Description
This is the first of Alkan's 25 Préludes, Op. 31, published in 1846 and sometimes compared to Chopin's contemporaneous preludes. Within a compact form, Alkan packs concentrated harmonic tension and touches of chromaticism into a lyrical melodic line. At an intermediate level, the piece rewards careful shaping of its brief but expressive phrases.
Preludes by Alkan, pairing formidable technical demands with the dense musicality typical of the Romantic era — underappreciated gems.
Sheet Music
Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Charles-Valentin Alkan (1813-1888)
Charles-Valentin Alkan was a French pianist-composer active in Paris alongside Chopin and Liszt, though he lived a famously reclusive life. His music is known for extreme virtuosity combined with harmonic originality and large-scale formal ambition. This site includes two Preludes from Op. 31 and the brilliant Toccatina, Op. 75.
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