Charles-Valentin ALKAN (1813-1888)

lkan’s were first published in 1847, and were designed to be played on the piano (Prayer) in the original key of C major. The 25 Préludes comprise three suites (Nos 1-9, 10-17 and 18-25). The first set starts out calmly with No 1, printed on the previous page, and proceeds in a sequence of keys that moves alternately up a fourth and down a third. (The song of the mad woman on the shore) has a completely different feel, conveying deep tones of the sea itself combined with increasing tension from the mad woman’s ‘voice’.