Sammelband Collection of First Editions

London: R. Cocks & Co.. [1837]. Very rare sammelband of first edition publications from the French-Jewish composer and pianist, with an interesting history.  From the collection of Clarisse Mercié-Porte, a professor at the Conservatoire de Paris; this bound volume once included a now-removed copy of Chopin's Op. 31, inscribed to her by the composer. Remaining in the volume are four sets of virtuosic works for piano by Alkan, published by Richault, 1837. Quarter-bound in green leather and marbled boards; front board detached, spine missing. Handwritten label to the front board noting the previous inscription from Chopin. Block and back board intact and internally fine; overall good. Contained in a custom cloth box. 

The works bound in the following order:
Trois Improvisations dans le style brillant, dediées à Madame Cottin de Guibeville. Op. 12. [Paris: Richault, 1837.] 15 pp. [PN] 5545R.
Trois Andantes Romantiques dédiés à Monsieur Arhan. Op. 13. [Paris: Richault, 1837.] 21 pp. [PN] 5546R.
A mon ami Santiago de Masarnau, Tre Scherzi. Op. 16. [Paris: Richault, 1837.] 31 pp. [PN] 5548R.
Souvenirs. Trois Morceaux dans le genre pathétique, dédiés à Liszt. Op. 15. [Paris: Richault, 1837.] 53 pp. [PN] 5547R.

At the height of his fame in the 1830s and 1840s, the French-Jewish composer and virtuoso pianist Charles-Valentin Alkan ranked among the leading pianists in Paris, alongside Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt. A child prodigy, he entered the Conservatoire de Paris at age six. Alkan became a favorite of his teacher at the Conservatoire, Joseph Zimmermann, who also taught Georges Bizet, César Franck, Charles Gounod, and Ambroise Thomas. In 1832, aged 19, Alkan was elected to the influential Société Académique des Enfants d'Apollon (Society of the Children of Apollo), whose members included Luigi Cherubini, Fromental Halévy, the conductor François Habeneck, and Liszt, who had been elected in 1824 at the age of twelve. Between 1833 and 1836 Alkan participated at many of the Society's concerts.  His career in the salons and concert halls of Paris was marked by his occasional long withdrawals from public performance, for personal reasons. Although he had a wide circle of friends and acquaintances in the Parisian artistic world, including Eugène Delacroix and George Sand, from 1848 he began to adopt a reclusive life style, while continuing with his compositions – virtually all of which are for the keyboard. Alkan's attachment to his Jewish origins is displayed both in his life and his work. He was the first composer to incorporate Jewish melodies in art music. Although his compositions were neglected for many years, they have experienced a revival since the 1960's. (16279)

---

Printed Music

Signed Document/Item

Classical Music

• Sold