Andrew Yiangou - Alkan: Le Petit Concert (2025) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

CD1
01. Premier Nocturne in B Major, Op. 22
02. Saltarelle in E Minor, Op. 23
03. 25 Préludes dans tous les tons majeurs et mineurs, Op. 31: No. 6, Ancienne mélodie de la synagogue (G Minor)
04. 25 Préludes dans tous les tons majeurs et mineurs, Op. 31: No. 18, Romance (C-Sharp Minor)
05. Douze études dans tous les tons majeurs en deux suites, Op. 35: No. 4, Presto (C Major)
06. Premier recueil de chants, Op. 38: No. 1, Assez vivement (E Major)
07. Douze études dans tous les tons mineurs, Op. 39: No. 3, Scherzo diabolico. Prestissimo (G Minor)
08. 2 Nocturnes, Op. 57: No. 2, Très vif (Troisième nocturne in F-Sharp Major)
09. Sonatine pour piano, Op. 61: I. Allegro vivace (A Minor)
10. Sonatine pour piano, Op. 61: II. Allegramente (F Major)
11. Sonatine pour piano, Op. 61: III. Scherzo-Menuetto (D Minor)
12. Sonatine pour piano, Op. 61: IV. Tempo giusto (A Minor)

CD2
01. Esquisses, Op. 63: No. 1, La vision
02. Esquisses, Op. 63: No. 2, Le staccatissimo
03. Esquisses, Op. 63: No. 23, L'Homme aux Sabots
04. Esquisses, Op. 63: No. 30, Petit air dolent
05. Esquisses, Op. 63: No. 43, Notturnino-Innamorato
06. Esquisses, Op. 63: No. 46, Le premier billet doux
07. Troisieme recueil de chants, Op. 65: No. 3, En canon à l'octave (A Major)
08. Cinquième recueil de chants, Op. 70: No. 1, Duettino (E Major)
09. Cinquième recueil de chants, Op. 70: No. 2, Andantinetto (A Minor)
10. Cinquième recueil de chants, Op. 70: No. 6, Barcarolle (G Minor)
11. Les mois, Op. 74: No. 5, La Sérénade (F-Sharp Minor)
12. Les mois, Op. 74: No. 6, Promenade sur l'eau (A Major)
13. Trois grandes études pour les deux mains séparées et réunies, Op. 76: No. 3, Etude pour les deux mains (C Minor)
14. Souvenirs de musique de chambre: Bach. Siciliano from Flute Sonata in E-Flat Major, BWV 1031



Andrew Yiangou’s programme is a fascinating view into the musical world of one of the most enigmatic composers of the 19th century. On 29 April 1844 in Paris’s Salle Erard, Charles-Valentin Alkan returned to the platform after an absence of six years. Bach, Scarlatti, Beethoven and Weber featured, as well as four of Alkan’s latest compositions. Two of these appear on Andrew Yiangou’s recital here – the Op.22 Nocturne and the Op.23 E minor Saltarelle. The centre piece in the programme is the misleadingly titled Sonatina in A minor, Op.61. This is a large-scale sonata of huge technical challenges.

Busoni claimed that Alkan was, along with Chopin, Liszt, Schumann and Brahms was one of the five greatest composers for the piano since Beethoven. Alkan certainly discovered unheard of sonorities imbued with a disturbing power, and a preoccupation with the darker shades of human experience.

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