Top 10+ Alkan Climaxes

[@snorefest1621]

Climax Timestamp for those who are too lazy to skip 0:07 Sonatine Op.61 1:24 Symphony for Solo *Piano Mvt. 1 Op.39 No.4 from 12 Etudes in Minor Keys 2:02 Symphony for Solo *Piano Mvt. 4 Op.39 No.7 from 12 Etudes in Minor Keys 2:59 *Une Fusée Op.55 4:16 Scherzo Diabolico *Op.39 No.3 from 12 Etudes in Minor Keys 4:41 Grand Sonate Les Quatre Ages 1st Mvt. “20 Ans” Op.33 *(two climaxes) 5:57 Saltarelle Op.23 6:47 *Comme Le Vent Op.39 No.1 from 12 Etudes in Minor Keys 7:11 Scherzo *Focoso Op.34 9:08 Overture Op.39 No.11 from 12 Etudes in Minor Keys 9:57 Le Chemin de Fer Op.27 11:09 *Bourée d’Auvergne Op.29 11:52 Moderatamente Op. 64 No.4 from 13 Prieres 13:28 Andantino Op.35 No.3 from 12 Etudes in Major Keys 14:27 Presto Op.41 No.3 from 3 Petites fantasies 14:58 Concerto for Solo Piano Mvt. 3 Op.39 No.10 from 12 Etudes in Minor Keys * edit Aug 9, 2023

[@Medtszkowski]

Thanks friend

[@borisaxelrod7411]

Кто исполнители???

[@квазипианист]

@@borisaxelrod7411 в начале произведений указаны

[@saleenapiano]

i'm one of the lazy ones. thank u! 😄

[@yuk_notkim7658]

Coda for Le Chemin de Fer is one of my favorites.

[@pianoman551000]

Alkan's music is technically INSANE! But, oh the colors and resonance of sound that emerges is just pure beauty and genius!!

[@rexy7399]

I am always impressed by how Alkan use the piano like a synthesizer. So many interesting and colorful sounds!

[@Medtszkowski]

I agree!

[@snorefest1621]

real

[@LuisKolodin]

he's very colorful in his piano writing. but... SYNTHESIZER has to do with lots of mechanical unmusical performances. simply great musicians keep distance from his music because of the false myth of impossible to play music. Listen to Biret's amazing Le Chemin de Fer (pupil of Cortot, Kempff, a structural colorist) and compare to any other MIDI-like piano version of it in other recordings. we lack great pianists playing Alkan musically, with deep aesthetical understanding of the score just like Chopin.

[@rexy7399]

@@LuisKolodin I agree with you. People hate or ignore Alkan because of the technical difficulties. The way Alkan writes the music is at the same level as Liszt’s Beethoven transcriptions. Further, Alkan writes music in traditional forms but in a “contemporary” way just like his French successors, Satie, Ravel, and Poulenc. To show his humor and imagination, pianists need the effort as same as playing Chopin or Liszt. However, Chopin and Liszt's works are easier to make them sound “right” even if an amateur. BTW, I was trying to describe the idea of creating and exporting new sounds or imitating sounds with a single instrument. So I use the word synthesizer.

[@LuisKolodin]

@@rexy7399 I see. And sure Alkan is very conservative in form but he explodes in timbres and colors. I call him "Beethoven on steroids". I have always had great affinity for Alkan music so I find it as "easy" to understand as Chopin. I guess Chopin has been played a lot by dozens of pianists in the past, so if you are in doubt of the meaning a passage you just copy a famous recording. That's why Chopin seems "easier", because I guess most people underestimate the modernity of Chopin and Liszt music. Every romantic is a rule destroyer, and a pathway to 20th century. Not everyone understands Chopin and Liszt this way. Maybe people would enjoy more Alkan if they understood deeper Chopin and Liszt too. So Alkan wouldn't sound unlike.

[@kaysonpiano]

Ah yes my fellow people of culture. I am where I belong. Being an Alkan connoisseur myself I am surprised I am just finding this channel now. Good things come to those who wait though. 😊

[@Medtszkowski]

Thanks for the nice comment! Nice cat btw

[@saleenapiano]

these pieces make Liszt & Rachmaninoff look easy. not literally, but you get the drift. they are diabolically challenging. they seem beyond human capacity, and yet some pianists have mastered them. i cannot imagine the work that goes into learning this rep

[@saleenapiano]

thanks for putting this amazing collection together. I'm just becoming familiar with Alkan, and tho I doubt I'll ever play any of this rep, I really enjoy both listening and looking at these incredibly challenging and imaginative scores.

[@Medtszkowski]

@@saleenapiano Most welcome!

[@Rach-Fanatic]

I very much disagree. Liszt and mainly rach have very uncomfortable technical passages. This relatively revolves basic technique like scales, octaves, etc. Not saying it is not difficult. I would say it just requires basic fast and good technique rach and Liszt have harder works and overall better musically and creativity.

[@saleenapiano]

@@Rach-Fanatic please do not take my remark so literally. I meant it in a matter of speaking. As far as musicality goes, I agree about Rach; but not about Liszt. Some of his pieces are musically beautiful such as the Lienestraum; but many of them to me are virtuosic pieces empty of any true musical interest such as the Mephisto waltz which I feel is impressive but musically unappealing. I actually find Alkan’s music quite interesting. But as the saying goes, that’s what makes horse races. 😇

[@Rach-Fanatic]

@@saleenapiano actually I agree with you. But Liszt late works are great. I just had to clarify since a lot of people misunderstand. It’s true that Liszt doesn’t have the best, but over all as a composer he is better. His orchestral works, and especially his choral works. Rachmaninoff is better than both.

[@franciscojesusmoctezumacua4692]

Frederik Chopin, Franz Liszt, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Charles Valentin Alkan are my four favorites pianist of romantic music.

[@inuush]

I love Alkan, and I thank you for showing the climaxes of pieces I didn't know about, more pieces to add to my playlist, amazing stuff!

[@Medtszkowski]

Your most welcome! I’m a fan of you

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

7:19 longest dominant pedal I've ever come across so far

[@melonica90]

I love the title a lot. And your choice(especially including Op.64 and Petit Fantaisie Op.41) was awesome! Thank you

[@Medtszkowski]

You are welcome!

[@fazliddinerkaboyev6568]

Alkan is one of my favourite composers!

[@Medtszkowski]

That really is great to hear.

[@franciscojesusmoctezumacua4692]

Alkan is a wonderful composer.

[@709vxqsr]

Overture has one of the most satistifying circle of fifths in classical musics imo Really good selection! (this + Quasi-Faust would be literally my pick)

[@Medtszkowski]

Yes, I actually had that piece in my list to include in this, but I somehow forgot to include it.

[@teodorb.p.composer]

Alkan is just genius! I really like your choice of pieces, they have great climaxes.

[@Medtszkowski]

Thank you!

[@Damian_Theodoridis]

My hands hurt watching this

[@Medtszkowski]

You should play some

[@Damian_Theodoridis]

@@Medtszkowskimy funeral will be the next day💀💀💀

[@snorefest1621]

0:07 sonatine 1:24 symphony for solo 1st mvt 2:02 symphony for solo 4th mvt 2:59 Une Fusee 4:16 Scherzo Diabolico 4:41 Les Quatre Ages 1st mvt “20 ans” (two) 5:57 Saltarelle 6:47 Le Vent 7:11 Scherzo Fococo 9:08 Overture 9:57 Chemin de Fer 11:09 Bouree d’Auvergne 11:52 13 Prieres No 4 Moderatamente 13:28 12 Major etude No 3 Andantino 14:27 3 Petites fantasies No 3 Presto 14:58 Concerto for solo piano mvt 3

[@Medtszkowski]

Thank you

[@김건우-v2f4i]

6:47 is comme le vent, le vent is different piece

[@Medtszkowski]

@@김건우-v2f4i yeah, le vent is one of the three morceaux

[@snorefest1621]

@@김건우-v2f4i ik. le vent is from trois morceaux pathetique

[@piyamaslimaichay9061]

Awesome, I​ consider alkan​ one​ of​ the​ greatest​ composer of​ all​ time.

[@Medtszkowski]

I agree with you

[@hesam1169]

i agree too

[@franciscojesusmoctezumacua4692]

I Love the Alkan's piano music very very much. This is wonderful

[@benharmonics]

0:45 Symphony movement 1 1:44 Symphony movement 4 4:05 Scherzo Diabolico 4:41 The Four Ages: 20 7:10 Scherzo Focoso 8:57 Overture 9:51 Le Chemin de fer 13:05 op. 39 no. 3 14:49 Concerto movement 3

[@alkanliszt]

Morishita is one hell of a pianist.

[@Medtszkowski]

YES. And I wish he was more of a concert pianist than only a video game OST KZbin pianist :((

[@steveegallo3384]

Brilliant Ingenious Tableau......Mil gracias....desde Acapulco!

[@brent3522]

3:49 might be one of the first uses of cluster chords in that manner. Truly ahead of his time. Also, where is the 2nd movement of Les Quatre Ages? The climax after the fugue is one of the biggest dominant preparations ever, rivaling, and even surpassing Beethoven.

[@Medtszkowski]

Oops!! I forgot about that one

[@rosiefay7283]

I agree. Quasi-Faust is Les Quatre Ages's best movement. The 1st mvt is rather repetitive and too reminiscent of Chopin's b minor Scherzo, and its thematic material isn't all that good.

[@BlueSteve]

Listening to Alkan makes me forget that I'm listening to classical music...

[@ArtenixBlack]

Glad to see that kind of video! If the list was mine, I'd have put the absolute love scene of op15 no1, the absolute sorrow scene of op15 no3, the Devil in op33 no2, and the well known op39 no12 var14/15.

[@Medtszkowski]

Good choices, I just included all of Alkan’s most violent climaxes, since he is the only composer to make climaxes like this

[@ArtenixBlack]

@@Medtszkowski Yes I totally agree with you! When I have to describe Alkan to someone who does not know him, I often say that Alkan is really the best at climaxes. In some pieces (op31 no8 for exemple), every single note is written around one single brief moment.

[@nicolasgoulet4091]

A suggestion I would to the BEST Alkan climaxes is the absolute masterpiece that is the climax of op 35 no 11. It's not a climax like the ones that you proposed that gets your blood boiling when you play them (learning op 39 no 10 and after practicing certain sections I feel like I am having a manic episode haha) but it is a DEEPLY EMOTIONAL climax. One of the most powerful ones I think in terms of raw feelings. It even has a feeling of ''neo-classical'', where it feels like a composer nowadays would have done this type of color/texture/harmonical transition NGL I always thought the piece was somewhat ''boring'' if you pardon me, it seemed to lack something and never paid much attention to it, until whilst I was working I ended listening to the whole of the opus 35. It is not as virtuosic as the other climaxes proposed here but I would put it in my own top 10 for sure, but just not a the top :P Sharing this in case other Alkan lovers here haven't yet had the pleasure to be blown away by this incredible piece!

[@Medtszkowski]

Wow I forgot about that one. Definitely one of my favorites too.

[@Medtszkowski]

Btw I made a separate video for that recently. (The human experience climax)

[@yuk_notkim7658]

Proof that Alkan is amazing

[@bloba6969]

The ouverture climax is one of my favorite musical things

[@vistor5376]

the one in le festin d'esope is also good

[@melonica90]

Alkan ranked in top 5 romantic era composer list (Alkan Chopin Schumann Liszt Brahms) IMO

[@Medtszkowski]

I agree with you very much. My top three favorites are Alkan Liszt and Schumann

[@fredericfrancoischopin6971]

Wait is that busoni ranked these?

[@AlkanLove]

5つとなるとブゾーニは入らないと思う人は多いと思います。

[@AlkanLove]

@@Medtszkowski素晴らしいソナタはどの作曲家も書いていますが個人的に厳選するとアルカン、リスト、シューマンのソナタ1番はロマン派三大ソナタと呼んで過言ではないでしょう。

[@AlkanLove]

ベートーヴェンを除外したロマン派ソナタを私が10曲厳選するならば以下の様になります。 1、リスト:ロ短調ソナタ 2、アルカン:グランドソナタ 3、シューベルト:ソナタ21番 4、シューベルト:さすらい人幻想曲 5、シューマン:ソナタ1番 6、ウェーバー:ソナタ1番 7、ライネッケ:左手ソナタ 8、ワーグナー:ソナタ1番 9、アルカン:悲壮な3つの小品op15 10、メンデルスゾーン:全てのソナタ😂

[@ValseMelancolique]

I clicked because of that thumbnail LOL nice to see your selections….

[@Medtszkowski]

Oh yeah, do you think the thumbnail is good?

[@ValseMelancolique]

This guy has the greatest octave passages ever.

[@ValseMelancolique]

Liszt 💩💩💩 himself because while his early music might be virtuosic, sometimes it is awkwardly written and none of his early compositions show a clarity for Classical-Form compared to what Alkan already was a master of.

[@Medtszkowski]

@@ValseMelancolique I agree with you, this is exactly why I love Alkan. I don’t understand the people who hate his music for no reason

[@Fasodo]

@@Medtszkowski People hate Alkan's music perhaps because their first impression of his compositions would be like the statement, "A cat walking in a piano"; an alternative saying for "Random notes". Me personally, have encountered many pieces like Alkan's works even before discovering him, mostly from Liszt (S.140, Douze Grandes, S.420, etc.), but then and only then I was able to deeply appreciate, and understand the quality and genius of the music. A piece's value is not just based of the melody, but of its other components such as its structure.

[@davidkyle2073]

Symphony for solo piano is crazy fast…. 😮

[@Fasodo]

Interesting video. Well edited too.

[@Medtszkowski]

Thank you for noticing!

[@WD_GX]

uh, i was surprised by the end of the video cuz u didn't finish the concerto 3rd movement even if it was literally 3 sec for the piece to be finished, i find it quite confusing lol

[@Medtszkowski]

Lmfao I guess I really wanted the video to be 16 minutes and 26 seconds long.

[@orlandooracle7008]

Some parts remind me of heavy metal or pop or rock and roll!! He was way ahead of his time!!

[@therealransu]

i was actually going to make a video similar to this however it was my personal favorite moments in his pieces i have listened so far. most of these are actually quite unknown to me but they're pretty good

[@AlkanLove]

Alkan love♥️♥️♥️

[@Medtszkowski]

8:11 best syncopation ever

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

11:26 this progression is so cool

[@Medtszkowski]

I realize that the views are bouncing back for this video. I guess 8 months was the sweet spot

[@orlandooracle7008]

Oh how I wish you would have done feast of Aesop!!! One of my absolute favorites by Alkan!

[@Medtszkowski]

@@orlandooracle7008 I made a seperate video for it

[@orlandooracle7008]

@@Medtszkowski which video cause I can’t seem to find it?

[@Medtszkowski]

@@orlandooracle7008 It’s titled “A great romantic era piano climax”

[@pianothingsmusic]

This is definitely awesome!! And so difficult 😅

[@DanielBerke]

Almost too much concentrated awesome to handle in one video. 😄One I felt was missing would be the Concerto for Solo Piano First movement, Op.39 No. 8 (that set up for it with the contrast between the growling bass notes and flighty upper registers always gives me butterflies), but of course all of these are good.

[@dominicbarden4436]

I've loved the climax of Le Chemin de Fer ever since I first heard it (and I love that piece; hey, I like trains, of course I love that piece!), but other than that my favourites were Sonatine Op.61, Bourée d'Auvergne Op.29 and Andantino Op.35 No.3.

[@Medtszkowski]

Thank you for your words! Those are all very good favorites!

[@phoundyq]

8:47 Liszt's Sonata in B minor original loud ending reference?

[@Medtszkowski]

Hahaha maybe!

[@BlueArchiveClassicalPiano]

Liszt Sonata's original ending is a reference to Alkan Focoso's ending, which is a reference to Beethoven Fate Symphony's ending.

[@BlueSteve]

4:41 not being nerd, but I think that's Smith's performance

[@jinhochoi9024]

can you tell me Concerto for Solo Piano Mvt. 3 Op.39 No.10 from 12 Etudes in Minor Keys original audio KZbin link?

[@Medtszkowski]

@@jinhochoi9024 kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5-upp-fnphqhqssi=3LmGqyioyjIpr07t

[@jinhochoi9024]

thanks.. 🙏

[@Franz_Liszt_Korean]

Beautiful

[@stefanolanza8018]

3.37 Animando, se si può LOL!

[@Starry_9]

Quasi Caccia(Op.53) is also my one of favorite.

[@eredon246]

5:50 - Activate inner Liszt

[@Damian_Theodoridis]

4:17 sounds like Legende No.2 by Liszt

[@Damian_Theodoridis]

And 4:44 sounds like Cziffra playin the Piano _XD_

[@michaelherring1944]

Or Liszt sounds like Alkan. They were contemporaries of each other.

[@prinlaohawirapap1599]

What’s the piece at the end?

[@Medtszkowski]

Liszt Dante sonata

[@snorefest1621]

I like you just smash the bottom keys at in fusee

[@snorefest1621]

The 20 ans recording is kinda underwhelming and lame compared to Senekeremian. I like his recording of it better

[@Paganini-Liszt]

9:08 - I still can't do Overture, no matter how hard I try, I can't find any power to play it.

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

3:48 lol wha-

[@Medtszkowski]

Clusters 🤤🤤

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

​@@Medtszkowski Ik lol

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

11:52 btw that's not the original version. It's the transcription by Jose Vianna da Motta.

[@Medtszkowski]

Yes I am aware of this, it’s still 99% Alkan’s work though. The climax just sounds better on piano imo

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

@@Medtszkowski it's okay I just felt like informing that that's all

[@Medtszkowski]

@@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji Sure

[@borisaxelrod7411]

Кто исполнители??

[@Damian_Theodoridis]

*WHAT???? YUI PLAYS THE ALKAN SYMPHONY??????? NO WAY*

[@Medtszkowski]

Yui has played a lot of Alkan. Click this playlist and scroll down and click on the others too. There are 5 of them. music.apple.com/us/album/alkan-piano-collection-1-symphonie-yui-morishita/1046459199

[@Damian_Theodoridis]

@@Medtszkowski_ahh ok_

[@therealransu]

aww i missed it very great video otherwise!

[@Medtszkowski]

Thank you!!

[@whaijorhujishkomunyk]

Epic

[@robert982]

🎉You may enjoy Libetta's 20 ans, and Roma's Saltarelle.

[@Medtszkowski]

I’ve listened to those, but still prefer moroshita’s

[@LuisKolodin]

Vincenzo Maltempo is unable to keep a steady tempo. he holds on when hard and speeds up when easier. I can't listen to it, it's distracting.

[@Medtszkowski]

Yeah, I realize, but when I chose these recordings, some of these were the only ones available on KZbin for the pieces.

[@LuisKolodin]

@@Medtszkowski no problem

[@AlkanLove]

マルテンポの演奏には情熱が欠け、どこか抜けた演奏ですよね。

[@thestrugglingmtf]

@@LuisKolodin boohoo waaa cry abt it That’s why he’s called “Maltempo” (literally Bad Speed”)

[@LuisKolodin]

@@thestrugglingmtf yeah. it means "bad speed" in my native language too (mal tempo), but I never made this connection. hehe it could also be "bad weather"

[@hiliktmal]

was alkan the original gooner

[@Medtszkowski]

nooooo 😭

[@BlueArchiveClassicalPiano]

yues 🤑🙃👍

[@AnatoArchives]

That Dante Sonata in the outro......... who's the performer?

[@Medtszkowski]

Arnaldo Cohen.

[@primitivearts8868]

My favourite climax is in Le festin d 'Esope, that is not here :P

[@Ace-dv5ce]

5:22 Sibelius you little thief

[@Medtszkowski]

What Sibelius piece does it sound like? I’m not familiar with him,

[@Ace-dv5ce]

@@Medtszkowski if I’m not mistaken Some moments in the first movement of his violin concerto

[@Damian_Theodoridis]

I want Morishitas Symphonie Full version *NOW*

[@Damian_Theodoridis]

*Best. Version. Ever*

[@Medtszkowski]

@@Damian_Theodoridis get Apple Music subscription

[@Medtszkowski]

kzbin.info/aero/OLAK5uy_lW3zE1xlVTBrkbVCjdGX51ciO9iy8t08g&si=LSpmCeggBPdsclsa newly uploaded to KZbin. It’s all there @Damian_Theodoridis

[@dawlims1334]

Who played the symphony op 39 mvt 4?

[@dawlims1334]

Anybody?

[@Medtszkowski]

Yui Morishita. It’s says at 1:48 fyi :)

[@bradyredding1964]

outro?

[@Medtszkowski]

What’s the question?

[@Medtszkowski]

@@aldomendoza505 that’s what I thought he was asking, but wanted to be sure

[@Medtszkowski]

Dante sonata, played by Arnaldo Cohen.

[@richardchiu9832]

9:39 meme movement?

[@Medtszkowski]

lmao

[@jannis11]

Noice

[@ronny3349]

8:11

[@Muphy-xq7qr]

4:41 This is Ronald Smith

[@Medtszkowski]

No it isn’t.

[@Muphy-xq7qr]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWLKe6eflNaksLM 5:44 The same

[@Muphy-xq7qr]

Btw thanks for posting i like your video but i think this is Smith's recording if I'm wrong please correct me

[@Medtszkowski]

@@Muphy-xq7qrwow that’s strange. Where I got the audio from it said Hamelin. But it’s obviously Ronald smith

[@Muphy-xq7qr]

@@Medtszkowski I like Smith version more, so i think it is good to have such a mistake lol

[@jcl9792]

13:28

[@Dylonely_9274]

Underrated

[@Medtszkowski]

Thank you Dylonely!

[@Vishesh23]

Why are you everywhere.

[@Medtszkowski]

@@Vishesh23 because he’s a KZbin watcher

[@Vishesh23]

@@Medtszkowski Oh, okay, Thank you.😊😊

[@Lircking]

my favorite one was with my wife

[@Medtszkowski]

Ok

[@borisaxelrod7411]

Это что получается? Амлен не самый лучший исполнитель Алькана? Я думал его техника это предел совершенства...

[@borisaxelrod7411]

Хотя его тоже включили! А то я уже перепугался...

[@borisaxelrod7411]

Меня сильно напугал Morishita! 🤯 Но когда я услышал последнюю включенную запись концертную Амлена, как финальная точка в этом вопросе королей техники и виртуозного мастерства, моя душа успокоилась! Он по истине недосягаемый виртуоз! Ядерный взрыв это отлично подметили 😅 Но остальные исполнители действительно шокируют! А остальные вещи, которые исполнял Амлен, играют быстрее чем он, да.

[@Medtszkowski]

Yes, Hamelin is definitely amazing. Easily one of the best modern pianists of our time.

[@AlkanLove]

ハーメルンのアルカンは元気な犬の様な演奏ですよね。 卓越した技術で聴衆を説き伏せ、四の五の言う評論家も「まぁここまでの演奏が出来るなら許してやろう」と言わせる程の素晴らしいピアニスト😂

[@Froggy_Btw]

might be better than tanqr

[@therealransu]

isnt that the arsenal dude

[@Medtszkowski]

@@therealransuno way you what arsenal is?

[@therealransu]

@@Medtszkowski yee if i remember correctly i told you i had roblox before in a mazeppa video

[@Medtszkowski]

@@therealransu oh yeah

[@user-oc9vv7mt5c]

Omg

[@Damian_Theodoridis]

*_whaaa_*

[@Medtszkowski]

You got it to work lol

[@Damian_Theodoridis]

@@Medtszkowski yep sure did _:D_

[@elliottblum7925]

Wanna be Liszt