Charles-Valentin ALKAN (1813-1888)

: Alkan’s Op 31 were first published in three volumes by Brandus of Paris in 1847 bearing Op 47 (1857) for cello and piano. While we may feel tempted to draw an invidious comparison with the set by Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849), which appeared some eight years earlier, a cursory glance at Alkan’s example reveals the two composers’ intentions were vastly different. It would also be fair to argue that, like Chopin, Alkan cultivated the form of the prelude into a more elevated art form which is justified in its own right, rather than a quasi-improvised prefix rattled off to flex the muscles before launching into a more substantial work.