Marc-Andre Hamelin, one of the world’s most honored pianists, will delve into the creativity of Frederic Chopin and Charles-Valentin Alkan, the two greatest piano virtuosos and composers of 19th century France. The occasion is Pro Musica Hebraica’s program focusing on the composers’ remarkable accomplishments and friendship. Despite being outsiders in their community, Chopin a Pole and Alkan a Jew, they thrived in the world of music centered in Paris.
“Chopin’s music never disappeared but has been part of our culture since his time,” Hamelin said. “Alkan, however, slipped into obscurity until he was rediscovered by two people during the 1950s and 1960s. Ronald Smith of the U.K. wrote several books about him and established the Alkan Society. In this country, pianist Raymond Lewenthal was regarded as an eccentric for his concert attire and programs of unfamiliar piano pieces, among them works by Alkan. Nevertheless, both men drew attention to music that had disappeared from the repertoire, and together they kick-started renewed interest that came into full flower in the 1980s.
“My father discovered Alkan early in my life. He came home with a Lewenthal recording when I was 7 years old and we sat down and listened to it together. Alkan was a true craftsman who wrote interesting detail and innovations. He occasionally gave suggestions about fingering, but often left the decision to the pianist. Like Lewenthal, he frequently was dismissed as a crank. In later life, he became reclusive, but continued to compose and publish.”
| Onstage |
| Marc-Andre Hamelin performs ‘The Enigma of Paris’ |
| Where: Kennedy Center Terrace Theater |
| When: 7:30 p.m. Monday |
| Info: $38; 202-467-4600, 800-444-1324; kennedy-center.org, promusicahebraica.org |
An exclusive recording artist for Hyperion Records and a composer in his own right, Hamelin received a 2010 Grammy nomination for “Hamelin: Etudes,” his own compositions, as well as a first prize from the German Record Critics’ Association. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Chevalier de l’Ordre du Quebec and a member of the Royal Society of Canada. As might be expected, he has recorded and frequently performs piano pieces by Chopin, along with Liszt, Haydn and Schumann.
“I want audiences to come out of my recitals having discovered something new,” he said. “We know that Alkan and Chopin knew each other and had a lot of mutual respect. One of the most fascinating voices of the 19th century, with his share of quirkiness, Alkan has left us with his best work, the Symphony for Solo Piano.”
