Forgotten masters, Alkan and Thalberg?
After reading some Liszt biographies, I saw these two names mentioned often and didn't really think much of them: Charles-Valentin Alkan and Sigismond Thalberg. Recently, though, I've given Beethoven, Mozart, Handel and Schubert a break to explore and taste the romantic virtuoso piano music of the 19th century. I pretty much got my fill of Liszt (having bought all of the Hyperion Liszt at the Opera series and familiarized myself with each piece). I took a gamble, and a very rewarding one when I bought three CD's from amazon.
The first CD was a Naxos label disc with Alkan's Op. 35 etudes and two Op. 39 etudes (Le festin d'Esope and Scherzo diabolico). And boy was I stunned... When I heard the 25 variations of Le festin d'Esope, and especially the third Etude in G, fifth Etude in F, and the seventh Etude in E flat, titled "L'incendie au village voisin" I felt like I had found works from some kind of great Liszt-Chopin hybrid. It's wonderful virtuoso music. I mean, this stuff sounds harder to play than anything Liszt wrote, and what's more is the musicality. The seventh Etude rivals Chopin's Revolutionary etude, in my opinion.
Then my next CD was of the Hyperion label with Marc-Andre Hamelin playing the Symphony for Solo Piano Op. 39 and other works. Again, I was astounded to find such quality music that has only whetted my appetite for more of this kind of stuff. Why has Alkan's music been so unavailable and unpopular? For those who have a taste for the violent and romantic piano music, Alkan is a thirst quencher.
My last CD was from Thalberg, who seems a little more restrained. I bought a Naxos CD of his Fantasies on Bellini operas and was pleasantly surprised. Although I think Liszt surpasses him in detailing melodies and weaving themes together, Thalberg still composed some great variations and reminiscences, particularly, the Norma, Beatrice di Tenda, and La Sonnambula fantasies. I can understand now, after hearing these how he could rival Liszt. But there is something so unlike Liszt in his music and it's like a cross between Hummel and Chopin.
Maybe I've just been reincarnated from the Romantic period and love this kind of music of virtuoso and bombastic piano. But I'm just curious if anyone else here is familiar with these guys, or even likes them? And if so, are there any other works you could recommend? At this point, I'll even take recommendations of other composers worth checking out if I like this kind of music, because right now I feel like I still haven't heard everything after discovering these obscure composers.
The first CD was a Naxos label disc with Alkan's Op. 35 etudes and two Op. 39 etudes (Le festin d'Esope and Scherzo diabolico). And boy was I stunned... When I heard the 25 variations of Le festin d'Esope, and especially the third Etude in G, fifth Etude in F, and the seventh Etude in E flat, titled "L'incendie au village voisin" I felt like I had found works from some kind of great Liszt-Chopin hybrid. It's wonderful virtuoso music. I mean, this stuff sounds harder to play than anything Liszt wrote, and what's more is the musicality. The seventh Etude rivals Chopin's Revolutionary etude, in my opinion.
Then my next CD was of the Hyperion label with Marc-Andre Hamelin playing the Symphony for Solo Piano Op. 39 and other works. Again, I was astounded to find such quality music that has only whetted my appetite for more of this kind of stuff. Why has Alkan's music been so unavailable and unpopular? For those who have a taste for the violent and romantic piano music, Alkan is a thirst quencher.
My last CD was from Thalberg, who seems a little more restrained. I bought a Naxos CD of his Fantasies on Bellini operas and was pleasantly surprised. Although I think Liszt surpasses him in detailing melodies and weaving themes together, Thalberg still composed some great variations and reminiscences, particularly, the Norma, Beatrice di Tenda, and La Sonnambula fantasies. I can understand now, after hearing these how he could rival Liszt. But there is something so unlike Liszt in his music and it's like a cross between Hummel and Chopin.
Maybe I've just been reincarnated from the Romantic period and love this kind of music of virtuoso and bombastic piano. But I'm just curious if anyone else here is familiar with these guys, or even likes them? And if so, are there any other works you could recommend? At this point, I'll even take recommendations of other composers worth checking out if I like this kind of music, because right now I feel like I still haven't heard everything after discovering these obscure composers.
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