ABSTRACT
This chapter provides Charles Valentin Alkan's remaining compositions. Several of these compositions are either still in manuscript or are still to be located. Traditional Jewish customs were overturned by greater rapport between liberal and orthodox factions. The extant miscellaneous instrumental music of Alkan comprises works of mainly short duration. The large-scale symphony is unfortunately lost but the existence of an enthusiastic contemporary review leads one to hope for a rapid rediscovery of this substantial piece. Like Frederic Chopin, Alkan's vocal music is much less significant then his instrumental music. In Kreutzer's view Alkan seems to have had melodic inventiveness problems for the finale although his technical skill in the development is never in doubt. Finally, Alkan's most individual features such as intense and evocative impressions, melancholy yet touching melodies and pungent yet surprising harmonic turns are to be found in a work only discovered in 1991.
