Pianophilia

fleubis wrote:I have a question for all you Alkan experts out there. Concerning Alkan's Concerto for Piano's first movement, I have found a much shorter version of this and would like to know if this shortened edition was by Alkan or by one of his editors. Any help out there on this?

Alkan apparently authorised a substantial cut in that movement, that may be what you are seeing here.

Regards
Fred

at page 18 of the Richault edition there is an explicit indication about the possibility of a big cut

Yes, if I'm thinking correctly, Alkan authorised a substantial cut to the Concerto's first movement, as already mentioned above (I'm just seconding it!)

That helps a lot, gentlemen! I see the note on page 18 of the score.

While the movement is very extensive, this possible cut does not make a whole lot of logical sense to me. I notice there are not commercial recordings of this cut version.

fleubis wrote:While the movement is very extensive, this possible cut does not make a whole lot of logical sense to me. I notice there are not commercial recordings of this cut version.

One of the first recordings of this movement was by Ronald Smith, and he notes the lack of sense in the cut as well. He makes cuts too, but that was because he couldn't fit (at that stage) the whole movement on one side of an LP. Strangely enough, when he put out the complete op39 on LP, he did manage to fit it , as did John Ogden in his recording.

Regards
Fred

fleubis wrote:I notice there are not commercial recordings of this cut version.

Yes, there are no commercial recordings, but a very able amateur pianist has, literally within the last few days, posted the cut version on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8uM2UPMC28

Jean-Séb wrote:

4candles wrote: an octave study by Léon Kreutzer (1817-1868), whose music I have been trying to track down for some time.

Interesting, thank you. Did you find any other piano music by him? I read that he composed three piano sonatas, waltzes, etudes.

Though not describing his piano music, the article in the link below may be of interest to you, Jean-Séb, despite not being that favourable in its criticism:

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5 ... zer.langEN

Thank you, 4candles. Yes, his music is generally deemed very well written and clever, but maybe not very rich in melodies. However, it is reminded that his piano concerto was highly valued as a lovely piece. I do not know whether our specialist of piano concertos, Thal, knows that one.

Jean-Séb wrote:Thank you, 4candles. Yes, his music is generally deemed very well written and clever, but maybe not very rich in melodies. However, it is reminded that his piano concerto was highly valued as a lovely piece. I do not know whether our specialist of piano concertos, Thal, knows that one.

I'm currently trying to get my hands on it. I may even post it either here or at IMSLP if I can find time to scan!

Does anyone have Isidor Philipp's Etudes?