Alkan cultivated an advanced and immensely difficult technique, which even today can sound remarkably modern in style. The Twelve Studies, Op. 35, date from the earlier part of Alkan’s life, and were published in 1847. The individual pieces mix purely technical exercises, but still of great musicality, with more descriptive items, such as the Seventh Study which describes a village fire in flamboyant musical terms. Alkan’s Twelve Studies, Op. 39, appeared in 1857 and are considerably more ambitious in scope. The set includes a four-movement symphony and a three-movement concerto for piano. The Scherzo diabolico is comparable with Liszt’s own piano works inspired by the mythic character of Mephistopheles. Le festin d’Esope concludes the set in spectacular form, and consists of 25 variations of great brilliance.