No. 1: Chorus of the Priests of Dagon, from Handel's Oratorio Samson – Allegro, D major

Samson is a figure who appears in the Old Testament book of Judges. Born with superhuman strength to liberate the people of Israel from Philistine rule, he is later captured when the secret of his strength is revealed through a conspiracy. The excerpt chosen by Alkan is the opening chorus, in which the Philistines celebrate and praise Dagon, the god they worship. Excerpts from Handel's oratorios have been frequently performed at the regular concerts of the Paris Conservatoire since 1840. Alongside Judas Maccabaeus and Messiah, Samson was also a major repertoire piece.

The original instrumentation consists of mixed choir, strings, trumpets, timpani, and basso continuo. In Alkan's score, accent marks are placed on the choral parts. On the piano, where timbres tend to be similar and the piece is written forte throughout, it is crucial to be mindful of nuances and articulations appropriate for each instrument and phrase. For performance, it is essential to familiarize oneself with recordings and scores of the original work.

Publication: Paris, Simon Richault, 1861

The 'Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris' were regular concerts held in the Conservatoire hall by the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire (the orchestra attached to the Paris Conservatoire, founded in 1828). This work is a collection of arrangements based on the repertoire of this organization. The first volume was published in 1847, and the second in 1861. Alkan meticulously pursued both fidelity to the original text and effective performance on the piano. His keen sense and intellectual consideration for fingering and the distribution of notes between both hands, which made this possible, are well reflected in the following pieces. For those who wish to understand Alkan's arrangement principles and gain insights into performance expression, it is crucial to listen to the original works while carefully comparing this 'piano score' with the orchestral score.

No. 1: 'Chorus of the Priests of Dagon' from Handel's Oratorio Samson – Allegro, D major

Samson is a figure who appears in the Old Testament Book of Judges. Born with superhuman strength to free the people of Israel from Philistine rule, he is eventually captured when the secret of his strength is revealed through a conspiracy. Alkan extracted the opening chorus, in which the Philistines celebrate and praise Dagon, the god they worship. Excerpts from Handel's oratorios were frequently performed at the regular concerts of the Paris Conservatoire after 1840. Samson, alongside Judas Maccabaeus and Messiah, was a major part of the repertoire.

The original instrumentation consists of mixed choir, strings, trumpets, timpani, and basso continuo. In Alkan's score, accent marks are placed on the choral parts. However, on the piano, the timbres tend to be similar, and the piece is written forte throughout, so it is important to be mindful of nuances and articulations appropriate to each instrument and phrase. For this reason, it is essential to familiarize oneself with recordings and scores of the original work.

No. 6: 'Mermaid's Song' – Oberon, Act II Finale, No. 15

Oberon is a German Romantic opera completed by C. M. v. Weber (1786–1826) shortly before his death. This piece is a barcarolle sung in unison by sea spirits, comforting the protagonist who endures trials. Despite the arpeggios on the beat, the key to performance lies in a skillful rubato that ensures the regular rhythm of the melody and accompaniment remains unbroken. The use of the pedal follows that of 48 Motifs, No. 48, but care must be taken to ensure the melody is not interrupted.