Photo: unidentified photographer, Paris, France / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Charles-Valentin Alkan is one of music history's great vanishing acts, and that's precisely why I'm fascinated. In 1830s and 40s Paris he stood beside Chopin and Liszt as a leading pianist, yet he slipped into obscurity and reclusion while they became household names. His works, the Grande sonate and the fiendish Trois grandes études among them, are notoriously near-unplayable, and he was a linguist and translator besides. I love that genuine originality refuses to stay buried. Alkan keeps getting rediscovered, and to me that slow return is proof that real invention outlasts fashion.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Charles-Valentin Alkan
- Name (Japanese)
- シャルル＝ヴァランタン・アルカン
- Reading
- しゃるる＝ゔぁらんたん・あるかん
- Born
- November 30, 1813 – March 29, 1888
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Rooster
- Origin
- Paris, France
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / pianist / linguist / translator / music educator
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Grande sonate 'Les quatre âges' | — | |
| Notable work | Le chemin de fer, Op. 27 | — | |
| Notable work | Trois morceaux dans le genre pathétique | — | |
| Notable work | Comme le vent | — | |
| Notable work | Trois grandes études | — | |
| Notable work | Preludes, Op. 31 | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Charles-Valentin Alkan born?
November 30, 1813 – March 29, 1888.
Where is Charles-Valentin Alkan from?
Charles-Valentin Alkan is from Paris, France.
What does Charles-Valentin Alkan do?
Charles-Valentin Alkan works as composer, pianist, linguist, translator, music educator.
What is Charles-Valentin Alkan known for?
Notable works include Grande sonate 'Les quatre âges', Le chemin de fer, Op. 27, Trois morceaux dans le genre pathétique.
Composer — see all → · Pianist — see all → · More people from France →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-23
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.