Alkan, Alan Weiss - Grande Sonate Les Quatre Ages Symphonie For Piano Solo Le Festin dEsope Miniatures

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Review by Jayrod Garrett

Album Review: Grande Sonate Les Quatre Ages Symphonie For Piano Solo Le Festin d’Esope Miniatures by Alkan, Alan Weiss (2014) Alright, let’s get real here. This album? It’s not for the faint-hearted. Charles-Valentin Alkan’s music is like a punch to the gut—complex, wild, and unapologetically in-your-face. And when you’ve got Alan Weiss hammering away at the keys with the precision of a surgeon but the soul of a madman, things get intense. Released under Brilliant Classics in 2014, this record dives deep into Romantic-era classical music, but don’t expect your grandma’s Chopin. Nope. Alkan’s stuff is darker, weirder, and way more chaotic. Let me break it down for ya. The standout track that slapped me across the face was "Grande Sonate, Op. 33 'Les Quatre Ages'", specifically the fourth movement, "50 Ans: Promethee Enchaine." Holy crap, this thing feels like Prometheus himself is dragging his sorry ass out of Tartarus while Zeus laughs maniacally in the background. Alan Weiss nails the extremement lent tempo—slow as molasses, but every note drips with pain and defiance. You can almost hear the chains rattling. By the time those final chords hit, you’re left breathless, wondering if you just survived an emotional car crash or what. Then there’s "Le Festin d'Esope, Op. 39 No. 12," which is basically Alkan showing off how much of a genius he is. This piece is nuts—a whirlwind of themes packed into one giant fugue-like monster. Weiss handles the chaos like a pro, never losing control even when the notes come flying at you faster than you can process them. There’s something about the way he transitions between sections—it’s like watching someone juggle knives on fire without breaking a sweat. Halfway through, I had to pause and remind myself this wasn’t some avant-garde metal band shredding their instruments; nope, it’s just one dude on a piano. What makes this album stick in my head isn’t just the technical wizardry—it’s how raw it feels. Alkan doesn’t care about being pretty or polite. His music screams, “Feel THIS!” And Weiss? Dude gets it. He doesn’t smooth over the rough edges or try to make it palatable. Instead, he leans into the madness, letting Alkan’s freak flag fly high. But honestly, after listening to this beast of an album, I couldn’t help but think: why isn’t Alkan bigger? Like, Beethoven-big? Sure, his music might scare off casual listeners, but damn, it’s worth the effort. Maybe people are intimidated because they’d rather binge Netflix than wrestle with these sonic monsters. Or maybe we’re all just too lazy to appreciate greatness when it stares us in the face. Anyway, if you’re looking for background music to sip tea to, skip this. But if you want something that’ll chew you up, spit you out, and leave you questioning your life choices, grab this album. Trust me—you won’t forget it anytime soon.

Download Alkan, Alan Weiss - Grande Sonate Les Quatre Ages Symphonie For Piano Solo Le Festin dEsope Miniatures
Artist: Alkan, Alan Weiss
Album: Grande Sonate Les Quatre Ages Symphonie For Piano Solo Le Festin dEsope Miniatures
Rating: 3.0

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: alkan-alan-weiss-grande-sonate-les-quatre-ages-symphonie-for.zip
  • MP3 size: 179.2 mb
  • FLAC size: 1203.2 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
Le Tambour Bat Aux Champs, Esquisse, Op. 50bis
No. 10. Gros Temps
Marche Funebre
No. 6. Promenade Sur L'eau
No. 5. Agitatissimo
I. 20 Ans: Tres Vite
Finale
No. 1. Assez Vivement
Nocturne No. 1, Op. 22
Le Festin d'Esope, Op. 39 No. 12
Allegro
Le Temps Qui N'est Plus, Prelude Op. 31 No. 12
No. 3. Le Legatissimo
No. 10. Increpatio
Grande Sonate, Op. 33, "Les Quatre Ages" (The Four Ages)
Toccatina, Op. 75
Petit Conte
Menuet
lll. 40 Ans: Un Heureux Menage (A Happy Household): Lentement
IV. 50 Ans: Promethee Enchaine (Prometheus Enchained): Extremement Lent
From "Trentes Chants" Suite No. 1, Op. 38
No. 47. Scherzetto
No. 6. Barcarolle
No. 11. Les Soupirs
No. 46. Le Premier Billet Doux
No. 21. Morituri Te Salutant
Symphonie For Piano Solo, Op. 39 Nos. 4-7
Fa, Op. 38b No. 2, From "2nd Book Of Chants"
Les Mois, Op. 74
Il. 30 Ans: Quasi-Faust: Assez Vite
No. 2. Le Staccatissimo
Petites Fantaisies, Op. 41

Images

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Catalog Numbers

93568

Labels

Brilliant Classics

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Formats

  • 2 × CD
  • Album

Credits

RoleCredit
Composed ByCharles-Valentin Alkan
PianoAlan Weiss
ProducerPeter Arts
EngineerPeter Arts

Notes

  • CD1 Total time: 75:32
  • CD2 Total time: 63:18
  • CD1: Recording: 20/21 December 1989. Concertgebouw "De Vereeniging" Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  • CD2: Recording: March 22-24 2007, Hervormde Kerk Rhoon, The Netherlands

Barcodes

  • Barcode: 5028421935683
  • Label Code: LC 09421
  • SPARS Code: DDD

About Alkan, Alan Weiss

30 November 1813  29 March 1888. French composer and one of the greatest virtuoso pianists of his day. Wrote almost exclusively for the keyboard.

Real Name

    • Charles-Henri-Valentin Morhange

Name Vars

  • Alkan
  • C. H. V. Alkan
  • C.-V. Alkan
  • C.V. Alkan
  • Ch. V. Alkan
  • Ch. V. Alkan Aîné
  • Ch.-V. Alkan
  • Charles Alkan
  • Charles H. V. Alkan
  • Charles V. Alkan
  • Charles Valentin Alkan
  • Charles-Henri Alkan

Interesting fact about Album

Did you know? The album *Grande Sonate Les Quatre Ages Symphonie For Piano Solo Le Festin d'Esope Miniatures* features music composed by Charles-Valentin Alkan, a quirky and reclusive genius of the Romantic era. Alkan was so private that he reportedly lived in an apartment where his piano was positioned to block the entrance—talk about dedication! This 2014 release by Brilliant Classics brings his complex, dramatic works to life through pianist Alan Weiss. One standout piece is "Prometheus Enchained," a hauntingly beautiful reflection on aging and struggle. It’s wild how Alkan’s music still feels so powerful today, almost two centuries later.