Charles-Valentin Alkan: Organ Works, Volume Two
In the last three decades the staggeringly original piano music of Charles-Valentin Alkan (1813-88) has emerged from the darkness that surrounded it over the previous century and today features regularly in recital programmes. But Alkan’s music for organ – much of it initially conceived for the now obsolete pedal-piano – is no less powerful and imaginative, although little of it had been recorded before Kevin Bowyer began this survey. His first recording of this repertoire drew ecstatic reviews from the critics; this second instalment (of three) offers music and playing of equal quality.
Kevin Bowyer, organ
Listen To This Recording:
- Pro Organo (1850)
- No. 7, Allegro, F sharp minor
- No. 8, Energicamente, D minor
- No. 9, Moderato, D major
- No. 10, Moderato, D major
- No. 11, Adagio, F minor
- No. 12, Tempo giusto, C major
- No. 1, Tempo giustissimo, C major
- No. 2, Andantino, A major
- No. 3, Quasi-Adagio, D minor
- No. 4, Assez doucement, G major
- No. 5, Lentement, D minor
- No. 6, Majesteusement, B flat major
- No. 7, Molto Moderato, F major
- No. 8, Assez vite, A minor
- No. 9, Assez lentement, E flat major
- No. 10, ModÈrÈment, D minor
- No. 11, Dolcement, A minor
- Handel, Messiah, transcription Alkan: Larghetto (‘Pastoral Symphony’), B major
12 Études pour les Pieds seulement, Nos. 7–12 (c. 1869)
11 Pièces dans le Style Religieux, et 1 Transcription, de Messie de Handel, Op. 72 (c. 1867)
Classical Source :
‘In first-rate sound, the rich acoustic of Blackburn Cathedral has been captured without losing any of the details of either the music or its interpretation. The third and final volume is eagerly awaited; in the meantime, this issue, as with Volume 1, comes very highly recommended as an authoritative journey through Alkan’s organ music.’
—Peter Joelson, Classical Source
Alkan Society :
‘Bowyer is performing great services to Alkan and to the organ repertoire as a whole through this series and, like volume I (and doubtless the forthcoming volume III), this recording is a must.’
—Alkan Society, Bulletin No. 77
MusicWeb International :
‘With his new series of recordings Kevin Bowyer and Toccata Classics have done Alkan a huge service. Bowyer is the ideal advocate for this music: not only is he a consummate and highly intelligent musician, but his technique seems to know no bounds. The 12 Études pour les pieds seulement represent some of the most forbidding technical challenges in the organ repertoire. A performer who has not only mastered the spine-chilling and diabolical difficulties of these works but is also able to unlock their musical qualities from the page is a rare artist indeed. […]
This CD demands to be heard by a wide musical audience and not only by Alkan and organ aficionados. High accolades should also be awarded to Toccata Classics for such an enterprising release, the excellent recording quality achieved by Lance Andrews of Lammas Records and by the producer Richard Tanner’
—Robert Costin, MusicWeb International