseyin Sermet.
And now for the pedal piano or organ works:
No. 4 Moderamento in G minor from 11 grands préludes et un transcription du Messie de Hændel (11 Grand Preludes and a Transcription of Handel's Messiah) for organ, harmonium or pedal piano, Op. 66 (1865).
No. 6 Moderato, D major and No. 13 Largement et majesteusement (Broad and Majestically), G major from 13 prières (13 Prayers) for organ or pedal piano, Op. 64 (1866).
Impromptu sur le choral de Luther "Un fort rempart est notre Dieu" (Impromptu on the Luther Chorale "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God") for pedal piano in E-flat major, Op. 69 (1866).
No. 1 Moderato in C minor from 12 Études d'orgue ou piano à pédalier pour les pieds seulement (12 Etudes for organ or pedal piano for the feet only), WoO (1866).
No. 1 Tempo giustissimo (In Very Strict Time) in C major from 11 pièces dans le style religieux, et un transcription du Messie de Hændel (11 Pieces in the Religious Style and a Transcription from Handel's Messiah) for organ, harmonium or pedal piano, Op. 72 (1867)
The set of so-called "religious pieces" Op. 72 is notable for its ecumenical presentation, given the composer's Jewish heritage and the distinctly Catholic character of the French harmonium repertoire.(2)
To conclude my tour of Charles-Valentin Alkan's music, Bombardo-Carillon in B-flat major for pedal duet (four feet) (1872), a fetching organ work.
_________________________________________________________________
(1) James F. Penrose, "The strange case of Charles Valentin Alkan." Composer entry, 88keys.com. (http://www.88keys.com/composers/alkan.html (12/01/2013))
(2) Mustel1887, "ALKAN: Pièce Religieux No. 1, on Mustel harmonium." Notes to YouTube video, 08/27/2009. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF5mpAppcYc (12/01/2013))