Description
This second prelude from Alkan's Op. 31 set unfolds a more extended, meditative soundscape in contrast to its shorter companion. A sustained bass line underpins a quiet melody, creating an introspective, prayer-like atmosphere typical of Romantic keyboard writing. Though intermediate in difficulty, its longer duration demands sustained concentration on tone decay and pacing.
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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