Charles-Valentin Alkan, Grande Sonate & Symphonie pour Piano Solo & Barcarolle

CHARLES-VALENTIN ALKAN - a stunning outsider "For 20 years, I have been studying the music of Charles-Valentin Alkan, and I continue to feel a strong connection to this composer. After numerous public performances of his Grande Sonate 'Les Quatre Âges' and the Symphonie pour piano seul, the time now seemed ripe to record those two works, along with the enchanting Barcarolle Op. 65 No. 6, which is an example of Alkan's talent not only for large-scale works but also for musical miniatures..... Fortunately, Alkan is gradually enjoying greater popularity than he did two decades ago, at least among performers and lovers of Romantic piano music. Nevertheless, his works rarely appear on concert programmes, which is truly regrettable, as this music speaks to audiences so directly and vividly, especially when performed live. Alkan published the Grande Sonate in 1847 and dedicated it to his father. At first glance, it appears to be a homage to the sonata genre we know so well from the Viennese Classical tradition, but on closer inspection, it proves to be highly experimental and innovative....... The Symphonie pour piano seul was published in 1857 as part of Twelve Studies in all minor keys (Douze études dans tous les tons mineurs). Although it is embedded in a cycle of etudes, the Sym- phonie is clearly designated as such and is therefore usually performed as a separate work in four movements. Similar to the Grande Sonate, the individual movements are in different keys......." (excerpts from the liner notes by Schaghajegh Nosrati) www.nosrati-pianist.com