Alkan:
Premier Nocturne in B, Op.22
Salterelle in E minor, Op.23
25 Preludes in the major and minor keys, Op.31
Ancienne mélodiee la synagogue No. 6 in G, Op.31
Romance No. 18 in C sharp minor, Op.31
12 Etudes in the major keys, Op.35
Presto No. 4 in C, Op.35
Premier recueil de chants, Op.38a
Assez vivement No. 1 in E, Op.38a
12 etudes in the minor keys, Op.39
Scherzo diabolico No. 3 in G minor, Op.39
Nocturne No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op.57
Sonatine in A minor, Op.61
Esquisses. La Vision No. 1 in C, Op.63
Le Staccatissimo No. 2 in F minor, Op.63
L’homme aux sabots No. 23 in B flat minor, Op.63
Petit Air Dolent No. 30 B minor, Op.63
Notturnino-Innamorato No. 43 in F sharp minor, Op.63
Le Premier Billet Doux No. 46 E flat major, Op.63
Troisieme reueil de chants, Op.65
En canon a l’octave No. 3 in A, Op.65
Cinquieme recueil de chants Duettino No. 1 in E, Op.70
Andantinetto No. 2 in A minor, Op.70
barcarolle No. 6 in G minor, Op.70
Les Mois, La Sérénade No. 5 in F sharp minor, Op.74
Promenade sur l’eau No. 6 in A, Op.74
Trois grandes études No. 3, Op.76 for piano
Mouvement semblable et perpetual (Rondo-Toccata) in C minor, Op.76 for hands reunited

J.S Bach:
Souvenirs de Musique de Chambre No. 2
‘Siciliano’ in G minor from Flute Sonata in E flat BWV 1031

On 29 April 1844 in Paris’s Salle Erard, Charles-Valentin Alkan returned to the platform after an absence of six years. Bach, Scarlatti, Beethoven and Weber featured, as well as four of Alkan’s latest compositions. Two of these appear on Andrew Yiangou’s remarkable recital – the Op.22 Nocturne and the Op.23 E minor Saltarelle. The centre piece in the programme is the misleadingly titled Sonatina in A minor, Op.61. This is a large-scale sonata of huge technical challenges. Busoni claimed that Alkan was, along with Chopin, Liszt, Schumann and Brahms was one of the five greatest composers for the piano since Beethoven. Alkan certainly discovered unheard of sonorities imbued with a disturbing power, and a preoccupation with the darker shades of human experience. Andrew Yiangou’s programme is a fascinating view into the musical world of one of the most enigmatic composers of the 19th century.