Alkan's original 1853 Erard pédalier

Olivier Latry plays No 10 (scherzando) of Charles-Valentin Alkan's 11 Grands Préludes et un transcription du Messie de Hændel , Op.66, composed for the pédalier in the mid 1860s. On this recording Latry is playing Alkan's original Erard pédalier (a piano fitted with an organ like pedal keyboard, of which Alkan was a supreme master). Alkan used this instrument in all his Petits Concerts programmes at the Salle Erard in Paris between 1873 and 1880, and the instrument then remained in the composer's possession until his death in 1888.
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[@user-74652]

For such an old instrument, I'm kind of surprised how good it sounds. I wish such pianos were more common, though.

[@Varooooooom]

I’m sure it must be extremely well-maintained

[@michalgeppert5373]

@@agamaz5650 Organists: 🤨

[@agamaz5650]

@@michalgeppert5373 yeah organists are insanely skilled and talented, but organists play in 5 octaves with hands not 7 like on piano

[@michalgeppert5373]

@@agamaz5650 No, usually they have 2 keyboards, what means 10 octaves, often even more. And every keyboard can have diffrent sound, so they have to be aware how they actually want to play. Btw the highest octave on piano is used quite rarely.

[@pianoforteyt]

@@michalgeppert5373 That’s not how it works… 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@dtscott13]

God I love that bass.. What a unique sounding piano.

[@seonyonghwang]

I want play this piece!!

[@none5020]

I hope you get upload it one day.

[@Whaijorhujishkomunyk]

We all love your work

[@blacksky492]

So how’s it going?

[@blacksky492]

@‮sinihcam ed mueD stop hacking bro

[@pianoforteyt]

You need to get a pedalier lol 😆

[@willemvantwillertorganist]

Great playing. The music of Alkan is not easy to play.

[@f1f1s]

I almost forgot how to breathe! It is so... so unusual to discover Alkan after he became popular among pianophiles éxtraordinaires and active youtubers. Thank you so much-today I will conduct no activities that are not related to Alkan. This day began with a purchase of this track on Presto Classical.

[@pianomaly9859]

If I had the money I would have a replica of this built for myself. St. Saens owned it after Alkan's death but had to give it up because the neighbors complained about it.

[@SimonPiano42]

wow, that's an amazing story (hope it's true)! Didn't know about it, and i'm an Alkan fanatic. Thanks! I also recently heard that Alkan invented the pedal piano. Wonder how far that's true. In any case he can only have done it in collaboration with a piano manufacturer. He did write some of the first music for it though.

[@pianomaly9859]

I think that information is in Smith's biography. Seen C-VA's setting of part of Psalm 41 on imslp? I guess it's been discovered or put up recently, I don't remember seeing it before. Also been playing at the transcription of the Pastorale from Messiah, difficult (for me) to bring off well in a couple of spots.

[@franciscofragoeiro5229]

Dickhead neighbours

[@peterrowan9955]

Simon Piano it’s existed at least since mozart

[@avenuedumaine1315]

Olivier Latry is the most important organist - pianist we have the fortune to live during his performances. He is an absolute genius.

[@microsoftice6498]

What a bass!

[@davidboore9436]

Fascinating music. Alkan's music is so rewarding to listen to. And some of it is playable!

[@brandonmacey964]

Absolutely jaw droppingly amazing

[@shubus]

What a treat to hear this on Alkan's original Erarad! Just came across this today. It really sounds quite good. Where have I been all these years?

I never get tired of this...

[@4candles]

It would be amazing if Latry or another organist considered recording all the Alkan works for this medium. It really has its own sound.

[@NOSEhow2LIV]

Most enjoyable,fascinating sound giving extra quality to what would be rather ordinary thematic material in anyone but Alkan's hands,(and feet as well here!).Bravo to Olivier Latry for handling this amazing feat!

[@SimonPiano42]

The pedal really adds another depth to the possibilities of the piano, how fantastically rich it can sound! It has long been a dream of mine to play on or even own a pedal piano. Alkan was one of the few beneath Schumann to realize its potential. This is an enigmatic, thrilling piece. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@monacia2b]

Alkan, un génie injustement oublié, à la puissance harmonique et à la virtuosité flirtant avec celles de Liszt tout en gardant une sensibilité mélodique plus proche de Chopin. Les études (notamment le concerto pour piano seul) sont à écouter absolument.

[@kulgan2b]

Le rapprochement des œuvres ne remet pas en cause leur unicité. Les plus grands musicologues ont rapprochés Mozart et Haydn, Beethoven et Schubert, ou Wagner et Strauss.. Beaucoup de compositeurs ont revendiqué eux même leurs influences. Ça n’enlève rien à leur identité musicale ni à leur génie.

[@kulgan2b]

Gabin Dupuy je ne sais pas si Alkan a été consciemment influencé par Liszt ou même Chopin, mais pour ce dernier il suffit d’écouter ses études, et on peut faire un rapprochement au niveau de la technique de virtuosité notamment, des enchaînements harmoniques...

[@bloba6969]

@@gabindupuy6036 il y a du Bach, mais chopin, liszt et alkan, avaint tous les trois leur propre style, c'est pour ça qu'ils étaient amis.

[@user-lj1sc9bs4t]

@@kulgan2b アルカン、ショパン、リストはお互いに影響を与えていました。特にリストはアルカンからの影響が強いです。その証拠としてアルカンがリストに検定したop15を聞いてみて下さい。リストはこの作品をとても気に入ったみたいです。

[@user-lj1sc9bs4t]

3人とも独自性を発揮していくわけですがショパンはもっぱらベートーヴェンの影響が大きいですし、アルカンはウェーバー、フンメルの影響が強い、リストはアルカン、パガニーニの影響がでかいです。

Breathtaking sound, thank you VERY much for sharing this amazing treasure!

[@hardlife8026]

The hammers, when new, were a lot softer, so that the sound was more quiet and the attack was more rounded. The 'bright' fortepiano sound does not apply to Romantic period pianos, which were more mellow than today's pianos

[@orangefruit9166]

Do you know any existimg example of autentic piano sound from that time? Curious

[@hardlife8026]

@@orangefruit9166 look at the Els Biesemans recording on an 1844 Pleyel

[@orangefruit9166]

@@hardlife8026 it sounds almost muted. Isnt there too much of wool or whatever the textile is

[@orangefruit9166]

@@hardlife8026 no disrespect but her piano sounds literally like the first one here kzbin.info/www/bejne/raHSnYGlZq-Vhqcsi=D3hYu6tRt2_TZWZ8

[@hardlife8026]

@@orangefruit9166 no, about 6-5 mm in the bass, 4 in the mids and 2-3 in the high treble. It was the sound of the time. This is what used to be referred to as a singing tone, because of the soft attack

[@aakarshitsingh1535]

this is just incredible!

[@aakarshitsingh1535]

@Bacn kid

[@Medtszkowski]

Bacn

[@edoardoferrari1589]

just fantastic!

[@kitbuiz]

C'est Magnifique!

[@OrangeSodaKing]

How wonderful and fascinating!! Thank you for sharing, as always!!

[@maxsnafu]

I couldn't agree more!

[@mrnanovideos]

This is fantastic! I haven't heard of this piece until a few days ago when this video appeared in my feed. I got a hold of the score, and I just finished arranging it for full orchestra.

[@WilliamKroupaJr.]

Just wonderful!!!

[@ivanblanc2880]

this prelude sounds amazing and i'd love to play it, so i decided to arrange it for 2 hands :)

[@Juscz]

Amazing!

[@hjiuhfhrehui]

yeahhh :D i have this CD when my pedalier is finished i wil play this one :D i really liked this piece

[@rdubugnon]

I'D LOVE TO HAVE A GO AT IT… and compose a symphony for Piano pédalier ;)

[@whatdoinamethischannel9749]

Rip Alkan's Piano

[@joshuarabone8161]

It seems to me that the pedal piano should perhaps be the 'successor' to the pianoforte? Assuming everything about the modern grand piano is retained then it is surely an evolution which keeps all previous functions but adds more musical possibilities with the pedals? The pinchi pedal piano which I have seen in other videos seems to literally be two model Ds' stuck together with pedals controlling the one underneath. Perhaps using the sustain pedal in mid-air could be tricky though!

[@SimonPiano42]

A pedal piano with the usual sustain and other pedals of a piano would be a pure extension of the piano's possibilities, that's true. Though Alkan's pedal piano didn't have normal pedals, which you can see in the music, this piece is very staccato. But i agree that the pedal piano is a great idea and i'd love to play one some day. Unfortunately, any pedal piano will be very expensive, more so because it's a rare model with little market demand.

[@Varooooooom]

Simon Piano - Not just expensive with little market-demand, but shipping it anywhere and assembling it must be such a pain.

[@p-y8210]

1:59 beautiful

[@hjiuhfhrehui]

i also arranged it for orchestra half year ago or something ^^ its a great piece :D

[@orangefruit9166]

Do u have recordings, I'd listen

[@hjiuhfhrehui]

thank you for sharing ^^

[@random_user_hmm]

I hope i can see Alkan playing his pieces in the pass...

[@bloba6969]

it's very catchy

[@toothlesstoe]

I think Sorabji would have found such an instrument to be interesting.

[@ramsesll2841]

Hey buddy, you here! I frequently come to your channel to enjoy some of Sorabji's melodies. Thanks for uploading Sorabji's piano works as it is heavily neglected by others. Have a great day!

[@MelloCello7]

maybe this control system can make a resurgence with midi controllers?

[@gerardbedecarter]

Interesting.

[@orangefruit9166]

Where i can play this piano😂