Grande sonate 'Les quatre âges'
Encyclopedia
Grande sonate: 'Les quatre âges' (French
for Grand sonata: The Four Ages) is a four movement sonata
for piano
by Charles-Valentin Alkan
. The sonata's title refers to the subtitles given to each movement, portraying a man at the ages of 20, 30, 40, and 50. The work is dedicated to the composer's father, Alkan Morhange (who died eight years later, in 1855), and was published in 1847.
The sequence of movements is unlike the typical classical piano sonata, in that they become progressively slower; after the lively 20 ans (years), marked 'très vite' (very fast) and the complex 30 ans, subtitled Quasi-Faust
, and marked 'assez vite' (quite fast), 40 ans is more sedate, marked 'lentement' (slowly), and 50 ans, dark and pessimistic in mood, is marked 'extrêmement lent' (extremely slow).
but also with many passages in the relative minor key of B minor. The young man's 'clumsiness' is marked for example by sudden 'wrong chords' - one in B flat major is marked 'ridente' (Italian
:laughing). The tempo
and ternary form
of this movement are similar to Frédéric Chopin
's Scherzo No. 1
(Op. 20). The sonata thus marks itself from the start as different from any previous sonatas, by beginning effectively with a scherzo. The movement, albeit opens in D major, later changes into B minor after a slow, melodic section in B major, and ends with a B major flourish.
above the first movement)30 ans, subtitled "Quasi-Faust
", is the most substantial piece in the sonata, in a very extended sonata form
. Ronald Smith
comments on the first subject of this movement:
, Alkan keeps to the classical form, if not proportions.
The movement contains much of the most difficult parts in the entire sonata like extremely rapid chords and octaves, huge leaps in both hands and other passage works. Amid the movement, there is a brief, eight-voice fugue
.
Bound), which gravely depicts the man looking toward death. This movement , in G sharp minor, has the same tonal relationship to the third movement as the second has to the first. Contrary to classical traditions, however, the key in which the sonata ends is very distant from that in which it begins.
. For these reasons, consideration of Alkan's influence on Liszt's Sonata must remain speculative.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for Grand sonata: The Four Ages) is a four movement sonata
Sonata
Sonata , in music, literally means a piece played as opposed to a cantata , a piece sung. The term, being vague, naturally evolved through the history of music, designating a variety of forms prior to the Classical era...
for piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
by Charles-Valentin Alkan
Charles-Valentin Alkan
Charles-Valentin Alkan was a French composer and one of the greatest virtuoso pianists of his day. His attachment to his Jewish origins is displayed both in his life and his work. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of six, earning many awards, and as an adult became a famous virtuoso...
. The sonata's title refers to the subtitles given to each movement, portraying a man at the ages of 20, 30, 40, and 50. The work is dedicated to the composer's father, Alkan Morhange (who died eight years later, in 1855), and was published in 1847.
The sequence of movements is unlike the typical classical piano sonata, in that they become progressively slower; after the lively 20 ans (years), marked 'très vite' (very fast) and the complex 30 ans, subtitled Quasi-Faust
Faust
Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend; a highly successful scholar, but also dissatisfied with his life, and so makes a deal with the devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. Faust's tale is the basis for many literary, artistic, cinematic, and musical...
, and marked 'assez vite' (quite fast), 40 ans is more sedate, marked 'lentement' (slowly), and 50 ans, dark and pessimistic in mood, is marked 'extrêmement lent' (extremely slow).
20 ans
The sonata opens with 20 ans, a quickly played piece based in D majorD major
D major is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature consists of two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor....
but also with many passages in the relative minor key of B minor. The young man's 'clumsiness' is marked for example by sudden 'wrong chords' - one in B flat major is marked 'ridente' (Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
:laughing). The tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
and ternary form
Ternary form
Ternary form, sometimes called song form, is a three-part musical form, usually schematicized as A-B-A. The first and third parts are musically identical, or very nearly so, while the second part in some way provides a contrast with them...
of this movement are similar to Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
's Scherzo No. 1
Scherzo No. 1 (Chopin)
The Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20 is a composition for solo piano written by Frédéric Chopin in 1831-2 and dedicated to Thomas Albrecht. The tempo marking is marked with "Presto con fuoco". The piece is very dark, dramatic, and lively....
(Op. 20). The sonata thus marks itself from the start as different from any previous sonatas, by beginning effectively with a scherzo. The movement, albeit opens in D major, later changes into B minor after a slow, melodic section in B major, and ends with a B major flourish.
30 ans: Quasi-Faust
The second movement, in d sharp minor (i.e. a key a semitoneSemitone
A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically....
above the first movement)30 ans, subtitled "Quasi-Faust
Faust
Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend; a highly successful scholar, but also dissatisfied with his life, and so makes a deal with the devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. Faust's tale is the basis for many literary, artistic, cinematic, and musical...
", is the most substantial piece in the sonata, in a very extended sonata form
Sonata form
Sonata form is a large-scale musical structure used widely since the middle of the 18th century . While it is typically used in the first movement of multi-movement pieces, it is sometimes used in subsequent movements as well—particularly the final movement...
. Ronald Smith
Ronald Smith
Ronald Sam Smith was an English classical pianist, composer and teacher, born in London. He entered the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 16 with the Sir Michael Costa Scholarship for composition...
comments on the first subject of this movement:
The duality of this subject, like the dual nature of man, anticipates by six years a similar duality in the LisztHowever, Smith also points out that whilst Liszt treats his material rhapsodicallyFranz LisztFranz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
SonataPiano Sonata (Liszt)The Piano Sonata in B minor , S.178, is a musical composition for solo piano by Franz Liszt, published in 1854 with a dedication to Robert Schumann. It is often considered Liszt's greatest composition for solo piano. The piece has been often analyzed, particularly regarding issues of form.-...
in which threatening repeated notes are also a feature of the answering phrase.
Rhapsody (music)
A rhapsody in music is a one-movement work that is episodic yet integrated, free-flowing in structure, featuring a range of highly contrasted moods, colour and tonality. An air of spontaneous inspiration and a sense of improvisation make it freer in form than a set of variations...
, Alkan keeps to the classical form, if not proportions.
The movement contains much of the most difficult parts in the entire sonata like extremely rapid chords and octaves, huge leaps in both hands and other passage works. Amid the movement, there is a brief, eight-voice fugue
Fugue
In music, a fugue is a compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject that is introduced at the beginning in imitation and recurs frequently in the course of the composition....
.
40 ans: Un heureux ménage
40 ans, titled "Un heureux ménage" (A Happy Household), illustrates family life for the aging man, with sections that represent "the children" and "a prayer". The movement is in the 'simple' key of G major.50 ans: Prométhée enchaîné
The sonata ends with 50 ans, called "Prométhée enchaîné" (PrometheusPrometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan, the son of Iapetus and Themis, and brother to Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoetius. He was a champion of mankind, known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals...
Bound), which gravely depicts the man looking toward death. This movement , in G sharp minor, has the same tonal relationship to the third movement as the second has to the first. Contrary to classical traditions, however, the key in which the sonata ends is very distant from that in which it begins.
Relationship to the Liszt Sonata
The originality of this work, together with some structural similarities such as those referred to above, have led writers such as Smith and Kenneth Hamilton to surmise that Liszt may have known this work before writing his own Sonata. However there is no evidence that Liszt (or Alkan himself, for that matter) ever played the 'Grande sonate' in public or private, although the two pianists certainly knew each other in Paris and were aware of each others' work. However, the publication of the 'Grande sonate' was unfortunate in its timing; in early 1848 the revolution emptied the capital of musical life, and Alkan's failure to obtain a professorship at the Paris Conservatoire later in the year led to his withdrawal from the concert scene. Liszt also left Paris for WeimarWeimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
. For these reasons, consideration of Alkan's influence on Liszt's Sonata must remain speculative.
External links
- performance of the first movement by Francesco Libetta.
- The first movement performed by Marc-André Hamelin, along with some background information about the piece and his opinion on Alkan's music.