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Draft:Douze études dans tous les tons majeurs (Alkan)

Douze études dans tous les tons majeurs, opus 35 (12 studies in the major keys) are a set of twelve etudes by the French-Jewish Composer Charles-Valentin Alkan that starts on the key of A major and goes around the circle of fourths until ending on the key of E major. The set is less preformed and well known than its minor key counterpart (Douze études dans tous les tons mineurs, opus 39) but contains a few notable woks such as the Allegro barbaro in F major (no. 5), L'incendie au village voisin in E-flat major (no. 7), and Chant d'amour - Chant de mort in Gb major (no. 10).

Études in the Set

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Name Key
Allegretto A major
Allegro D major
Andantino G major
Presto C major
Allegro barbaro F major
Allegramente Bb major
L'incendie au village voisin Eb major
Lento-Appassionato Ab major
Contrapunctus C# major
Chant d'amour-Chant de mort Gb major
Posément B major
Andando E major

The Études

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The Opus 35 études are divided into two sets of six which Alexander Eddie notes that the first set serves as a technical exercises for the more advanced second set.[1]

Étude no. 1

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The first étude is in A major (paralleling the A minor start to his minor key études, opus 39) which compared to the rest of the set is rather undemanding in the technique it calls upon. Ronald Smith denotes this as "Wallenstadt revisited" for its similarities to the piece Au lac de Wallenstadt by Franz Liszt.[2] The étude's coda demonstrates Alkan's ability to write in third species counterpoint.   Figure 1. Opening to Alkan's Opus 35 no. 1

Étude no.

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The second étude in D major now calls upon a staccato technique where the right hand plays a top line which is imitate by an offset second voice. The technical difficultly of this work is maintaining the distinctions of the voices and the light touch called upon by the piano and pianissimo dynamic markings all while keeping the galloping sound intact. As the piece heads towards its b section tension builds by the thickening of texture and ever quickening change in harmony until finally landing on the b sections key of C minor and eventually B-flat major until recapitulating to D major to end the piece on presto coda.

Étude no. 3

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The third étude in G major

Étude no. 4

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The fourth étude in C major is a study in tremolo technique which Ronald Smith comments as "the most testing exercise in tremolando ever devised." [2]   Figure 2. Climax from Opus 35 No. 4

Étude no. 5

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The fifth étude in F major entitled "Allegro barbaro" is a grueling study of octaves, however, despite its clear F major marking the composer avoids ever playing B-flat in the entire piece giving it a Lydian texture. The influence of this work on Bartok's Allegro Barbaro is contest on whether he hear Busoni play it or owned a copy of Alkan's étude.[2][3]

Étude no. 6

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Étude no. 7

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Étude no. 8

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Étude no. 9

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Étude no. 10

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Étude no. 11

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Étude no. 12

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Recordings of the Complete Set

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A complete recording of the set has been made by pianist Mark Viner on his album Etudes Dans Tous les Tons Majeurs Op.35.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Eddie, William Alexander (2007). Charles Valentin Alkan: his life and his music. Aldershot, Hampshire, England ; Burlington, VT: Ashgate. ISBN 978-1-84014-260-0.
  2. ^ a b c Smith, Ronald (December 31, 2000). Alkan: The Man The Music (2nd ed.). Amersham, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom: Kahn and Averill. pp. 99–108.
  3. ^ Saviola, Stephen (2021). Virtuosity and Innovation: The Grotesque Aesthetic in the Piano Music of C.-V. Alkan. Greensboro: The University of North Carolina.
  4. ^ Viner, Mark; Alkan,Charles-Valentin, Etudes Dans Tous les Tons Majeurs Op.35, Piano Classics (Edel), retrieved 2024-04-14

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