Le Festin d’Esope and Other Works for Solo Piano

Rating:
Summary: A fine reprint of the venerable Edition Billaudot
Review: Ever had to track down the ever elusive Edition Billaudot copy of Alkan scores? Gasped at the extraordinary prices? Wait no more. This fine reprint corrects much of the printing quality (or lack thereof) in Billaudot. Finally, note stems are legible and you can mark the score with a ball point pen without ripping it.

The Concerto for Solo Piano is a formidable challenge for pianists who thought they have seen it all. From the repeated notes in the Candeza section to the exhilarating scales and chords throughout the piece, this sadistic oeuvre will leave all pianists but Marc-Andre Hamelin begging for mercy. Yet, the difficulty is not all for the sake of being difficult, in spite of being an etude. The unique composition written during the height of the romantic period is a pinnacle of innovative pianism, and casts a dark shadow on such well known concerti by Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Chopin and other composers of the time.

Other works included in this edition, Symphonie, and the infamous Le Festin d'Esope pose no less challenge, but are exquisitely satisfying, giving the most jaded pianists and audiences alike a new perspective on the romantic period repertoire.