Siegfried Alkan

Full biography Siegfried Alkan

Siegfried Alkan was a German composer born in Dillingen, Germany, on March 30, 1858. He was the younger brother of composer Charles-Valentin Alkan, and published a large body of works for piano, chamber music, and choral music.

Alkan studied music in Berlin and later in Paris, where he became a student of Georges Mathias. His compositions were highly regarded by many of his contemporaries, including Eugène Ysaÿe and Camille Saint-Saëns. Alkan's music was known for its melodic lyricism and his use of chromatic harmony, and he was considered an important figure in the late Romantic period.

Some of Alkan's most notable works include the ballet "La Masque de la Mort Rouge", the opera "Esther", and a large amount of chamber music, including string quartets and piano trios. He also wrote several choral works, including a requiem mass and a cantata based on Goethe's "Faust".

Despite his talent, Alkan's works are not frequently performed today. Some of his manuscripts were lost or destroyed during World War II, and his music fell out of favor with changing musical tastes in the early 20th century. However, recent years have seen a renewed interest in his music, with a number of recordings and performances of his works.

Overall, Siegfried Alkan was a prolific composer of the late Romantic period, known for his melodic style and chromatic harmony. While his music is not as widely known as that of some of his contemporaries, he remains an important figure in the history of classical music.