274 - The Art of Transcription

I’m not referring to my tune posted below, which isn’t a transcription of anything. What has my attention here is a video I recently watched of Alkan’s transcription of Mozarts D minor piano concerto as a piano solo.

You don’t have to watch this, but you should. Alkan’s transcription leaves nothing out, every orchestral and pianistic detail is here, sometimes at great technical expense.

As if that wasn’t enough Alkan provides two cadenzas. The 1st movement quotes Mozart’s Jupiter symphony, and the 3rd movement uses fragments from the first two movements, sometimes in combination, and is quite clever.

And then there’s the 2nd movement, the Romance, possible one of the most strikingly beautiful melodies Mozart ever graced us with, and Alkan does it justice here.