"Welcome to the Salty Spitoon, how tough are ya?" "How tough am I? I played the part at 1:59" "Yeah so?" "With one hand like the video instructed." *Reg straight up dies on the spot from a fear-induced heart attack*
@@jarbasclareto3112 Indeed. Tells us how even the greatest technicians of all time still required at least one hand to play their piano music. *nods furiously*
I was looking for Sorabji’s Opus Clavicembalisticum and came across this when I tried extremely difficult piano pieces to play . I love it and also the animated format of the old pianola roller . It makes a change from following the sheet music .
Everyone knows Alkan was just an octopus. Edit: I've already been through the lecture of an octopus not performing any better than a human, I don't need more of them fyi.
Well technically an octopus has 8 arms and Humans have 10 fingers. So this octopus joke actually doesn't make sense if you realise lol. Octopii would be able to play farther away notes but can play 8 at maximum.
@@happypiano4810Really? You'll learn this? (And I agree that the piece is great, but I tried it and it was too hard. There is a reason why there is only ONE good performance of this in UA-cam)
Gamma1734 the fact that you're in A major doesn't mean you can't have a Bb. Idk what the music says, so maybe it is supposed to be a B, but it sounds to me like you're trying to say 'we're in A major, A major has no Bb, therefore there should be no Bb' which is a blatently wrong thing to say
It's ridiculous how even in music composed by people long gone who never imagined their music would be listened today, even in this situation... there is always people who find ways of making teams and elitism of who was harder o who was better or whatever. So tiring to read these comparisons.
Well, when Liszt played in a concert after Alkan, Alkan went home crying tears of frustration and had a sleepless night. So yeah , Liszt is leagues above Alkan
For people think its easy and Liszt has harder... Yes Liszt mabye has hardest than this but look at these jumps. Like with ligature not possible to do these jumps :D
The only Liszt pieces that are more difficult are his original Paganini Etudes and his transcriptions of Berlioz and Beethoven symphonies. Feux Follets is comparable, though.
@@leo_fm_9266 I beg to differ. Mereaux, Godowsky, Szymanowski, and ESPECIALLY Sorabji have all written works which make nearly anything known by Alkan look like child's play.
@@calebhu6383 Nice seeing you here; what about his fiendishly difficult Fantasy on the themes of Lucrezia Borgia (which is available in full recorded by William Wolfram here on youtube, amazingly), or the Grand Concert Fantasy on Spanish Themes S.253?
And since Liszt did not "love" speed being equated to virtuosity*, it is dubious that this piece was played much faster than tempo ordinario. I wouldn't play it much faster than MM 1/4 = 69 (bpm) ... in fact, I'd play it around 60. When you have that kind of control, the piece is beautiful. The piece, published in 1844, is named "The Valiant Knight", and the indications for the piece are "Carrement" or "Straight out" ... "BLUNT". The tempo indication is "Dans un bon mouvement" or "in a good movement". The knightly title and "carrement" might be interpreted as "brio". So, we have a piece that is valiant, tough, and even a bit brash. Prestissimo ... no way! At 60, the "12" indication moves by at 360 bpm and at 69 a rather "mouvement" rate of 414 bpm. This is sufficient to allow for good movement and a little brashness. Too fast, and it would be a "drone", which would be unintelligible. Just my and Liszt's opinion (see quote below) ... you have yours, and that what makes this topic grande. Thank you for the post. * “Ich liebe nicht die übermäßig schnellen Zeitmaße, wie man sie heutzutage oft bei Virtuosen hört.”Franz Liszt, 17. September 1883. (zit. nach Karl Lachmund, “Mein Leben mit Franz Liszt”, Schroeder-Verlag 1970)
nha, they were friend and alkan described his own composition as "playable only by me and Franz Liszt" 😅liszt described his composition as "impossible to play" lol
@@Itibitydetsku Idk about you, but for me, but Bach’s pieces are arguably just as difficult to master as pieces such as Lizst’s Reminiscences de Don Juan. As an example, Bach’s Goldberg Variations are completely ridiculous. Coming from a person that is practicing the variations, I’d say it’s probably harder than a lot of Liszt and Alkan. However, difficulty is all suggestive, and you might the think that the Goldberg Variations are easier than Liszt and Alkan.
It's actually not even that insanely difficult I myself play so many notes on the piano when I'm bored And the notes are WAY more than this piece So to learn it wouldn't take a lifetime
@@therealransu Le Preux has much more variety, (including between the voices), in every respect, (and not just because it's longer), especially with its sharply defined sections, while Chemin to me sounds a little monotonous because of the constant drive of constant sixteenth notes, which to its credit, along with the tempo, manifests well the eponymous programmatic idea of a "railway." However, I think the Le Preux is equally or almost effective programmatically, but more subtly. Ronald Smith, who I recall as not highly estimating the piece, pointed out the humor of the piece, how it illustrates not only the gallant, but the ridiculous nature of a knight, suggesting the idea, (which Alkan easily could have had in mind), of Don Quixote. This perspective seems compelling to me especially in the section with crossed hand following the first, (played in octaves and broken chords), of the piece, where, contrasted with the gallant-sounding melody in the right hand, the melody of the crossing left gives an idea of bumbling or clumsiness, even or especially when executed well. The climax and coda, (in octaves before the final two chords), which also has a "bumbling" section, is magnificent, seemingly too long, (like the coda of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony), but not actually so as it's not at all tiresome. William Alexander Eddie, (in his book on Alakan), compares this work to Ab Irato, but the comparison's aren't strong, and I think Le Preux is actually quite sui generis, as I can't think of a really similar piece.
"Welcome to the Salty Spitoon, how tough are ya?"
"How tough am I? I played the part at 1:59"
"Yeah so?"
"With one hand like the video instructed."
*Reg straight up dies on the spot from a fear-induced heart attack*
fun fact: alkan described his own composition as "playable only by me and franz liszt". liszt described alkan composition as "impossible to play" 😂
Lmao Alkan you were crazy dude
Lol nothing is impossible for Liszt; so is for Alkan
Liszt was a humble guy.
Guess it's just Alkan then:/
Alkan is above
Rumor says Alkan played this piece with his left hand only, while his right hand was composing it at the same time.
Good anecdote!
@@jarbasclareto3112 Indeed. Tells us how even the greatest technicians of all time still required at least one hand to play their piano music. *nods furiously*
Lol four octaves in one hand
Ant 55 easy
Liszt played this with his... uh... ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
6:09 sounds so epic. Those octaves blew me away.
Best part imo
@@bloba6969 the only nice sounding part besides the melodic parts
@@spunk3787 i like all of it, but you're right, it's still an etude
3:30 doesn’t make sense how do you reach a 17th interval with you right hand while playing two other notes?
@@halohawaiian419wdym 17th interval
Can I just say that without finding this video about a year ago, I wouldn't have fallen in love with Alkan's work. I am grateful
Same! I heard many people compare his work to liszt, curious me went to check alkan's compositions and fell in love.
@@idrisalmamri6612 samee! love them both my favourets
I was looking for Sorabji’s Opus Clavicembalisticum and came across this when I tried extremely difficult piano pieces to play .
I love it and also the animated format of the old pianola roller .
It makes a change from following the sheet music .
6:09 it sounds beautiful
Big Smoke It sounds like falling parallel dimensions collapsing to one another and forming this exceptional higher dimension in a swoop
yoshi_drinks_tea I just think it sounds like notes on a piano
Tyler Shaver Well it is, but everything in life is boring if you look at it objectively.
Kinda sounds like HR2 haha
intellectualbeing69 yeah kinda
Everyone knows Alkan was just an octopus.
Edit: I've already been through the lecture of an octopus not performing any better than a human, I don't need more of them fyi.
no, he was "the brave one"
Nowel the brave octopus *
He was insane but not as hard as liszt
And Liszt is a centipede
Then sorabji is what lmao
0:17 I love that part:))
0:49
Gives shivers
Me either
When everyone thought difficult pieces can't sound good, Alkan told us to hold his beer
5:34
2:00 Right Hand, really?
J.S Bach
no thats lazy midi editing
maybe art tatum could play it with one hand
When you are too lazy to add a second staff in MuseScore
THE jake360 it's actually correct. You can play it with one hand if you can alternate really fast and have hands slightly bigger than normal
2:48 Left hand, really??
2:22 tickles my ears...
I'm trying to learn that part at 1:59 coming off very well. The rest of the song is so impossible though :(
Song
Aero Is A Pepega ikr it’s a piece.
@@justapersonontheinternet1515 your comment is so new lmao
@@khanhhung3141 yes
@Mathews Indeed.
1:59
It indicates to use right hand only, but has you hitting 6 notes at once??
Alkan octopus confirmed
Lol
tho you should use both hands
You play Two notes with one finger B)
Well technically an octopus has 8 arms and Humans have 10 fingers. So this octopus joke actually doesn't make sense if you realise lol. Octopii would be able to play farther away notes but can play 8 at maximum.
It's not hitting six at once. It has a certain gap. It's hitting 3 on left and 3 on right
"Le Preux" Means "The Brave One" in french.
Frédéric Chopin the knight too
Frédéric Chopin WTH? How did you learn french chopin!?!?
Im gonna chop your music
XP Latog Chopin lived in Paris for most of his composing years...
Caleb Hu i think it was sarcasm
Am I the only one who thinks this piece is actually really beutiful?
When played on the right piano with the right pianist, you can hear the melodies better.
I shall learn this because I think it is too.
@@happypiano4810Really? You'll learn this? (And I agree that the piece is great, but I tried it and it was too hard. There is a reason why there is only ONE good performance of this in UA-cam)
I agree so much!
T
This is just amazing 2:00 it sounds like a bunch of lights flashing on and off :) also at 4:03
"This piece is almost never performed at the marked tempo. "
Where is the marked tempo?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Lol
144 Bpm (Molto allegro)
1.25 speed:)
There is no marked tempo in this piece.
My brain couldn't understand 6:09
we are only humans
Look at the keys rather than the blue and green rectangle s :D
Its a double octave barrage
@@SilverDragon092 that only tangled my brain :)
That’s probably the easiest part
Why can’t Liszt team with Alkan instead of fighting over their hard pieces
Edit: 1 year later I cringe at this comment
Too late
It's *why couldn't*
It's now in the past ;-;
@@kuuderepiano2988 You didn't have to say that :(
It's already sad enough ;(
😅
Lizst pieces harder then Alkan's, but harder piece ever is Opus Clavisembalisticum by Sorabji
This is pretty astonishing.
Yeah. There aren't really any great live recordings on youtube. I wish a professional would attempt this piece.
I really like Mr. Barbaro's attempt at it! :)
trp8155 watch Chads Gardner performance, he did it in a concert and he also performed some other Alkan and Mereaux etudes!
@Erolon Seonyong Hwang!
Huang Yi Chung april 2023 alkan competition
1:11 is a mistake, the midi has a b flat in it, but we have a major here, thus only a b.
Gamma1734 the fact that you're in A major doesn't mean you can't have a Bb. Idk what the music says, so maybe it is supposed to be a B, but it sounds to me like you're trying to say 'we're in A major, A major has no Bb, therefore there should be no Bb' which is a blatently wrong thing to say
@@jimmyalderson1639 Thanks
Extremely difficult? Hah.
Franz Joseph Liszt You're just jealous ..
I would never be jealous of such inferior playing ability.
You mad bro?
lol
This is pretty much Liszt's warm up.
Easy.
Hahahahaya 😅😅😅😅😅
Charles- Valentin Alkan bro it’s your piece
@@ew4956 no shit
Jai_Sheth your failed
It is not difficult as it seems.
It's ridiculous how even in music composed by people long gone who never imagined their music would be listened today, even in this situation... there is always people who find ways of making teams and elitism of who was harder o who was better or whatever. So tiring to read these comparisons.
those comparisons often help you discover new pieces to play/listen
That second section is so beautiful!!
Easy
69
Tbh it is harder than many of your pieces
@@sneddypie Its actually more difficult than ANY of Liszt pieces. But I guess that's subjective
Franz Ritter von Liszt I dare you to play this
Well, when Liszt played in a concert after Alkan, Alkan went home crying tears of frustration and had a sleepless night. So yeah
, Liszt is leagues above Alkan
Oh 1:11 is sound like India music, right?
lol it does very much
but actually its an error in the midi file, the notes are slightly wrong
TokyoNightmare He said "India" not jewish music.
Čhøpìñ are you the real Chopin | Čhøpíñ?
@@rayaan3395 Indian and Israeli folk tunes share the same "exotic" use of harmonic scales.
egypt
Interesting composition 2:00
Almost makes it sound like a cello or something, finally we can crescendo a single note on the piano
For people think its easy and Liszt has harder...
Yes Liszt mabye has hardest than this but look at these jumps. Like with ligature not possible to do these jumps :D
The only Liszt pieces that are more difficult are his original Paganini Etudes and his transcriptions of Berlioz and Beethoven symphonies. Feux Follets is comparable, though.
@@leo_fm_9266 I beg to differ. Mereaux, Godowsky, Szymanowski, and ESPECIALLY Sorabji have all written works which make nearly anything known by Alkan look like child's play.
@@calebhu6383 Nice seeing you here; what about his fiendishly difficult Fantasy on the themes of Lucrezia Borgia (which is available in full recorded by William Wolfram here on youtube, amazingly), or the Grand Concert Fantasy on Spanish Themes S.253?
@@vnwa7390 After reading your comments I realized your name and for a second thought that you were the real Batzorig Vaanching
@I STILL HATE MINIONS SO MUCH Yes, indeed.
2:00 F Major
4:04 D Major and Minor
And since Liszt did not "love" speed being equated to virtuosity*, it is dubious that this piece was played much faster than tempo ordinario. I wouldn't play it much faster than MM 1/4 = 69 (bpm) ... in fact, I'd play it around 60. When you have that kind of control, the piece is beautiful.
The piece, published in 1844, is named "The Valiant Knight", and the indications for the piece are "Carrement" or "Straight out" ... "BLUNT". The tempo indication is "Dans un bon mouvement" or "in a good movement". The knightly title and "carrement" might be interpreted as "brio". So, we have a piece that is valiant, tough, and even a bit brash. Prestissimo ... no way!
At 60, the "12" indication moves by at 360 bpm and at 69 a rather "mouvement" rate of 414 bpm. This is sufficient to allow for good movement and a little brashness. Too fast, and it would be a "drone", which would be unintelligible.
Just my and Liszt's opinion (see quote below) ... you have yours, and that what makes this topic grande.
Thank you for the post.
* “Ich liebe nicht die übermäßig schnellen Zeitmaße, wie man sie heutzutage oft bei Virtuosen hört.”Franz Liszt, 17. September 1883. (zit. nach Karl Lachmund, “Mein Leben mit Franz Liszt”, Schroeder-Verlag 1970)
Alkan, Chopin, Lizst, and Rachmaninov are the 4 gods of hard pieces
WHERE IS SORABJI ????
Where is Beethoven ?
Mereaux?
@@XxaexxeaxX this is 7 months ago bro
@@acerzz2287 you still forgot Mereaux
Liszt vs Alkan who will win?
Like = Alkan
Comment = Liszt
Liszt. But I also like Alkan.
I personally prefer liszt, but they are both amazing
liszt
liszt
Both!
Just Happy to know this is played on midi and not a human dont want pianists to break their arms
Hi! How do you do to synthesia to understand well the hands? In my Synthesia there are like 4 hands for this midi.
Underrated
4:09 Liszt's spanish rhapsody!
it looks a little bit easy for a normal person but.. this jumps. you CAN'T just play and pass it. you can't just ignore it...
Aha Türk! Evet gerçekten çoğu Liszt parçasından kolay görünüyor fakat o atlamaları yapmak çok zor.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!?!?!?!??!
Bir Türk daha aranıza eklendi.
I pronounced "Le preux" to "Le Prick"
Kaiser Wilhelm II I say it Le priu
There is a pianist on youtube I came across the other day that plays this perfectly :)
Liszt played this every day before breakfast.
Yes shure but with bought
hands👐 not like Alkan
@@fishingtrio7823 I can play this with 1 finger 2 times faster than this video
nha, they were friend and alkan described his own composition as "playable only by me and Franz Liszt" 😅liszt described his composition as "impossible to play" lol
@@charles-valentinalkan9200according to a youtube comment
Are there any records that confirm that these virtuousos could actually play these ludicrously difficult pieces. If so, can somebody please tell me.
some youtubers who have played it include Chad G, Barbaro Mr and Seon-Yong Hwang
It seems like only Alkan, Liszt and Thalberg can play this piece.
There's a small mistake at 6:50, all the G-Naturals are actually G-Flats.
Play this piece in C# it sounds great as well.
you know alkan is high when he secretly wrote message for the 21th century "JIP" at 6:50
1:42 sounds great in 1.25 speed
Holy shit that does!
kinda sounds like a train
chug chuga chug chuga chug chuga choo choo 🚂
Honestly, can only play till 0:16. The bit from 0:17 is harder than it sounds!
Congratulations to me for learning the first 17 seconds at normal speed just last night in 7 minutes. I have no life.
Asian teacher :
That's your homework for tomorrow
OMG why do I see so many composers Like
Fredric Chopin
Franz Liszt
J.S Bach
Alkan
All except Bach have impossible or hards pieces.
@@Itibitydetsku Idk about you, but for me, but Bach’s pieces are arguably just as difficult to master as pieces such as Lizst’s Reminiscences de Don Juan. As an example, Bach’s Goldberg Variations are completely ridiculous. Coming from a person that is practicing the variations, I’d say it’s probably harder than a lot of Liszt and Alkan. However, difficulty is all suggestive, and you might the think that the Goldberg Variations are easier than Liszt and Alkan.
Liszt: you say this is hard, do you forget me?
Ima challenge Rousseau to play this
didn't know alkan was at his day 4 of simply piano💀
1:59 Is that supposed to be with one hand?
aAAAAaaaAaAAAAAaaaaaaAaa
Alimenta mi alma goza de placer por cada nota de le preux gracias alkan
Y'all should listen to Seon-Yong Hwang play this, best performance of this piece that I have heard
at 1:59, you must quickly move your right hand left and right back and forward at warp speed.
One of the most dramatic solo piano pieces of music !
You are in all of the comment sections 😮
Alkan was just kind of the pianist's skill benchmark.
the preuu
Honestly...All of Liszt's compositions are very difficult...But that doesn't mean it is impossible and beautiful
mr Panda This is Alkan, not Liszt.
Ludwig Van Beethoven are you the real master of No. 14 piano tiles 2
Or did you really make
JJ Cooper maybe....
Clone225 sorry i mean Alkan.... but Liszt and Alkan have a little story together i suppose
6:09 a rain of notes
I'm starting piano lessons this week. She better not teach me this by the end of my lessons
Why not :)
NDM Mendoza I have been playing for 2 and a half years
Minecraft Gamer how are you doing so far?
Very good
0:17 wtf...
Difficulty: Hyper Liszt
no
@@musketeers4765 then wat is the difficulty
@@ldrgoogolplex4683 easier than liszt
@@musketeers4765 WHY ARE YOU ALL ARGUING ABOUT WICH ONE IS HARDER.
@@GUILLOM Because liszt is harder
Umm, i just wanted to know... How do you play 3:30-3:45? :v
That's a good question.
i can only think of using the middle pedal
ayshi krtin I just wanted to know the heck do you even play the whole goddamn thing
Look at 3:31, you use a pedal for that? You can't use a finger on 2 notes that are far away from each other at the same time.
How to explain this 3:39
6:09 - 6:15 sounds like something from Harry potter..No idea why😂
What synthesia version is this? And is this made on a synthesia video creator?
Earl Joseph Fausto Yes, it’s video creator.
@@Erolon Synthesia version for this?
Earl Joseph Fausto Sorry, I don’t remember.
@@Erolon Is it 10.6 or lower?
Earl Joseph Fausto I found it. It’s 10.4.4395
Simply piano in 2 days be like
Lmfao
This sounds amazing
Woow this is so beautiful
6:42-6:47
Moonlight Sonata 3rd movement
???
@@GUILLOM ???
@@jansenkalyanotan7113 ???
Ur dad is
@@GUILLOM i mean this part is copy from moonlight sonata 3rd movement
Liszt, Alkan, and Mereaux are just Paganini version 2.0
1:59
love the part a 0:48 and i tried only to realise that it is not possible duhh
Sooo good thoooo
@@that1guy910 wel...
@@pleasecontactme4274 hehe
@Roman Bastoni i said not for me lol plus even otherwise there's no good recording at full speed
Just do 2x speed if your the worlds most fast piano player
I would love to see Rousseau give this piece a go.
He haven't had any alkan pieces too
I think rousseau need more experience to play harder alkan pieces
this man wrote letters with notes :/
sonata 21 de beethoven eso si es imposible
3:46 Scriabin etude op 8 no 9 moment
I also have to Yogore midi.
Someone played this at 5 min tempo i just cant 😢
Snappy little tune.
is this normal speed
I believe so.
Erolon
ok good because i noticed that the piano itself wouldn't be able to play it at 2x speed
+THE jake360 You can play this song at any tempo, there was never a specified tempo for this piece written down.
Scyborg On Piano
. . .?
if thats true it makes me wonder why some troll hasn't played it at 32 bpm and label it a legitimate performance
2:00 Aaaaaah! I can't play this anymore!
Left hand: KILL ME!!
Jacob Tremblay scream
I learned from 0:01 to 0:11
I feel like a god xd
Lol I love this i can play the fist 25 secs lol also hiii
@@that1guy910 lol
@@Dylonely42 lol
@Mathews196 hey hey! Long time no see
@Mathews196 just thought about you a couple hours go Actally aswell
1:35 why does this remind me of the 20th century fox fanfare 😭💀
What soundfont do you use? it sounds very good
It's a VST called Pianoteq. It's very good indeed.
Erolon yeaa i have pianoteq as well
Only the brave one can play this
See what I did there?
You pervert you used some french language knowledge to make the rest of ignorants feel sad of not knowing french.
Sometimes have wrong note
ㅇㅇㅇ
Красота.
3:32 actually impossible
Orak Eryuruk you’re supposed to use the pedal
@@thefallenshadow3766 yes but at this speed it is virtually impossible
This score for Satan
Couldn't live long enough to learn it. But anyway WHY? Surely no one would dedicate his life to it!
It's actually not even that insanely difficult
I myself play so many notes on the piano when I'm bored
And the notes are WAY more than this piece
So to learn it wouldn't take a lifetime
not really impossible though. Practice before you judge my peeps.
3:30
i can't reach that far.
I think that playing that in the original tempo is pretty impossible
like song lol
2:00
4:04
Username yes
A much better work than "Le chemin de fer." Lots of people think otherwise, but they are wrong.
Why so? Explain your point on why. I equally like both pieces and consider them as one of the best of Alkan.
@@therealransu Le Preux has much more variety, (including between the voices), in every respect, (and not just because it's longer), especially with its sharply defined sections, while Chemin to me sounds a little monotonous because of the constant drive of constant sixteenth notes, which to its credit, along with the tempo, manifests well the eponymous programmatic idea of a "railway."
However, I think the Le Preux is equally or almost effective programmatically, but more subtly. Ronald Smith, who I recall as not highly estimating the piece, pointed out the humor of the piece, how it illustrates not only the gallant, but the ridiculous nature of a knight, suggesting the idea, (which Alkan easily could have had in mind), of Don Quixote. This perspective seems compelling to me especially in the section with crossed hand following the first, (played in octaves and broken chords), of the piece, where, contrasted with the gallant-sounding melody in the right hand, the melody of the crossing left gives an idea of bumbling or clumsiness, even or especially when executed well.
The climax and coda, (in octaves before the final two chords), which also has a "bumbling" section, is magnificent, seemingly too long, (like the coda of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony), but not actually so as it's not at all tiresome.
William Alexander Eddie, (in his book on Alakan), compares this work to Ab Irato, but the comparison's aren't strong, and I think Le Preux is actually quite sui generis, as I can't think of a really similar piece.
@@Manx123 Well said. Detailed and precise explanation.