The determination of a work's "establishment" – whether at the point of composition or publication – is an aesthetic question. Setting aside these debates, this discussion will first briefly outline the process from composition to publication, and finally, explain the preface appended to the first edition as an aesthetic background to Alkan's composition. 

1. Composition and Publication History 

On July 25, 1847, Alkan alluded to the composition of this sonata in a letter addressed to François-Joseph Fétis (1784-1871), a music theorist, historian, and critic. He wrote: "If it pleases God, I intend to publish several works for piano, which have a completely different development from the work you so kindly reported on recently, rather than ensemble pieces that I am reserving for the future, whether composed very recently or dating back a year or several years. These include, for example, a lengthy sonata, a large-scale scherzo and an overture for piano, and several etudes – some of which are quite extensive and elaborate works" (2). (Emphasis added by translator)

It is almost certain that the "lengthy sonata" refers to the Grande Sonate, Op. 33. The description in this letter suggests that the work was completed by July 1847 (3). At the time, Alkan was 33 years old, a period of vigorous physical and intellectual activity. Although he was somewhat withdrawing from the concert stage, his reputation as a pianist and composer was high. His 25 Préludes dans tous les tons majeurs et mineurs, Op. 31 (1847), had received a favorable review from Fétis in the music magazine Revue et Gazette musicale (the "report" mentioned in the letter quoted above likely refers to this review), and his arrangement collection Souvenirs des cours du Conservatoire, Première série (1847) also demonstrated his aspect as a scholar well-versed in classical music.

However, when this sonata was published in the spring of 1848, it attracted little attention. In that year, riots broke out in Paris in February (the so-called "February Revolution"), the July Monarchy of Louis-Philippe, which had favored the bourgeoisie, was overthrown, and a provisional republican government had just been established, with the path to drafting a republican constitution being explored. Music magazines merely announced the publication of this work, but no reviews were published. After the February Revolution, which saw many musicians leave Paris, it was too early for his new work to gain attention. There is no confirmed evidence that Alkan himself performed this work publicly after its publication. One reason for this may have been that in August of that year, his former teacher Zimmermann announced his retirement as a conservatory professor, shifting Alkan's interest to the succession struggle. Subsequently, as he did not obtain the professorship he had hoped for, he rarely performed in public, and his publishing activities were suspended until 1857. Thus, this sonata remained largely unnoticed for a long time. As far as is known, the partial premiere was a performance of the second movement by Lowenthal in New York in 1964, and the complete premiere is said to have been performed by Ronald Smith at York University on August 10, 1973. The work is dedicated to his father, Alkan Morhange (ca. 1780-1855). 

2. Preface: Aesthetic Background in Composition 

This sonata includes a preface written by Alkan himself. In it, he explains why he deviated from the tradition of sonata composition by giving unique titles to each movement. This preface also serves as an explanation for performers to understand why it was necessary for him to reconcile musical and linguistic expression through this sonata.

The text consists of three paragraphs, each addressing: the delimitation of the topic, the presentation of the rationale for titling each movement, and the legitimization of his own position. As the preface is difficult to grasp upon a single reading, the following provides an explanation for each paragraph.

Paragraph 1: Delimitation of the Topic

"Much has been said and written about the limits of musical expression. Without adopting this or that rule, or attempting to resolve any of the grand problems posed by this or that system, I shall simply state why I have given such titles to the four movements, and sometimes employed terms not ordinarily used."

Alkan does not rely on academic or theoretical systems to present his views; instead, he focuses solely on explaining why he gave unique titles (e.g., "20 ans," "30 ans – Quasi-Faust") to each movement of this sonata.

Paragraph 2 (First Half): Rationale for Titling Each Movement

"Here, it is by no means a question of imitative music; still less of music that seeks its justification, its effect, or its value in an extra-musical domain. The first movement is a Scherzo; the second, an Allegro; the third and fourth, an Andante and a Largo. Nevertheless, each of these corresponds, in my mind, to a particular moment in life, or to a specific state of thought or imagination. Why should I not indicate this?" (Italics in original)

"Imitative music" refers to what is known as program music, exemplified by Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique. Alkan is critical of the position that explains the raison d'être of music by resorting to "extra-musical" means, such as language with specific indicative functions. He strictly distinguishes between the domains of music and language, and does not wish to subordinate musical expression to "extra-musical" phenomena or linguistic expression. However, at the same time, he does not seek to exclude linguistic expression. So, how are musical and linguistic expression related for him?

The preface indicates that each movement of the Grande Sonate corresponds to general tempo/character terms such as "Scherzo," "Allegro," "Andante," and "Largo." Alkan then contrasts generality with individuality. According to him, each movement resonates with individual "moments," "thoughts," and "states of imagination" that he experienced in his life. In the second half of Paragraph 2, this relationship between generality and individuality is explained in terms of the composer and the performer (interpreter).

Paragraph 2 (Second Half)

"Since the musical elements remain [as notation] forever, expression can only draw something from them. The performer, without abandoning their personal feelings, imbues themselves with the composer's very conception. That is to say, although such-and-such names and such-and-such matters may be incompatible when understood in a physical sense, they are perfectly linked in the intellectual domain. Therefore, I thought that by using these indications, even if they appear ambitious at first glance, the work would be better understood and performed than without their aid."

"Musical elements" (such as the musical ideas like "Scherzo," "Allegro," and the symbols representing them, like notes) continue to exist independently once published, beyond the composer's control. Therefore, the composer's conception that the performer seeks to express can only be gleaned from the score itself, unless specifically indicated by words. Now, the performer's domain lies in grasping and expressing the composer's conception. How does this phenomenon occur? For the performer to grasp "the composer's very conception," the relationship between "names" (the words that indicate) and "things" (the objects indicated) must be shared between the composer and the performer. Here, "names" refer to the titles such as "20 ans," "30 ans – Quasi-Faust," etc., and "things" refer to the musical elements corresponding to "a particular moment in life, or to a specific state of thought or imagination," as stated in the first half of Paragraph 2, namely "Scherzo," "Allegro," "Andante," and "Largo." From a physical perspective, there is no objective reason why abstract and general musical terms like "Scherzo" or "Allegro" should correspond to specific conceptions like "20 ans," "30 ans," or "Faust." However, as seen in the first half of Paragraph 2, in the composer's mind, the titles and musical elements correspond perfectly. To establish this correspondence in the performer's mind as well, Alkan believed that expressing individual conceptions in language would be beneficial. By doing so, performers would be able to interpret the work in a way that aligns with the composer's intentions.

Paragraph 3

"Allow me to invoke the authority of Beethoven. It is a well-known fact that this great man, towards the end of his career, compiled a meticulous list of his principal works. In it, he noted down what conceptions, memories, and what kind of inspirations these works were based upon."

The final paragraph legitimizes the position presented in the preceding two paragraphs by referencing Beethoven's own act of annotating his works. (The "list" mentioned here could potentially refer to the catalogs of works published by publishers during Beethoven's lifetime. During Beethoven's life, Artaria and Hoffmeister published lists of his existing works. Artaria's catalog even questioned Beethoven about works lacking opus numbers, so it is certain that Beethoven was aware of these catalogs, but there is no confirmed evidence that Beethoven himself wrote annotations in them.)  

As described above, Alkan assigned titles to each work to unify the generality of musical elements with the individuality of the composer's conception on an intellectual level. Not only titles, but throughout this sonata, words written in French are scattered throughout the score, indicating specific conceptions to the performer.

(2) Brigitte François-Sappey, « Grande Sonate op. 33 “Les quatres âges : Un destin musical” », Charles Valentin Alkan, Paris, Fayard, 1991, p. 96. (3) Previous research has definitively stated the composition date of this sonata as 1847, but the basis for this is not explicitly stated (François Luguenot, « Catalogue d’œuvres d’Alkan », ibid., p. 284; Brigitte François-Sappey et François Luguenot, Charles-Valentin Alkan, Paris, Bleu nuit éditeur, 2013). Judging from the quote in this letter, the composition date of this sonata can be regarded as around 1847.

Table of Contents 1. Overall Structure 2. Movement 1: <20 Years Old> D major – B major, 3/4, Extremely fast 3. Movement 2: <30 Years Old – Like Faust> D-sharp minor – F-sharp major, 4/4, Quite fast 4. Movement 3: <40 Years Old – A Happy Household> G major, 3/4, Slow 5. Movement 4: <50 Years Old – Prometheus Bound> G-sharp minor, 3/4, Extremely slow

1. Overall Structure

Alkan's sonata is notably unique in its movement structure and key scheme. The deviation from tradition is first observed in its sequence: Scherzo – Sonata Allegro – Lyrical Slow Movement – and a Finale at an even slower tempo. The Scherzo, traditionally placed as the second or third movement, is positioned at the beginning and performed “Très vite” (very fast). This is followed by the second movement in sonata form, marked “Assez vite” (quite fast). A rapid tempo finale, typical of a Presto, is not employed; instead, the work concludes with a movement marked “Extrêmement lent” (extremely slow), following the third movement marked “Lentement” (slowly). From “20 Years Old” to “50 Years Old,” the tempo gradually slows, and the number of measures progressively decreases (525 measures, 332 measures, 192 measures, 72 measures; however, the performance durations are in the order of third, second, fourth, and first movements, from longest to shortest).The key scheme of each movement, though peculiar, is based on a consistent plan. The table below shows the starting and ending keys of each movement. There is a regularity in the starting keys of each movement. Odd-numbered movements (first and third movements) are written in major keys, while even-numbered movements (second and fourth movements) are in minor keys. In both pairs, the succeeding movement is in the subdominant key of the preceding movement. This key scheme also corresponds to the subtitles of each movement. The even-numbered movements are both based on literary or mythological subjects (the second movement on Goethe's Faust, the fourth movement on Greek mythology). Furthermore, when the first two movements (first and second movements) and the latter two movements (third and fourth movements) are viewed as pairs, they are in a Neapolitan relationship to their respective parallel minor keys. On the other hand, a classical continuity is observed in the relationship between the ending and starting keys of each movement. The first movement, ending in B major, connects to the second movement, which begins in D-sharp minor, the parallel minor of its dominant. The second movement, ending in F-sharp major, begins with the third movement in G major, which is its Neapolitan key. The G major that concludes the third movement and the G-sharp minor that begins the fourth movement are in a Neapolitan relationship to the parallel minor of the G major that concludes the preceding movement. While tonal continuity is thus observed between movements, the starting key of the first movement and the key of the fourth movement are in an augmented fourth (tritone) relationship, traditionally known as the “devil's interval,” representing a complete departure from tradition in the sonata's overall tonal framework.

2. Movement 1: <20 Years Old> D major – B major, 3/4, Extremely fast

As indicated in the preface, the first movement is written as a scherzo. Formally, it is a traditional scherzo in compound ternary form with a trio, but the D major that characterizes the theme constantly deviates into other keys. Weber's Konzertstück Op. 79, sounds as if it is in duple meter, but the accents in the left hand are always placed on the first beat. After two repetitions of the theme (measures 1-32), it enters a D-sharp minor section (measures 33-82). In the D-sharp minor section, the right hand's eighth-note arabesques and the middle voice's quarter notes form a new motif. This motif is presented twice in a balanced eight-measure phrase, and after a transition featuring an F-sharp major tonic chord, the opening theme returns in D major (measure 83). The theme appears twice again. The second time, it is interrupted not by a VI chord, but by a B-flat major I chord (equivalent to the V chord of D-sharp minor) struck ff, and again, as before, it concludes in F-sharp major, with the entire middle section and theme return section repeated. In the transition leading to the trio (measures 115-167), an F-sharp sounds alone, “palpitant” (pulsating), and transitions to B minor. Fragments of the arpeggios that had just sounded in the right hand are inserted between the dotted F-sharps, but eventually, the F-sharp is again left alone. The fading B minor transition highlights the grace of the subsequent B major trio. The trio (measures 167-302) begins with a simple, song-like melody marked “timidement” (timidly). Here, the musical expression indicating a change in character corresponds to the key transitions. The “timid” melody in B major, after singing for eight measures, shifts to B minor, changing to an “amoureusement” (lovingly) character (measure 183), leading to F-sharp minor. After the theme is repeated, accompanied by chromaticism in the inner voices, evoking an unstable psychological state, the theme finally begins to move “avec bonheur” (with happiness) and “f et vif” (strong and lively) in its proper key, B major, at measure 223. The eight-measure theme is for the first time complemented by a succeeding phrase, indicating psychological fulfillment (measures 223-254). Subsequently, the theme appears in the inner voice but gradually loses vitality and becomes fragmented, fading away “très soutenu et mourant” (very sustained and dying), and the D major scherzo returns. The abrupt return from B major to D major takes the listener by surprise. The return of the scherzo theme, like the opening scherzo, features a D major theme section followed by a D-sharp minor middle section (measures 335-383). This time, the theme returns without repetition, but after the theme is heard twice in G major and E minor, instead of a coda, the trio's theme first rings out ff (measures 421-428), and then in a complete form, accompanied by a succeeding phrase “bravement” (bravely), over wide-ranging arpeggios. The B minor coda, beginning “valeureusement” (courageously) from measure 461, reaches its climax at measure 487 with a short-long rhythm marked “ff, et animé de plus en plus” (ff, and increasingly animated), then transitions to B major with momentum, closing the piece “victorieusement” (victoriously). Immediately after this “victoriously” marking, Alkan deliberately adds the melody dis-cis-dis-fis-e-dis-dis. As has been frequently pointed out, a motif that aids internal unity with the subsequent movements is hidden here (Smith, 2000; François-Sappey 1991). One is the motif cis-dis-fis-e (hereafter, Motif X), which is associated with the fugue subject of the second movement. The other is the motif dis-fis-e-dis (hereafter Motif Y), which is the opening theme of the second movement itself.

3. Movement 2: <30 Years Old – Like Faust> D-sharp minor – F-sharp major, 4/4, Quite fast

Sonata form. As indicated by the subtitle “Like Faust,” it is inspired by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's (1749-1832) lifelong epic drama Faust (1808; 1833). At the time, this work was popular in France through the translation by the poet Gérard de Nerval (1808-1855) (1828). It is possible that Alkan referred to this translation. In this movement, Alkan treats themes as characters, attempting a narrative development (this fact is one reason why this movement is often considered a precursor to Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor, which is frequently interpreted in connection with Faust).

Exposition

The theme motif A (measures 1-2, which can be interpreted as the “Faust theme”), appearing “Sataniquement” (satanically), is an application of the aforementioned dis-fis-e-dis. In measures 2-4, this motif is answered two or three octaves lower by motif B, consisting of sixteenth-note triplets and sharp repeated notes on the tonic. The motif in measure 4 is based on the opening motif, consisting of descending and ascending thirds.After the opening motif is heard three times, ascending in register, the transition section leading to the appearance of the “devil” is divided into two sections: measures 10-22 and measures 23-37. In measures 10-22, following a sixteenth-note triplet run of motif B, motifs A and B appear over a low tremolo, but in reverse order of their initial presentation, with A in the low register and B in the high register. In measures 23-37, motif A is played ff majestically in C major, followed again by a triplet run, but from measure 28, passionate nine-note arpeggios are interspersed, building to a climax. The bass intervals forming a sequence in measures 28-31 can be regarded as an inversion of motif A. Following this transition section, a fanfare on G-flat sounds after double stops and chord tremolos (measures 36-37).This theme forms an inversion of the opening theme. For convenience, this theme is positioned here not as a second theme, but as a variation of the first theme. The march-like, rhythmic “devil” melody, though clearly thematic, avoids a perfect cadence and deviates to D-sharp major. Through the D-sharp major tonic chord (measure 56), a lyrical theme in G-sharp minor is then introduced. This second theme (measure 57, G-sharp minor), appearing with the indication “avec candeur” (with candor), has a character that can be interpreted as Gretchen if superimposed on the characters of Faust. This theme is characterized by four repeated quarter notes, which is a common element with motif B in measure 3. The second theme is repeated in B major, again facing the dominant chord of G-sharp minor, and is interrupted by a symphonic interlude based on triplets, characterized as “passionné” (passionately) (measures 81-89). Motif A reappears over a low tremolo, forming a transitional passage, and led by a passage marked “en s’animant toujours davantage” (constantly animating more and more) (measures 97-100), the second theme, which appeared in its “candid” form, transforms into a symphonic sound marked “passionnément” (passionately), is re-presented in the parallel major, G-sharp major, and concludes with a perfect cadence in measures 115-116. The codetta concluding the exposition employs a decorative melody played p and marked “bien chanté” (well sung). The exposition connects to the development section without repetition.

Development

The development section, beginning at measure 131, opens with motif A in C major. This motif is in a tritone (augmented fourth) relationship with the “devil” theme presented in F-sharp major (which is also the main key concluding the second movement), indicating that the development section begins in a peculiar way within the overall tonal framework. After motif A is heard twice, motif B's triplets are elaborated (measures 136-137), followed by a symphonic sound in F minor created by triplet eighth-note chord repetitions. After frequent modulations and a passage marked “impitoyable” (pitiless), the second theme is developed again. This theme appears “suppliant” (pleading) in contrast to the preceding “pitilessness” (measure 158). The “pleading” eventually turns into “désespoir” (despair) when it reappears in E minor (measure 167), and at the dominant ninth chord of the double dominant in measure 168, a “déchirant” (heart-rending) psychological state is suggested. After the second theme, the motif that concluded the second theme section in the exposition (measures 106-107) is utilized (measures 172-180), leading to the transition from the development to the recapitulation. Regarding the treatment of the second theme in the development, if it is superimposed with Gretchen, it can be interpreted as her “pleading” for forgiveness for the sin of having a premarital affair with Faust and drowning their child in Faust Part I, and the “despair” as her despair at being executed, or Faust's despair at witnessing her fate.

Recapitulation

In the recapitulation, beginning at measure 190, the opening motifs A and B appear, but this time not in unison. They are treated developmentally, continuing the symphonic triplet chord repetitions from the development and the zigzag figure (measure 189) just before the recapitulation. After A is heard a third time, a triplet run (notated as sextuplets) similar to the exposition continues (measures 201-205), and the transition section beginning at measure 206 is based on motifs A and B, similar to the exposition. However, while it was in D-sharp minor in the exposition, in the recapitulation it appears in D-sharp major with the indication “f, et largement” (strong, and broadly), gradually increasing in strength towards F-sharp major, and seemingly forming a cadenza with four wide-ranging arpeggios in measures 227-230. However, this cadenza does not resolve to the tonic chord but leads to a fugue. The topmost notes of these four massive arpeggios are, in order, eis-fis-dis-cis, which, if the difference between e and eis is disregarded, is a retrograde of Motif X.Both Motif X (cis-dis-fis-eis) and Y (dis-fis-eis-dis) are contained in the fugue subject cis-cis-dis-fis-eis-dis-cis-h, which begins at measure 231. Regarding this theme, its congruence with the hymn Verbum supernum (The Word from on High) for the Feast of Corpus Christi by Thomas Aquinas (ca. 1225-1274) has been pointed out (François-Sappey and Luguenot, 2013). Although Alkan was Jewish, he accepted the use of Christian material for artistic reasons (e.g., in the third piece, “La mort d'une femme,” from Trois morceaux dans le genre pathétique, Op. 15, “Dies irae,” also used in Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique, is employed). Furthermore, since God and the Devil in Faust are Christian entities, it is not unnatural for a Christian hymn to be quoted within the narrative context. The four-measure subject is written in invertible counterpoint, increasing the number of voices each time it appears in a different voice, up to six voices (measures 251-254). As the seventh and eighth voices enter simultaneously with octave doublings (measure 255), a double-stop eighth-note voice is added to the right hand, and the last four measures of the fugue proceed with a total of eight voices (or eleven voices, considering the subsidiary double-stop voice and octave doublings). Ronald Smith interprets the polyphony, played solemnly “toujours p” (always p), as an “exorcism,” while François-Sappey understands the fugue subject as a “thème de foi” (theme of faith) ascending to heaven as Faust's, and by extension, humanity's prayer. Lewenthal, furthermore, understands the section after the fugue as the process of achieving “redemption.” The fugue has thus been superimposed with the literary plot of Faust and interpreted as God's salvation of Faust's soul in Faust Part II. If the fugue subject is taken from the hymn Verbum supernum (the Word refers to Jesus Christ in Trinitarian theology), then there is a thematic overlap between God's salvation of Faust and this eucharistic hymn, which evokes the heavenly God and Christ, the savior who came to earth from Him. The fugue ends with the manifestation of “Le Seigneur” (The Lord) at measure 258. The subject and two countersubjects' motifs resonate fff and symphonically over a pedal on C-sharp (accompanied by F-sharp within the octave) as “Le Seigneur.” At measure 267, the indication “aussi fort que possible” (as strong as possible) appears, and the F-sharp major dominant chord is struck for eight measures. From measure 275 to measure 303, the second theme section is recapitulated in the “tonic” key of F-sharp major, but this time accompanied by the indication “avec bonheur” (with happiness). This recapitulation corresponds to the latter half of the second theme section in the exposition (measures 101-130). The “devil” theme, which appeared majestically in F-sharp major in the exposition, now appears in F-sharp minor, beginning with a II7 chord over the dominant, but it lasts for only two measures (measures 304-305), appearing only transitionally with a “sourd” (dull) sound. Following the “devil” theme, separated by a double bar line, the fugue theme resonates “f, et avec confiance” (strong, and with confidence) over a tremolo dominant pedal, then enters the coda, which achieves “salvation.”

Coda

In the coda, the first six notes of the fugue subject (fis-fis-gis-h-ais-gis) first ring out in the bass like cathedral bells. Above them, the motif of the second theme is played mf (measures 310-315), ascending in register with the indication “en augmentant jusqu’à la fin” (increasing in volume until the end). Eventually, this motif is diminished (measures 316-320), and the opening motif A (which was also the “devil's” rhythmic motif) is repeated three times ff. After the low fugue subject motif sounds twelve times (measure 327), two measures of powerful tonic chord repetitions follow, and then the tonic chord sounds three more times as whole notes, closing the second movement.

4. Movement 3: <40 Years Old – A Happy Household> G major, 3/4, Slow

The third movement serves as an interlude connecting the second and fourth movements, which deal with mythological and legendary subjects. The term “ménage,” translated as “household” in the subtitle, refers to all members of a family, and in this movement, the characters are a couple and “les enfans [sic]” (the children) who appear in the middle section. At the time of composition, Alkan, in his early thirties, was unmarried and had no legitimate children. The latter two movements, corresponding to ages 40 and beyond, represent a vision of life that the composer himself had not experienced. The form can be schematized as A-B-A'-Coda.

A:

It begins with a Schumann-esque simple song featuring triplet arpeggios in the left hand and a single melody in the right hand, marked “avec tendresse et quiétude” (with tenderness and tranquility). The melody c-h-c-e-d-c in measures 3-4 can be seen as derived from the dis-cis-dis-fis-e-dis figure at the end of the first movement, which includes X and Y. After the first phrase ends at measure 8, the arpeggios change to repeated chords, forming a seven-measure transitional passage (measures 8-14). In this section, played over a triplet accompaniment that retains the lingering echoes of the second movement, the melody placed in the uppermost voice of the right hand and the uppermost voice of the left hand forms an octave canon, hinting at a conversation between the couple. At measure 15, the opening theme returns, but at measure 20, it changes direction, leading to a new transitional passage. From measure 23, it moves towards a G major cadence, but at measure 28, it modulates to E-flat major, introducing a nocturne-like passage (measures 28-35). This section modulates to C major, and the “octave canon” passage returns as is (measures 35-43), but here the couple's dialogue remains a partial imitation. This transitional passage, emphasizing the Neapolitan II in A minor, concludes with a perfect cadence, but the fifth of the dominant seventh is lowered, weakening the sense of finality. Section A concludes with a twelve-measure passage in A major featuring a new motif (measures 44-55).

B:

The middle section is marked “Les enfans [sic]” (The children) at the beginning, shifting the focus to children playing in a warm household. Except for the two measures concluding the middle section (measures 103-104), it is consistently written in three voices of sixteenth notes, musically suggesting the presence of multiple children. With the indications “très doux et très lié” (very soft and very legato) and “en mesure” (in time), the D major passage begins. The first eight measures (measures 56-63) form a single phrase of 4 measures + 4 measures, with each 4-measure segment modulating to A major. A double bar line (measure 65) marks the entry into a transitional passage, where the “children's” theme modulates successively to F major and B major, forming a sequence (measures 71-72) until it reaches the dominant chord of B minor, at which point the D major “children's” theme returns with a descending chromatic scale. After forming a phrase of eight varied measures, the same theme returns at measure 85, but at measure 87, it is briefly interrupted by a 32nd-note rest with a fermata, preparing the conclusion of the middle section. The middle section ends with whispering double-stop arpeggios.

A’:

From measure 105, the opening theme returns. The first time, it appears almost identically to the beginning, interspersed with an octave canon, but in the second presentation, the right-hand melody is reinforced by octaves, and the motif of the preceding measures is imitated in the inner voices (measures 120, 122). Measure 122 features only rhythmic imitation, but here too, the “couple's dialogue” is suggested. A transitional passage similar to A returns, with changes in melody and harmony, but this time a new nocturne-like passage appears, marked “p, bien chanté aux deux parties supérieures” (p, well sung in the two upper parts) (measure 133). The opening descending fifth figure h-e of this melody continues the same descending interval that appears repeatedly in the immediately preceding transitional passage. In this melancholic section, canons are formed in the soprano and tenor at various points. The main motif of this section, beginning in E minor (e-g-fis-e, measures 133-134), can be regarded as a diminished form of Motif Y and appears repeatedly. The E minor melody passes through B major, recalling the G-sharp major that concluded the exposition of the second movement (measures 144-146), and appears once more in E minor (measure 148). However, this recapitulation lasts only three measures, and the couple's dialogue is interrupted by quiet B major chord repetitions (measures 151-153), and at measure 154, the B-flat bell announces “Dix heures” (Ten o'clock), leading to a prayer chorale “en s’éteignant” (fading away).

Coda

The chorale marked “La prière” (The prayer) (measures 159-170) begins in G major and ends in E minor. This fourteen-measure chorale then becomes the accompaniment for the “children,” recalling the middle section. Once again, the first three measures of the chorale appear (measures 183-185), but are immediately interrupted, and the first two measures of the third movement are recalled (measures 189-190). However, this too concludes with the ending phrase of the “children's” rhythmic motif, appearing “gentiment” (gently).

5. Movement 4: <50 Years Old – Prometheus Bound> G-sharp minor, 3/4, Extremely slow

The peaceful family scene is once again replaced by a literary world. The subtitle “Prométhée enchaîné” (Prometheus Bound) suggests the presence of a heroic protagonist, along with the second movement. Prometheus is a god in Greek mythology, descended from the Titans, the twelve giant deities born from the sky god Uranus and the earth goddess Gaia. From the gods' perspective, he is a great sinner who stole the sacred fire of Mount Olympus (divine wisdom), but from a human perspective, he is a hero who enriched human life. Thus, Prometheus symbolizes the virtue of rebellion in the West. He is also a symbol of humanity, having created humans from clay. Incuring Zeus's wrath, Prometheus is punished by being chained to a rock in the Caucasus (“enchaîné” means not merely “bound” but “chained”), suffering infinite torment as Zeus's eagle daily pecks out his liver, which regenerates overnight. “Prometheus Bound” refers to this scene, and various artists have long created works on this subject (Figure: Rubens's “Prometheus Bound”).At the beginning of the fourth movement, seven lines are quoted fragmentarily as an epigraph from Aeschylus's poem “Prometheus Bound.” The lines are translated into French. Below is their Japanese translation, which I will translate into English: No, you could never endure my suffering! If only fate would allow me to die! Death… would free me from this pain! No term will be set for my wrongdoing As long as Jupiter [Zeus] does not lose his power. [Lines 750-754] Whatever he does, I will live… [Line 1051] Behold, whether I deserve this pain I endure! [Line 1091 (final line)] The form of the fourth movement consists of an introduction, four different sections (A, B, C, D) and their respective recapitulations, and finally a third recapitulation of A and a coda (see diagram below).B, D, B', and D' serve transitional roles, while A, C, A', C', and A'' can be considered themes. A appears cyclically, but the key is different each time, so it is more appropriate to view it as a sonata form without a development section rather than a rondo. The third movement ends on a G major tonic chord, and the fourth movement begins with a G-sharp minor double dominant ninth chord with the root omitted and the fifth lowered. This sounds identical to an A minor dominant seventh. The main keys of the third and fourth movements are in a Neapolitan parallel relationship, but the connection between movements, in terms of sound, proceeds smoothly from G major I to A minor dominant seventh. However, this smoothness is immediately negated at the moment the G-sharp minor dominant sounds on the second beat, confusing the listener. The second measure, in turn, sounds like a G major dominant seventh on the first beat, leading to an expectation of resolution to the tonic, but on the second beat, the G-sharp minor Dorian IV sounds, again leaving the listener uncertain of the key's direction. The opening two measures of tremolo, marked “extrêmement lent” (extremely slow), evoke the “rattling of chains” (R. Smith) binding Prometheus to the rock. The first theme, marked “p, et aussi soutenu que possible” (p, and as sustained as possible), is written in a chordal style. The opening pitch sequence of the theme, gis-h-ais-gis, is common with Motif Y, indicating a conscious thematic unity throughout the entire work. At measure 15, a B major dominant seventh chord sounds on the second beat, but the expectation of resolution is thwarted by the ff G that begins B. B passes through G minor and C-sharp minor, and a C major/minor dominant seventh sounds, but without resolving, it connects to the B major second theme (C). The second theme is a Beethoven-esque meditative chorale that evokes the “prayer” of the third movement, and it concludes with a perfect cadence (measure 28). The following D is a transition leading to the return of A, where the introduction's tremolo is again evoked by a low trill. After modulating for three measures, it reaches an E major tonic chord (measure 31), but A' begins in G major. The recapitulation of the first theme (A') begins in G major, the main key of the third movement. As if exactly reversing the light and shadow of the exposition, the recapitulated theme moves to E-flat minor, and a dominant seventh creates an expectation of resolution (measure 38), but again the expectation is thwarted, and B' begins with an ff B. B' has altered harmonization compared to B (whereas B had I-IV-I in the parallel major, B' simply has I-IV-I), and it is also three measures longer than B in the exposition. From measures 43-46, an ff passage with octave sextuplets in the bass is added, recalling Prometheus's intense agony. The recapitulation of the second theme (C') begins in the tonic key, as is typical of “sonata form,” but resolves to G-sharp major. D' moves to C-sharp major, leading to the final theme recapitulation. The theme recapitulation, beginning in F-sharp minor, again moves towards the tonic dominant seventh, and finally resolves to the tonic chord at measure 65, where the coda begins. In the coda, the dotted motif of B rings out within a repeated and gradually ascending scale, building to the final climax with the indication “gradually louder, up to ff.” It reaches its peak at measure 71, but in the last measure, the pp tonic chord sounds three times, and the finale closes weakly.

<References>

 - François-Sappey, Brigitte « Grande sonate op.33 “Les quatre âges” : Un destin musical », Charles Valentin Alkan, Brigitte François-Sappey (dir.), Gérard Ganvert, Paris, Fayard, 1991, p. 95-128.

- François-Sappey, Brigitte et Luguenot, François, Charles-Valentin Alkan, Paris, Bleu nuit, 2013.

- Lewenthal, Raymond, « Preface On Recreating a Style », The Piano Music of Alkan, New York, Schirmer, 1964.

- Smith, Ronald, Alkan the man the music, London, Kahn & Averill, 2000. - Léon GATAYES, « Une sonate », Le Ménestrel., 20e année, n° 25, le 22 mai 1853, p. 3.