Trois morceaux dans le genre pathétique (Three Pieces in the Pathetic Style) is a 3 movement suite for piano composed by the French composer, Charles-Valentin Alkan, published in 1837. The suite also bears the title Souvenirs (Memories). The 3 movements are Aime-moi (Love Me), Le vent (The Wind), and Morte (Death).
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Aime-moi, in A flat minor, features repeated chords, tremolos, and arpeggios. The first theme is similar of that to Chopin's style. Between the beginning of the piece and the climax, the subdivision of the beat gradually increases. At first, the beat is based on quavers. It then goes into triplets, or three notes per beat, and then semiquavers, or four notes per beat, and then five, and then six, and then seven, and then finally eight where the movement climaxes emotionally (and academically, because there is no more increase in the subdivisions of the beat after this moment). After this climax, the main theme recapitulates, but is soon succeeded by a more intense melody in octaves along with triplet semiquavers in the left hand (this shows how Alkan kept the amount of intensity/anxiety in the music directly proportionate with the amount of subdivision of the beat). The music then relaxes into a seemingly carefree free flow of semiquavers alternating by groups of two in the right and left hands. Very much like music from the Baroque era or the development of a classical sonata, but in a very romantic manner, the melody is sequenced. In one particular spot, there is a melody that is very similar to a part of Alkan's Grand Etude Op. 76 No. 3, "Hands Reunited" published just one year later in 1838. The music flows into the higher register and a small descending followed by a small ascending arpeggio seem to conclude the piece. However, Alkan adds one more tiny mysterious and almost magical flourish before finally ending the movement in A flat major, the parallel major of the original key signature.
Le vent is in B minor. The piece contains chromatic scales throughout, except for the middle portion, which introduces the second theme. These chromatic scales include a 2 page transition, completely composed of dual chromatic scales sweeping the span of most of the keyboard. The notation of the chromatic scales is unusual, ranging from twelve 32nd notes to twenty grouped to be a quarter note. The first theme clearly represents the wind, with a sad extended chords superimposed by languid chromatics. The second theme is in a major key, and features sweeps for the left hand while the right performs the melody in octaves (quoting the Allegretto of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony) with tremolos played within. Then the first theme returns fiercely with tremolos instead of chords for the left hand. Surprisingly, after chilling chromatic scales deep in the bass register, the piece ends with one final light ascending chromatic scale and a B major chord (a Picardy third).
Morte, in E flat minor, quotes the Gregorian chant of Dies Irae. The piece is the longest of the three, and features difficult, dense chord passages, sixths, trills, tremolos and repeated notes. In part of the piece, there is a constant tolling of a B flat in a very similar way as Ravel's "Le Gibet" from "Gaspard de la Nuit" composed over 70 years later. Near the end, there is a very passionate and intense buildup that leads to quick short chords similar to the final part of Chopin's Ballade No. 4 in F minor right before the coda. The piece ends by quoting the "Aime-Moi" theme, some chromatic scales very similar to those in "Le Vent" and finally concludes very abruptly with a long trill and two short 16th note chords.
The pieces received a virulent review from Robert Schumann, who wrote:
It has a considerable flavour of Sue and Sand. One is startled by such false, unnatural art [...] We always make allowances for erring talent [...] but when nothing is to be found but black on black, we turn away in discouragement[1]
Franz Liszt, to whom this set was dedicated to [2], received them much more warmly than Schumann did, saying that they were "read and re-read many a time since the day when they brought me such great joy. These are compositions which could not be more distinguished and, all friendly prejudice aside, are likely to excite the deep interest of musicians." [3]
Recordings of the Trois morceaux have been made by Marc-André Hamelin and Robert Rivard.
2. William Alexander Eddie, Charles-Valentin Alkan - His Life and His Music, Ashgate Publishing, London 2007, p. 43
3. William Alexander Eddie, Charles-Valentin Alkan - His Life and His Music, Ashgate Publishing, London 2007, p. 174
R. Smith, Alkan, the Man, the Music, London, 2000.
W. A. Eddie, Charles-Valentin Alkan - His Life and His Music, London, 2007.