Alkan: Esquisses (48), Op. 63

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Here's a superlative record of music to confound the sceptics, including the soloist himself, who, in a witty, concentrated essay, expresses his surprise at discovering Alkan's Esquisses and... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 6th Mar 2003
Catalogue No: CDA67377
Label: Hyperion
Length: 74 minutes

Gramophone Magazine

September 2003

Editor's Choice

Alkan: Esquisses (48), Op. 63

Work length1:14:36

$53.90

$73.50

$75.95

Steven Osborne (piano)

Book 1 No 01. La vision

Track length2:53

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Book 1 No 02. Le staccatissimo

Track length1:10

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Book 1 No 03. Le legatissimo

Track length1:29

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Book 1 No 04. Les cloches

Track length0:51

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Book 1 No 05. Les initiés

Track length4:28

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Book 1 No 06. Fuguette

Track length1:25

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Book 1 No 07. Le frisson

Track length2:07

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Book 1 No 08. Pseudo-naïveté

Track length1:52

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Book 1 No 09. Confidence

Track length2:17

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Book 1 No 10. Increpatio

Track length1:25

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Book 1 No 11. Les soupirs

Track length1:59

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Book 1 No 12. Barcarollette

Track length1:37

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Book 2 No 13. Ressouvenir

Track length2:32

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Book 2 No 14. Duettino

Track length1:41

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Book 2 No 15. Tutti de concerto dans le genre ancien

Track length0:59

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Book 2 No 16. Fantaisie

Track length1:22

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Book 2 No 17. Petit prélude a 3

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Book 2 No 18. Liedchen

Track length0:48

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Book 2 No 19. Grâces

Track length1:43

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Book 2 No 20. Petite marche villageoise

Track length1:34

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Book 2 No 21. Morituri te salutant

Track length1:19

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Book 2 No 22. Innocenzia

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Book 2 No 23. L'homme aux sabots

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Book 2 No 24. Contredanse

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Book 3 No 25. La poursuite

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Book 3 No 26. Petit air

Track length0:43

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Book 3 No 27. Rigaudon

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Book 3 No 28. Inflexibilité

Track length1:04

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Book 3 No 29. Délire

Track length0:58

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Book 3 No 30. Petit air dolent

Track length1:40

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Book 3 No 31. Début de quatuor

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Book 3 No 32. Minuettino

Track length3:02

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Book 3 No 33. Fais dodo

Track length0:48

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Book 3 No 34. Odi profanum vulgus et arceo

Track length2:00

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Book 3 No 35. Musique militaire

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Book 3 No 36. Toccatina

Track length1:11

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Book 4 No 37. Scherzettino

Track length0:54

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Book 4 No 38. Les bons souhaits

Track length1:23

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Book 4 No 39. Héraclite et Démocrite

Track length1:56

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Book 4 No 40. Attendez-moi sous l'orme

Track length0:42

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Book 4 No 41. Les enharmoniques

Track length1:52

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Book 4 No 42. Petit air a 5 voix

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Book 4 No 43. Notturnino – Innamorato

Track length1:41

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Book 4 No 44. Transports

Track length0:37

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Book 4 No 45. Les diablotins

Track length2:55

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Book 4 No 46. Le premier billet doux

Track length0:58

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Book 4 No 47. Scherzetto

Track length2:09

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Book 4 No 48. En songe

Track length1:18

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Book 4 Postlude. Laus Deo

Track length3:05

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About
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About

The renaissance of interest in the reclusive and eccentric 19th-century French composer Alkan has been one of the more interesting developments of the last part of the 20th century but it has usually been his massive and virtuoso works (the symphony and concerto for solo piano for example) which have made the biggest impression. Throughout his life though Alkan was also a miniaturist, as 25 Preludes and six books of Chants show, and this interest culminated in undoubtedly the greatest of these cycles, the Esquisses (sketches) here recorded. This set of 48 pieces plus a final Laus Deo runs through all 24 keys twice with the Laus Deo returning the double cycle to C major. A huge range of mood and colour is represented from simple folk song to etude, not forgetting the bizarre, as can be seen in the tone clusters of Les Diablotins or the schizophrenic Hraclite et Dmocrite. This cycle has only been recorded complete once before. With Steven Osborne applying his colour, virtuosity and interpretive insight we are confident we have produced a recording that will permanently raise the stature of these pieces in the musical world and add a significant milestone in the Alkan discography.

Reviews

2010

Here's a superlative record of music to confound the sceptics, including the soloist himself, who, in a witty, concentrated essay, expresses his surprise at discovering Alkan's Esquisses and their journey into intimacy rather than gargantuan bravura. Not that these 48 fragments, many of them of a teasing and enigmatic brevity, could be by any other composer. Gnomic, introspective, full of odd twists and turns of phrase and expression, they invariably catch you unawares.
In 'Confidence', a Field-like innocence is countered by enough surprises to declare the composer's identity. 'Les soupirs' is so much more than a foretaste of Debussyan impressionism.
'Inflexibilité' holds the listener in a vicelike grip and the change from charm ('Petite marche villageoise') to grimness ('Morituri te salutant') is typical of Alkan's volatile yet rigorous command of the widest variety of ideas and pastiches. 'Le frisson', 'Pseudo-naïveté', 'Délire', 'Fais Dodo', 'L'homme aux sabots' – the titles predict an eccentricity that's nonetheless qualified by a formidable intellectual focus.
Osborne's performances are of a sensitivity, radiance and finesse rarely encountered from even the finest pianists. He floats the opening of 'La vision' in a magical haze or nimbus of sound, peppers the keyboard with an immaculate virtuosity in 'La staccatissimo', relishes the Norwegien tang of 'Début de quatuor' and brings a wicked frisson to 'Les diablotins', where Alkan's little devils are hustled from the field almost as if the composer had lost patience with his own grotesque creation.
Misha Donat's notes are as affectionate as they are perceptive, and Hyperion's sound is of demonstration quality. An invaluable disc, particularly for those drawn to music's byways.

Alkan: Esquisses (48), Op. 63

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