# Liszt, Alkan and Chopin



## beetzart (Dec 30, 2009)

Generally Alkan is the least known of these three but I think he holds his own. Not as melodic as Chopin but technically way ahead of his time. Didn't Liszt say Alkan was the greatest pianist ever?

It is not my intention to make this thread with the view to it being a contest between the three composers, but everyone has preferences of course. Is there though a good reason why Alkan is so shadowed by Liszt and Chopin?


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

beetzart said:


> Generally Alkan is the least known of these three but I think he holds his own. Not as melodic as Chopin but technically way ahead of his time. Didn't Liszt say Alkan was the greatest pianist ever?
> 
> It is not my intention to make this thread with the view to it being a contest between the three composers, but everyone has preferences of course. _Is there though a good reason why Alkan is so shadowed by Liszt and Chopin?_


Maybe Alkan's personality had something to do with it - for much of his life he was pretty much a loner who shunned the spotlight, but, as you say, earlier on he was considered the equal of both Liszt and Chopin, who were both friends with him. Maybe the more singular aspects to his character found their way into his music.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

No question that Alkan wrote fiendishly difficult music which only the preternaturally gifted can play. However, it never really seems to me anot Hong but rather ordinary in its content.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Here's a very good thing by Alkan


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Alkan is nothing compared to the other two. Liszt's etudes are where it's at. The emotions may not be real, but the writing is astounding.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

A somewhat similar figure is Alolf von Henselt. I like some of his Etudes. He also wrote some very difficult music including a piano concerto. 
I agree Chopin and Liszt are greater than both but that doesn't mean their music is worthless.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_von_Henselt
He was influential on the Russians, including Rachmaninoff. And Liszt held his piano playing in high esteem. He suffered from chronic stage fright, that must be horrible.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

My impression is that the competition among pianists was fierce in those times. Another star was Sigismond Thalberg. There's a lot of his stuff on YouTube.

I've always suspected that Alkan found the competition a bit fierce for his taste.


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## Eusebius12 (Mar 22, 2010)

Alkan sounds a bit mechanical at times, like Czerny on crack. Chopin was unique in being able to make fast figuration sound almost vocal. Chopin's cadenzas are quote often melodic just played at fast tempo, not mere figuration like arpeggios or scales (although he does that too. However take the broken chords in op.10/1 or 25/12, there is a rich melodic cocoon which frames the rather technical figuration. Same with the etude in 3rds and the one in 6ths (to a lesser degree)). Rachmaninov was also skilled at bringing out a melody from erstwhile mechanical figuration. 

I don't enjoy music which is difficult for the sake of being difficult. Perhaps Godowsky is the ne plus ultra in that respect (at least of those born before the turn of the 19th century. Sorabji would annihilate him in that I suppose).


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## Eusebius12 (Mar 22, 2010)

Not that Alkan, let alone Liszt, never wrote impressive, interesting sounding music.


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## Eusebius12 (Mar 22, 2010)

Adolf* von Henselt


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## beetzart (Dec 30, 2009)

I suppose saying Alkan is a little inaccessible is somewhat of an understatement. Afterall he wrote a piano concerto just for piano that is nearly an hour long (but give it a chance and you'll find it is rather good). Alkan was a little different and although he will never be as popular as Chopin and Liszt he is one of those composers you only discover (maybe) when you get into classical music, like Hummel or CPE Bach.


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## beetzart (Dec 30, 2009)

Phil loves classical said:


> Alkan is nothing compared to the other two. Liszt's etudes are where it's at. The emotions may not be real, but the writing is astounding.


Do you mean his transcendental and Paganini etudes? If so the former is something special and a work of genius (is that still a taboo description?) especially 11 and 12.


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## Alkan (Jun 30, 2018)

The music of Alkan is not at the same level as Chopin or Liszt, but there are some compositions well worth listening to. I recommend the Op. 39 Etudes (in all the minor keys) and the Piano Sonata (Quatre Ages). The cello sonata is also excellent and worth an hour of your time.


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

I think both Alkan and Thalberg are well worth exploring if you like nineteenth century music for a virtuosic pianist. Alkan's etudes are very interesting and I really like Thalberg's fantasies on themes from Bellini's operas. However, both of these composers appear to be rather 'unfashionable' and therefore they both appear to be somewhat neglected in comparison with other contemporaries ... but worth exploring, nontheless


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)




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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)




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