Charles-Valentin Alkan(1813-1888)
Solo Piano Music
48 Esquisses, Opus 63
Steven Osborne, piano
Recorded Henry Wood Hall, London, July 2002
Hyperion 67267 [75:01]
Comparison Version: Laurent Martin - Naxos 8.555496
(formerly on Marco Polo)
Charles Valentin Alkan's reputation as a serious master of piano works
has grown substantially over the past 20 years or so. Traditionally
thought of as a 'goof-ball', his music was also considered odd, quirky,
and not substantial. There is some thruth to the old opinion in that
Alkan was a recluse with a very original mind. However, I've never
thought his music anything less than exceptionally structured with
compelling and enchanting melodies.
Alkan wrote a mix of large-scale and miniature solo piano works.
"Esquisses" or Sketches consists of 48 miniatures ranging from under
1 minute to about 5 minutes in length. These pieces come from Alkan's
later years and were composed during a fifteen year period ending in
1861. Many are in the form of piano etudes, but Alkan invests this cycle
with a wide architecutral and emotional breadth. Also, the compliation
is segmented into 4 Books, each one having 12 pieces. There is a 49th
piece taking the role of a postlude to the entire work.
Alkan was a free thinker, and "Esquisses" fully reflects his mind.
There are many of the 49 pieces which sound odd and perhaps of caricature
nature. Yet, each piece hangs together well as continued listening
brings out the natural musicality Alkan possessed.
Another attribute that tends to apply to only the greatest of composers
is Alkan's knack of taking small musical kernels and giving us a sizeable
bundle of musical delights. Some of the music of "Esquisses" seems so
simple that I wonder why I'm enjoying it so much. But Alkan knows
expertly how to vary and turn a phrase in order to get into the human
bloodstream.
Concerning alternate versions of "Esquisses", I am only aware of the Laurent
Martin disc which originated on Marco Polo and was recorded in 1990. Since
the Martin and Osborne discs are prime competitors by necessity, I will be
offering extensive comments about each. These are the performances where I
feel a significant difference of approach and/or success exists between
Osborne and Martin:
Book 1, no. 2 (Le Staccatissimo) - Exciting and fast Scherzo with impressive
voice interaction and transparency. Martin takes the speedier route in
an effective perpetual motion display. Osborne doesn't possess Martin's
propulsion, but he is much better in detailing each of the musical lines
and conveying their interaction. On balance, both versions are excellent.
Book 1, no. 4 (Les Cloches) - The bell ushers in mystery, and Osborne offers
little else with his very smooth and sedate reading. It's quite possible
that Osborne's intent is to mesmorize, but it doesn't work on me. In
comparison, Martin's interpretation is vivid and sharp, evoking the weight
of an evil presence ready to strike its prey. With Osborne my attention
dissipates before the conclusion, while Martin keeps me glued to the music
from the first incisive bell stroke.
Book 1, no. 5 (Les Inities) - Welcome to the world of the baroque and Bach
as Alkan weaves his counterpoint in such an uplifting and subtle manner that
I'd swear Bach wrote the first subject himself. At least, that's just how
I feel when listening to Osborne's transcendent reading. To a degree, Martin
uses the same approach as in his "Les Cloches", but only ends up too fast
and insufficiently supple. What works well for one Alkan piece doesn't
necessarily win the day for the next one.
Book 1, no. 7 (Le Frisson) - For music lasting under 2 minutes, there is
a wealth of diversity. it starts off in F sharp major with an exquisitely
pristine nature and migrates to maturity when the lower voices enter. The
second section is in the minor mode and offers foreboding bass strokes ending
in a burst of rapid-fire notes. Osborne has all the pristine nature I could
ask for and does a great job with the bass strokes in the second section.
Martin again isn't very supple in the first section, but I do like his lower
voices injecting danger as well as maturity; Osborne eschews the dangerous
route altogether. Overall, I have to go with Osborne's fresher interpretation
which draws in the listener immediately.
Book 1, no. 9 (Confidence) - A warm melody line is developed over a bed
of lower-voice triplets, and a strong degree of rapture is captured by the
music's swells. Martin has the advantage here as he makes the most of the
swells and rapture, all of it enhancing the music's warmth. Osborne pays
little attention to the swells, giving us a bite-sized portion and sounding
rather perfunctory. This is the opposite of what I would have expected from
both pianists based on their previous performances in Book 1 where Osborne
has been much warmer than Martin.
Book 1, no. 12 (Barcarollette) - The angry lower voice has the melody
line, while the upper voice is hypnotic in its delicate repetition.
Osborne hypnotizes, Martin does not. Actually, Martin's upper voice is so
demonstrative and quick that I doubt his goal is to mesmerize the listener.
One thing is becoming clear - when pristine and delicate playing is called
for, Osborne is exceptional and Martin doesn't deliver.
Book 2, no. 14 (Duettino) - Sound quality considerations have to be brought
up concerning this Baroque example of fast and tigtening counterpoint where
most of the activity is from the upper end of the keyboard. The Naxos sound
has been a little problematic in that upper notes, if played strongly, tend
to be excessively bright and piercing. Well, Martin sure plays "Duettino"
strongly, and the sound is difficult to endure; I find it very unpleasant
and ultimately unlistenable. The Hyperion sound is much better, and Osborne
takes a lighter approach than Martin. However, this isn't a case of Osborne
performing better than Martin; it's a situation where Osborne enjoys the
superior soundstage.
Book 2, no. 16 (Fantaisie) - This is sparkling music with pristine cascading
from the upper voice. The piece should take flight, and that's exactly what
Martin does with his rhythmic bounce and edge. In comparison, Osborne is
earth-bound and never seems to be into the music. He plays smoothly, and
the sounds are attractive - that's about it.
Book 2, no. 17 (Petit prelude a 3) - This baroque-style music has a
cantabile nature and points out a significant difference between Osborne
and Martin. Consistently through Esquisses, Osborne is a natural for Alkan's
cantabile pieces just like Edward Aldwell is for Bach's. Frankly, I don't
hear much of a relationship between Martin and a cantabile style which seems
foreign to him. He simply misses the ebb and flow of the music.
Book 2, no. 20 (Petite marche villageoise) - One of my favorite pieces of
the set, it's a great example of Alkan making much out of so little. We
have here a simple march with infectious chromatic turns. The music has
much bounce and edge. As expected, Osborne doesn't offer it, and Martin
does. These two gentlemen continue to display their particular brand of
strengths and weaknesses on a consistent basis.
Book 2, no. 24 (Contredanse) - Just when I think I've figured out a
pianist's style with a particular composer, it all gets turned on its head.
In Martin's hands, the Contredanse is an exciting piece of good cheer. What
blows me away is Osborne's quicker performance that's thoroughly exhilarating
and packed with thrills. He sounds like he's having the most vibrant day
of his life, and he clearly takes this music to the edge of the envelope.
Osborne gets some major points for his tremendous performance.
Book 3, no. 29 (Delire) - An outburst of passion, Osborne could have
thrilled me again as in his "Contredanse", but he takes a different
path of purposeful slow-downs in tempo and tries to make the piece one of
poignancy. I don't feel it works in the least. Martin is his usual propelled
self and performs admirably; he turns on the engines from the first notes
and doesn't retreat until the appropriate time when the delicate conclusion
arrives. That brings up another negative aspect of Osborne's interpretation;
the softly written ending has insufficient contrast with what he has previously
provided in the piece.
Book 3, no. 36 (Toccatina) - In perpetual semi-quaver motion, this piece is
a 'tour de force' testing the virtuosity of the pianist. Osborne is exceptional
in his detail, speed, and conveying the full measure of the work's excitement
and lyricism. Martin sounds like he wants to play ahead of the natural beat
and ends up giving a mix of 'bump and grind' that I find unattractive.
Book 4, no. 42 (Petit air) - Osborne hasn't been a model of excellence
concerning Alkan's music that well accomodates a strong rhythmic bounce, and
"Petit air' suffers for it. While Martin showers the listener with his virle
rhythmic sway, Osborne saps the music of virility and offers a dream-like
and under inflected interpretation. There is a regal element to "Petit air"
that Osborne entirely disregards.
Don's Conclusions: Steven Osborne offers an attractive and warm set of
performances of "Esquisses" highlighted by an exceptional projection of
Alkan's cantabile lines. This is the area where Osborne does much better
than Martin who tends to sound uncomfortable with the music requiring legato
playing. For his part, Martin's advantage over Osborne is his sharper
contours and greater rhythmic bounce. Osborne can tend to get stuck in
'legato heaven' when a sharper profile is called for. The Hyperion soundstage
is superior to the Naxos recording, but Naxos has the big price advantage.
Overall, I would recommend the Osborne over the Martin, but only by a small
margin. Truth to tell, if you want a great version of "Esquisses", you'll
have to wait for an exceptional pianist who changes his/her approach depending
on the needs of the music. Neither Osborne nor Martin makes the necessary
adjustments on a consistent basis. My best advice is to have both Osborne
and Martin until the full package comes along. Given that Alkan is not a
very popular composer, that full package might not arrive for many years.
Don Satz
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