Gramophone Magazine
August 2020
Editor's Choice

Mark Viner (piano)

Alkan: Grande Sonate 'Les Quatre Ages', Op. 33
Alkan: Trois Morceaux dans la Genre Pathétique, Op. 15

British pianist Mark Viner continues his Alkan project with a new recording of the towering Grande Sonate Op. 33 “Les quatre âges” (in which Alkan musically describes the several stages of Man’s Life in 4 movements, from exuberant youth to tragic old age), and the “3 Morceaux dans le genre pathétique”, three highly original tone poems, one evoking the howling winter wind, one a love poem and the third “Morte’ evoking a haunted cemetery, uncannily pre-echoing Ravel’s Le Gibet.

“For the second disc in his gargantuan 17-CD project of recording all Alkan’s music Mark Viner gives us the 25 Préludes with an exemplary musicianship and assurance...makes you eager for further issues from this outstanding and most enterprising pianist” (Bryce Morrison in International Piano). Viner’s previous recording of the Alkan Etudes Op 35 received 5 stars and CD of the Month in BBC Music Magazine as well as 5 stars in The Guardian (“Viner rises to Alkan’s extraordinary challenges”).

The booklet contains an excellent essay on Alkan and his works by the artist himself.

"It takes a certain kind of temperament and a superior finger technique to take [Alkan] on. Those who cut the mustard are few and far between. Mark Viner is such a one and with this, the third volume of what will form the complete works, he can claim a place at the top table as one of the preeminent Alkan players de nos jours…His day is yet to come, but come it surely will. And whether or not you care for Alkan’s music, here is a disc of piano-playing out of the top drawer." - Gramophone Magazine, August 2020.