Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Being a huge fan of Alkan, it's always fun when someone throws him a little time. This is a box set I plan on obtaining. I was first introduced to his works by way of the classic Raymond Lewenthal recording, who offers some amazing performances of a handful of works. Considering Lewenthal's somewhat shady personal background, they seem to be a match made in heaven, the enigma and the gambler. In the past, I have listened to some of these performances by way of streaming. I conccured with your assessment. However, I am such an "Alkanite", I will have to obtain them. For that sake of full disclosure, I have to admit that I do prefer him over Chopin. My only reasoning is due to the fact I often prefer composers who made a constant habit out of experimenting or just tinkering. Alkan is guilty of both. Which is also why I am also a big Lisztian. Had Chopin lived a little longer, who knows. But, then again, Alkan did own monkey, so, when it comes to music, I usually side with the monkey boy.
10:16 the Opus 76 études are incredible. If you didn't know the first one was left hand only, you would never guess. The third "hands reunited" étude is a jaw-dropper.
Yessir. Luckily, just a few weeks ago, I found a 3-CD set of piano works out of this larger Brilliant set, on clearance for $2. Helluva buy. Glad to see it being covered.
When I mention Alkan to my friends I sound like you do in this talk, how uncanny, like Alkan's fascinating music really. Love this box from Brilliant Classics too... and yea, he's essential to me that's for sure; wish I'd discovered his works when I was younger, like 13 or 14, just to piss nigh everybody off while having the musical time of my life simultaneously. Alkan is the ultimate punk and I mean that as a noble compliment. Genius!
I know you're astounded by Paul Wee's Alkan - aren't we all? And, as you've mentioned, he's at the top of his profession as a barrister specialising in (I quote) 'commercial litigation, international commercial arbitration, and investor-state arbitration' . I'd be interested how you'd compare Wee and Maltempo to Hamelin in this repertoire. They used to say Lewenthal was unbeatable in Alkan but I just checked and technically he wasn't. But there's obviously more to an Alkan performance than chops - it's nice if from time to time we hear a pre-echo of Satie. And thank you for highlighting this repertoire in the media; I can't think of anyone else who's doing it expertly *and* accessibly.
I recall this set from your miniature masterpieces series, I enjoyed that sample but I may go for this when I have the funds. Brilliant makes choice products, you often get outsized quality compared to the cheap price. I love the Suitner Dvorak you mentioned recently, for example, but they also excel in the obscure and unknown.
My favorite measure of the massive scale of the Concerto for Solo piano is this Jack Gibbons quote: "The first movement has more bars in it than the entire Hammerklavier Sonata". My hot take is that it's just as great of a work too.
@@jedrzejsteszewski6694 on wikipedia this quote is attributed to gibbons although hamelin has had many great things to say about Alkan's music as well.
Thank you for the review!
Your stuff is amazing. I have MANY of your collections. I could list them all but I dont have enought time :)
This alkan set is amazing!!
My pleasure!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Being a huge fan of Alkan, it's always fun when someone throws him a little time. This is a box set I plan on obtaining. I was first introduced to his works by way of the classic Raymond Lewenthal recording, who offers some amazing performances of a handful of works. Considering Lewenthal's somewhat shady personal background, they seem to be a match made in heaven, the enigma and the gambler. In the past, I have listened to some of these performances by way of streaming. I conccured with your assessment. However, I am such an "Alkanite", I will have to obtain them.
For that sake of full disclosure, I have to admit that I do prefer him over Chopin. My only reasoning is due to the fact I often prefer composers who made a constant habit out of experimenting or just tinkering. Alkan is guilty of both. Which is also why I am also a big Lisztian. Had Chopin lived a little longer, who knows. But, then again, Alkan did own monkey, so, when it comes to music, I usually side with the monkey boy.
10:16 the Opus 76 études are incredible. If you didn't know the first one was left hand only, you would never guess. The third "hands reunited" étude is a jaw-dropper.
Yessir. Luckily, just a few weeks ago, I found a 3-CD set of piano works out of this larger Brilliant set, on clearance for $2. Helluva buy. Glad to see it being covered.
When I mention Alkan to my friends I sound like you do in this talk, how uncanny, like Alkan's fascinating music really. Love this box from Brilliant Classics too... and yea, he's essential to me that's for sure; wish I'd discovered his works when I was younger, like 13 or 14, just to piss nigh everybody off while having the musical time of my life simultaneously. Alkan is the ultimate punk and I mean that as a noble compliment. Genius!
I know you're astounded by Paul Wee's Alkan - aren't we all? And, as you've mentioned, he's at the top of his profession as a barrister specialising in (I quote) 'commercial litigation, international commercial arbitration, and investor-state arbitration' . I'd be interested how you'd compare Wee and Maltempo to Hamelin in this repertoire. They used to say Lewenthal was unbeatable in Alkan but I just checked and technically he wasn't. But there's obviously more to an Alkan performance than chops - it's nice if from time to time we hear a pre-echo of Satie. And thank you for highlighting this repertoire in the media; I can't think of anyone else who's doing it expertly *and* accessibly.
I recall this set from your miniature masterpieces series, I enjoyed that sample but I may go for this when I have the funds. Brilliant makes choice products, you often get outsized quality compared to the cheap price. I love the Suitner Dvorak you mentioned recently, for example, but they also excel in the obscure and unknown.
Thanks Dave for this and all you do . Love Alkan and I just ordered this box !
Hope you enjoy it!
@@DavesClassicalGuide I love it ! Thanks for your advocacy of this wonderful astonishing composer !
My favorite measure of the massive scale of the Concerto for Solo piano is this Jack Gibbons quote: "The first movement has more bars in it than the entire Hammerklavier Sonata". My hot take is that it's just as great of a work too.
Was it Gibbons or MAH?
@@jedrzejsteszewski6694 on wikipedia this quote is attributed to gibbons although hamelin has had many great things to say about Alkan's music as well.
A 52 minute concerto - whoa! Allan would no doubt have appreciated this review😊
I didn't hear you mention the insane (of course) etudes for pedals (organ or pedal piano).
I just missed the Funeral March for a Parrot. But in fact, Alkan is fascinating. Thanks for the review!
Love Viner! Didn't know Maltempo, I'm going to discover him through this great box...
My opinion. The 19th Century was the greatest era for Classical Music.