ALKAN, VALENTIN

born Nov. 30, 1813, Paris, France died March 29, 1888, Paris in full Charles-henri-valentin Alkan, original name Charles-henri-valentin Morhange French pianist-composer, one of the leading virtuosos of the 19th century and one of the most enigmatic figures in 19th-century music. Alkan was born to Jewish parents, and all of his siblings (five brothers and a sister) also assumed the surname Alkan and were musicians. Valentin drew notice at the age of seven, when he won the first of many first prizes at the Paris Conservatory. By the age of 17 he had established a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. As a young man he moved in a circle of friends that included George Sand, Victor Hugo, Frdric Chopin, and Franz Liszt, but for long periods of time beginning in his 20s he withdrew from society and concert performance and devoted himself to composing music. His music, difficult and often unorthodox, displays considerable ingenuity and imagination in advancing the possibilities of keyboard technique; in this respect Ferruccio Busoni, an Italian composer and pianist, considered him to be excelled only by Liszt and Johannes Brahms. Alkan himself felt that he was overshadowed by Liszt. In his rare concert appearances he preferred to play the works of 18th-century composers (then out of fashion), rather than his own compositions. His numerous works (composed mostly for piano and pedal piano) include preludes and studies in all the major and minor keys; 12 pieces, Les mois (The Months); the sonata Les quatre ges; and the Piano Concerto in C Sharp Minor. Csar Franck transcribed several of his pieces for organ.