The Organ Works of Charles Valentin Alkan

Charles-Valentin Alkan was among France’s greatest Romantic composers, every bit the equal of Chopin and Liszt. For a variety of reasons he spent the latter part of his life as a recluse and was thus never fully recognized for his brilliance. This workshop will look at his life and at his instrument of choice, the pedal-piano, before exploring in greater depth some of his works for pedal-piano and/or organ, among them the Grands Preludes as well as the Twelve Etudes for the feet.