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Perry was made a platypus because of the animal 's striking appearance and the lack of public knowledge of the animal , which allowed the writers to make things up about the species . Critical reception for the character from both professionals and fans have been considerably positive . Merchandising of the character include plush toys , t @-@ shirts , wooden toys , glasses , and coloring books , along with appearances in literature and a 2009 video game for the Nintendo DS .
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= = Role in Phineas and Ferb = =
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Perry is the docile pet platypus of the blended Flynn @-@ Fletcher family , who adopted him because his <unk> gaze made it seem as if he were looking at both Phineas and Ferb at the same time , as shown in the 2011 movie , Phineas and Ferb the Movie : Across the 2nd Dimension . Unbeknownst to them , Perry lives a double life as a crime @-@ fighting spy working for the " Organization Without a Cool <unk> " / The <unk> , going by the <unk> " Agent P. " He reports to his superior , Major Monogram , via telecast in his large , high @-@ tech , underground hideout . Every day , he engages in battles with the evil scientist Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz , who tries using inventions to take over the tri @-@ state area . Perry is always able to foil Doofenshmirtz 's plans and in doing so accidentally leads to the destruction of whatever form of <unk> his owners , Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher , are building in order to make summer better . Phineas and Ferb are aware that something happens to get rid of their scheme for the day , but do not know that Perry is the cause behind it and are largely dismissive of it . Their sister , Candace , also does not know that Perry is behind the destruction and is driven to near <unk> trying to figure it out . Throughout the series , Perry is aware of Phineas and Ferb 's inventions , but is largely <unk> in them , save whenever he notices that their latest invention may help him thwart Doofenshmirtz .
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Perry and Doofenshmirtz at first seem to <unk> each other in the beginning of the series , and have been arch @-@ <unk> since the day they met . However , they are often <unk> and friendly towards one another and it is said by Doofenshmirtz that Perry is his best friend , and Perry will often act to save Doofenshmirtz 's life when his plot inevitably blows up in his face . <unk> , their daily <unk> involve Doofenshmirtz <unk> a scheme , which Perry goes to stop after being briefed by Major Monogram . He is trapped by Doofenshmirtz while trying to do so and is told of the doctor 's scheme , usually pertaining to some backstory or pet <unk> . He then escapes and the two fight , Perry coming out victorious . The two rely on this daily structure , Doofenshmirtz even specifically mentioning it in " Journey to the Center of Candace " and in episodes such as " It 's About Time ! " in which Doofenshmirtz temporarily replaces Perry with secret agent Peter The <unk> and they become depressed about not having each other to fight . Perry realizes he misses <unk> too . When Perry does not arrive on the scene of Doofenshmirtz 's evil plan , the doctor hesitates to execute his plans and fears for where Perry has gone , though he notes that he " hopes something terrible has happened to him . " . Sometimes , they decided not to fight and have fun , as shown in " Happy New Year ! " and " Candace <unk> " . On other occasions , depending on whatever situation Doofenshmirtz is facing , Perry would often help Doofenshmirtz with his non @-@ evil plans , such as helping him overcome evil scientist 's block , helping him put on a birthday party for his 16 @-@ year @-@ old daughter Vanessa , impressing a square dancing girl with programmable square dancing boots that <unk> created , working together to stop a <unk> platypus hunter from hunting them down , or helping him convince his rich ex @-@ wife to help pay off his <unk> debt . Also , Perry tends to use Doofenshmirtz 's inventions to erase evidence of whatever contraptions Phineas and Ferb had made , leaving Candace unable to bust them . Examples include when Perry asked to borrow Doofenshmirtz 's robot <unk> to pick up footage from the city surveillance cameras in order to preserve his job as an agent , as well as using Doofenshmirtz 's Pick @-@ Him @-@ Up @-@ <unk> to rescue a lost Candace and bring her home .
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In Phineas and Ferb the Movie : Across the 2nd Dimension , an alternate reality ( yet more evil and ruthless ) version of Perry ( known as <unk> ) appears as the secondary antagonist , with the regular Perry serving as a supporting protagonist . <unk> would later return in the episode sequel , Tales from the Resistance : Back to the 2nd Dimension , this time , as a supporting protagonist .
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= = Character = =
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= = = Creation and conception = = =
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While working on the animated television series <unk> 's Modern Life , Phineas and Ferb co @-@ founders Dan Povenmire and Jeff " <unk> " Marsh utilized several recurring elements in the episodes that they wrote . Among these were actions sequences and chase scenes . Povenmire and Marsh wanted to reuse these elements in their series and chose Perry to execute it . The pair gave him a consistent and continuous nemesis in the form of Doofenshmirtz as a means of allowing viewers to get to know him .
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While choosing a species for Perry , Povenmire and Marsh wanted to keep in mind selecting one that was uncommon , an animal that kids could not " pick out at a pet store and beg [ their parents ] for . " They chose a platypus because of the animal 's obscure and striking appearance . The animal was scarcely used in American animated programs , so the pair opined that Perry " would not have to compete with <unk> notions that viewers might bring to a more conventional <unk> . " The blank storyboard they were given allowed them to " make stuff up " since " no one knows very much about [ them ] . "
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Perry has a theme song tentatively entitled " Perry , " performed by Randy <unk> and Laura Dickinson , and written by Povenmire and Marsh , who write the majority of songs in the series . The song , along with the number " <unk> <unk> Goo " from the episode " <unk> <unk> , " was the first musical composition Povenmire and Marsh pitched to The Walt Disney Company . They were nervous doing so , because , as Povenmire explained , " Disney has a big history of music -- what if they hate it ? " Their reaction , however , was considerably positive and the pair was asked to write a song for each episode , which they vehemently agreed to . The opening lyrics for the song describe Perry as a standard textbook definition of a platypus : " He 's a semi @-@ aquatic egg @-@ laying mammal of action . "
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= = = Design = = =
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Like the other characters of the series , Perry was structured in a simple style to allow young viewers to easily draw him . In keeping with the show 's general design scheme , Perry is constructed of <unk> shapes in a style reminiscent of deceased <unk> <unk> animator <unk> Avery . Povenmire uses different design styles for drawing Perry depending on how he is portrayed . When Perry is portrayed as a domesticated and mindless pet , Povenmire begins with a square shaped like a loaf of bread . He then draws his front legs and feet before drawing his bill , which is set at a certain angle . Povenmire then draws his <unk> , which are never focused and look in opposing directions in a <unk> . He concludes the figure by adding his hind legs , tail , hair , and finally color .
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When portrayed as a secret agent , Povenmire starts with a similar bread loaf square design , but draws it standing up vertically and places a <unk> on the top of his head , which is combined with the square torso . In contrast to his mindless and wild @-@ eyed expression as a pet , the secret agent version of Perry is detailed with eyes " full of <unk> blue resolve . " Povenmire proceeds by drawing his arms , which bear hands that are open and prepared for fighting or any danger . His legs are bent , as well prepared for an act of danger or action needed . Povenmire finishes the design by adding his beaver tail and color .
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= = = Personality = = =
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Perry 's undercover identity as a pet leads to characters throughout the series to deem him as a " mindless domestic pet " that " doesn 't do much " . This definition of the character led to Phineas and Ferb <unk> production of a new toyline based on Perry called " Perry the <unk> Figure , " whose tagline revolved around it not doing anything but allowing the customer to make it whatever they desire it to be . In all actuality , Perry is a skilled fighter who is able to perform several <unk> judo fighting moves and escapes . He has access to several different types of technology and inventions provided to him by The O.W.C.A. , including a <unk> craft dubbed the " <unk> , " a jet <unk> , and a whistle set that allows him to summon different types of animals .
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Although his appearance as a domestic pet is mostly a cover , Perry has nonetheless expressed care and devotion for the Flynn @-@ Fletcher family . In the episode " The Ballad of Bad <unk> " , Perry managed to drag Candace out of the Dark Cave before it <unk> in because of Dr. <unk> 's " self destruction button " that which Candace had accidentally pressed while under the orange moss <unk> , thinking it was a <unk> machine . He did this even though he knew that Candace saw that Perry was a secret agent talking to Agent E ( Eagle ) and to Major Monogram in a cracked egg . Candace thought she was just <unk> because of the orange moss she accidentally touched earlier in the episode . Also , when an invention of Doofenshmirtz 's in the episode " Journey to the Center of Candace " might cause severe harm to Phineas and Ferb , Perry thoroughly beats up Doofenshmirtz and quickly handcuffs him . He then ties him to a pipe and , instead of just leaving him like he usually does in the series , calls for special forces from the O.W.C.A. to come and arrest the doctor , though they never show up . In " Oh , There You Are , Perry , " Doofenshmirtz is downgraded to a low threat level and Perry is reassigned to a new nemesis . This causes him to have to leave his home with the Flynn @-@ <unk> , which makes him sad and he does not enjoy his new villain . Phineas and Ferb are fearful about where Perry could have gone to and put up several <unk> around town for people to find him . They decide to throw a concert on the roof of a building , singing a song about how much they love Perry and want him to come home . <unk> , Perry is reassigned to Doofenshmirtz again and returns to the brothers once more .
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Though Perry is anthropomorphic , he does not speak , only communicating through an " aggravated <unk> " type of noise made by flapping his bill . This noise is provided by actor Dee Bradley Baker ; to this day , Povenmire and Marsh do not understand how Baker produces the noise . Thomas <unk> , who plays Ferb , is notoriously good at making the noise and is considered second only to Baker himself . When in his " Agent P " persona , Perry is almost completely silent .
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= = Reception = =
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As a character , Perry has been well received by both fans and critics . As Cynthia <unk> of Variety magazine wrote , " Perry the platypus is a breakout star from the Disney Channel <unk> ' Phineas and Ferb . ' " The New York Times writer Susan Stewart called him " intrepid . " Jean <unk> , a press member for Disney Channel , said that Perry is " <unk> " and " makes James Bond look like a rank amateur . " Aaron H. <unk> of <unk> <unk> opined that he is " <unk> confident . " <unk> H. of Scholastic , Inc. declared Perry " pretty <unk> awesome . " Josh Jackson , editor of Paste , described Perry and Doofenshmirtz 's relationship as " pitch @-@ perfect . "
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Certain reviewers have also commented negatively about Perry and his subplot , which <unk> Robinson of the St. Petersburg Times considers " pretty <unk> . " Kevin McDonough of Sun Coast Today described it as " complicated " and " loosely connected " to the rest of the series , writing that he is " not sure what this <unk> except to add the noise of explosions to the already constant <unk> of singing and screaming . " Ed Liu of <unk> Zone feels it is " truly <unk> what Perry the secret agent is doing in this show in the first place . " Liu considers his subplot to be a type of " throw everything against the wall and see what sticks " element and writes that " many of the earlier episodes of the show don 't manage to do a very good job of balancing the subplot and the main one . "
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Perry was nominated for a <unk> Kids ' Choice Award in 2014 under the category of Favorite <unk> Animal <unk> .
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= = In other media = =
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In addition to the main television series , Perry has appeared in several pieces of Phineas and Ferb merchandise . To date , he has appeared in all Phineas and Ferb <unk> , published by Disney Press . The character has been adapted into a 20 inch plush toy , released by The Walt Disney Company . The plush has a button on its hand that allows it to emit Perry 's signature chattering noise . Certain t @-@ shirts based on the series released by both Disney and the online retail website <unk> also display Perry and the phrase " Hey , where 's Perry ? " which most characters like Phineas , Isabella , Stacy , Irving , Ferb , and Lawrence utter when Perry goes to Major Monogram in his secret lair in almost every episode . There also is a T @-@ <unk> with Perry 's face . Perry appears in the Nintendo DS video game based on the series , simply titled Phineas and Ferb , where a mini @-@ game involves Perry stopping Doofenshmirtz 's latest evil scheme . As of 1 April 2014 , Perry is also a playable character in the video game Disney Infinity .
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= Amylostereum =
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Amylostereum is the single genus in the fungal family Amylostereaceae . The genus currently comprises four saprotrophic and parasitic species , which live off living or dead wood . The Amylostereaceae cause white rot in the wood by disintegrating the tissue component lignin . They produce crust @-@ like , partially wavy fruit bodies on the surface of infested trees , which are similar to those produced by Stereum species .
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There are four described species in the Amylostereaceae : A. chailletii ( the type ) , A. areolatum , A. ferreum and A. laevigatum . The species were initially considered part of Stereum until mycologist Jacques Boidin found atypical microscopic differences between them . Forty years after his extensive <unk> from 1958 , Boidin reclassified Amylostereum into its own family .
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Three Amylostereum species are symbionts of wood wasps in the genera Sirex , Urocerus , and <unk> , which infest conifers . The female wood wasps deposit their eggs together with fungal spores and <unk> in trees , and the fungus is eaten by the wasp 's larva as food . The fungus <unk> <unk> through the formation of <unk> spores in newly emerged females that are stored in special structures adapted for the transport of symbiotic fungi . The A. areolatum – Sirex <unk> ( S. noctilio ) symbiont complex has been studied extensively because of its potential to cause substantial economic losses in the forestry industry , particularly in non @-@ native regions .
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= = Taxonomy and history of research = =
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Amylostereaceae species were for a long time classified in the genus Stereum , based primary on the layered structure of the fruit body and the similar physiological activity . Mycologist Jacques Boidin separated <unk> from Stereum in 1958 , <unk> this decision by explaining that microscopic differences such as amyloid spores and encrusted cystidia were sufficiently distinct to warrant recognition as a new genus . Although the type species of the genus ( today called A. chailletii ) was initially named <unk> <unk> , the name <unk> had already been used for a genus in the flowering plant family <unk> . Boidin thus chose the genus name Amylostereum , referring to the amyloid spores .
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Based on DNA analysis , Boidin in 1998 moved Amylostereum into a new , monotypic family , the Amylostereaceae , which he attributed to the <unk> order . Later studies , however , supported the initial classification in the <unk> .
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= = = Classification = = =
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The classification of the Amylostereaceae is not completely resolved . The next closest relatives might be – depending on the research – either Echinodontium <unk> and most other species of the genus Echinodontium , or <unk> <unk> . Most of the previous DNA analysis results suggest a narrow relation to Echinodontium , but several results of studies partially contradict this conclusion . Only the classification to the <unk> is regarded as correct . Some authors have suggested that Amylostereum should be placed in the family <unk> .
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The similarities between A. chailletii and A. areolatum have caused some confusion regarding their placement in the genus . As only the size of their fruit bodies differ from each other in appearance , researcher German <unk> <unk> assumed that both are the same species in different age stages . Experiments with pure cultures of the fungi , however , showed that the mycelia of A. chailletii , A. laevigatum and A. ferreum were partially compatible to each other , but the mycelium of A. areolatum was incompatible to other species . Boidin believes that the common ancestor of all Amylostereum fungi used yellowwoods as a host . This genus of conifers was native in Europe until the <unk> and <unk> <unk> ( 66 million to 2 @.@ 6 million years ago ) , but became extinct there , so the Amylostereum fungi specialized on other conifers and differentiated into several species . Only A. ferreum specialized on yellowwoods in South America .
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<unk> tests as well as molecular analysis indicated that A. areolatum separated very early from other Amylostereum fungi . The other three species separated later from each other and are thus partially compatible to each other . A. ferreum and A. laevigatum produced in 59 % of all cases a common mycelium , A. ferreum and A. chailletii only in 44 % . There is an undescribed species in Amylostereum ; according to DNA analysis , it stands between A. laevigatum and A. ferreum . This is remarkable , as these fungi originated from <unk> ( storing organs of <unk> ) of a North American wood wasp , while A. laevigatum has never been seen as symbiont of wood wasps , neither in North American nor in Europe . The fungus possibly represents a separated species or a <unk> of A. laevigatum . As A. areolatum and A. chailletii mainly reproduce <unk> through the symbiosis of wood wasps , the genetic <unk> within these species is relatively low .
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= = Description = =
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= = = <unk> = = =
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The Amylostereaceae produce crust @-@ like , dry and <unk> @-@ <unk> fruit bodies on the bark of infested trees . The fruit bodies are 0 @.@ 5 – 1 @.@ 5 mm ( 0 @.@ 02 – 0 @.@ 06 in ) thick , irregularly shaped and are able to cover a large surface on the bark or otherwise can appear as small spots . They lie directly on the bark . The <unk> , grey or brownish fruit body ( hymenium ) has a smooth to <unk> surface texture and is turned outwards . It is bordered by a highly bent and wavy ( <unk> @-@ <unk> ) edge on all species except A. laevigatum , which has a <unk> surface ( a tomentum ) and is usually dirty @-@ brown coloured . In some species , the tomentum stands clearly above and forms a kind of roof above the fruit body ; if it completely surrounds this roof , there might appear <unk> shapes .
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= = = Microscopic = = =
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The Amylostereaceae possess a <unk> <unk> , meaning that there are in its mycelia two kinds of hyphae . The first type is brownish skeletal hyphae , which provide stability to the fruit body . These hyphae run parallel to the bark and often have hairpin @-@ like turns , so that the loops form thick @-@ walled , <unk> @-@ like structures , the so @-@ called <unk> . The second type is <unk> hyphae . They are translucent ( hyaline ) and serve to promote the growth of the fungus . Genuine cystidia arise in the hymenium and the layer directly below , the <unk> . Both <unk> and cystidia are encrusted , meaning that they feature crystal @-@ like structures on the top .
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With the exception of A. laevigatum , all species have a thin separating layer , the cortex , between the hymenium and the tomentum . A cortex is also present on many Stereum fungi ( on a broader front ) and serves to bend up the fruit body . As this cortex is missing on A. laevigatum , its fruit body lies flat on the bark .
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The basidia are 15 – 25 × 3 @.@ 5 – 5 @.@ 5 µm and have a slim , club @-@ like shape . Each <unk> features four sterigmata , each of which bear one spore . The spores ' shape is <unk> <unk> or cylindrical . Their surface is smooth and their walls are thin . Although they are <unk> and hyaline , the spores are amyloid , meaning they will turn bluish or purple when stained with Melzer 's reagent . This characteristic differs from other very similar species , and this gave the genus its name .
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= = Distribution = =
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The range of the Amylostereaceae originally comprised only <unk> regions , including North America and Eurasia , and the <unk> , with Central and South America . The introduction of A. areolatum and its symbionts , the Sirex <unk> , saw the spread of the genus to all continents except Antarctica .
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Amylostereum <unk> is common in the temperate regions of North America and Eurasia . A. laevigatum can be also found in temperate Eurasia , but it is unclear how broadly this species is distributed in North America . A. areolatum is originally native in North Africa and Eurasia ; it was however distributed through the 20th century in Australia , New Zealand , Southern Africa as well as in South and North America . Only A. ferreum is originally native in the <unk> and is common in Brazil and the Caribbean .
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= = Ecology = =
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Amylostereaceae usually infest only dead or cut down conifer wood . Three species – A. areolatum , A. laevigatum and A. chailletii – may also establish a symbiosis with wood wasps ( <unk> ) , which beside <unk> logged trees also infest living trees and infect them with fungi . <unk> have been recorded with several species : Sirex noctilio , S. <unk> , S. <unk> , S. <unk> , S. <unk> , S. <unk> , and , in Japan , Urocerus <unk> and <unk> <unk> . <unk> of the genera Sirex and Urocerus store <unk> ( the <unk> of fungi split up to spores ) in special abdominal organs . The wood wasps infect trees by <unk> a <unk> secretion below the bark and at the same time <unk> fungal spores into the hole . The secretion weakens the tree and temporarily <unk> its immune system , whereby the fungus can spread along the <unk> . The infection with Amylostereaceae fulfill two functions for the wasps : it provides the larvae food , because the white rot <unk> the wood ; at the same time , the mycelia of the fungi serves as food for the larvae . After the larvae <unk> , it absorbs the mycelia of the Amylostereaceae into its body to <unk> together with its eggs . The fungus benefits from the symbiosis as it spreads faster and more effectively than through airborne spores and furthermore does not need to develop fruit bodies . A. ferreum is the only <unk> species that has not been associated with any <unk> .
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= = = Host spectrum = = =
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The host spectrum of the Amylostereaceae comprises several , partially very different genera of <unk> . A. chailletii usually <unk> <unk> such as firs ( <unk> ) and spruces ( <unk> ) , but also cedars ( <unk> ) and Douglas firs ( <unk> ) . A. areolatum has a similar host spectrum , which uses mainly firs , Japanese cedars ( <unk> ) , <unk> ( <unk> ) , spruces , pines ( Pinus ) and Douglas firs as hosts . While spruces dominate as hosts in the native habitat , this species is more common in pines on other locations . The host spectrum of A. laevigatum comprises <unk> such as <unk> ( <unk> ) or <unk> ( <unk> ) and the English yew ( <unk> <unk> ) . A. ferreum is , however , only common on <unk> yellowwoods ( <unk> ) .
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= = = Symptoms of infestation = = =
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The Amylostereaceae are white rot pathogens . They <unk> the lignin of the host wood , whereby the infested wood parts become less stable and take a fibrous structure . The wood <unk> as fungal enzymes break down and remove the brown @-@ <unk> lignin . The distribution in wood takes place mainly along the transport channels in the <unk> . If the wood is <unk> , the red rot is vertically positioned , on which <unk> , infested areas contrast with intact wood . Symptoms of <unk> by the symbiotic partner — wood wasps — include circular exit holes in the crust and acute stress through <unk> , common in hanging , falling or tanning needles .
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= = Ecological and economical importance = =
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In their native habitat , all Amylostereum species have a minor importance as forest pests . The infestation through wood wasps does not assume greater dimensions and is , compared with other pests , almost insignificant . The infection rates are even lower during sexual reproduction via fruit bodies , as the wasps do not play a part in the process . Furthermore , the Amylostereum fungi are alone often incapable of <unk> healthy trees . They thus mostly act as <unk> . Pine <unk> in Australia , New Zealand , Africa and South America were shown to be susceptible to the Sirex <unk> ( Sirex noctilio ) , which was introduced there and which is associated with A. areolatum . The wasp 's <unk> secretion , its larvae and the fungus combine very effectively with each other and contribute to forest decline rates of up to 80 % . This is mainly owing to the poor water and nutrient supply of the trees , which can poorly reconcile the drought stress caused by infestation . S. noctilio was detected in North America in the 2000s ( decade ) ; in Canada alone , the total economic loss to the forestry industry caused by the Sirex – Amylostereum symbiosis could be as high as $ 254 million per year for the next 20 years .
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As a <unk> , cultures of the nematode <unk> <unk> have been used as biological control to protect trees since the 1980s . This parasite feeds on the mycelia of A. areolatum and is therefore a food competitor of wood wasp larvae . Where S. noctilio larvae are present , the parasite <unk> and <unk> the eggs of female wasps , causing them to be infertile . These infertile females lay infected eggs into new trees and thus spread the nematode . This control method has proven to be relatively successful to combat the Sirex – Amylostereum complex . In the Southern Hemisphere , where the technique has been widely employed , reductions of <unk> levels of 70 % – 100 % have been achieved .
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= Charles @-@ Valentin Alkan =
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Charles @-@ Valentin Alkan ( French : [ <unk> <unk> ̃ <unk> ̃ <unk> ̃ ] ; 30 November 1813 – 29 March 1888 ) was a French @-@ Jewish composer and virtuoso pianist . At the height of his fame in the 1830s and 1840s he was , alongside his friends and colleagues Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt , among the leading pianists in Paris , a city in which he spent virtually his entire life .
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Alkan earned many awards at the Conservatoire de Paris , which he entered before he was six . His career in the salons and concert halls of Paris was marked by his occasional long <unk> from public performance , for personal reasons . Although he had a wide circle of friends and acquaintances in the Parisian artistic world , including Eugène <unk> and George Sand , from 1848 he began to adopt a reclusive life style , while continuing with his compositions – virtually all of which are for the keyboard . During this period he published , among other works , his collections of large @-@ scale studies in all the major keys ( Op. 35 ) and all the minor keys ( Op. 39 ) . The latter includes his Symphony for Solo Piano ( Op. 39 , nos . 4 – 7 ) and Concerto for Solo Piano ( Op. 39 , nos . 8 – 10 ) , which are often considered among his masterpieces and are of great musical and technical complexity . Alkan emerged from self @-@ imposed retirement in the 1870s to give a series of recitals that were attended by a new generation of French musicians .
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Alkan 's attachment to his Jewish origins is displayed both in his life and his work . He was the first composer to incorporate Jewish melodies in art music . <unk> in Hebrew and Greek , he devoted much time to a complete new translation of the Bible into French . This work , like many of his musical compositions , is now lost . Alkan never married , but his presumed son <unk> @-@ Miriam Delaborde was , like Alkan , a virtuoso performer on both the piano and the pedal piano , and edited a number of the elder composer 's works .
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Following his death ( which according to persistent but unfounded legend was caused by a falling bookcase ) Alkan 's music became neglected , supported by only a few musicians including <unk> Busoni , Egon Petri and <unk> Sorabji . From the late 1960s onwards , led by Raymond Lewenthal and Ronald Smith , many pianists have recorded his music and brought it back into the repertoire .
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= = Life = =
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= = = Family = = =
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Alkan was born Charles @-@ Valentin Morhange on 30 November 1813 at 1 , Rue de <unk> in Paris to Alkan Morhange ( <unk> – 1855 ) and Julie Morhange , née Abraham . Alkan Morhange was descended from a long @-@ established Jewish <unk> community in the region of Metz ; the village of Morhange is located about 30 miles ( 48 km ) from the city of Metz . Charles @-@ Valentin was the second of six children – one elder sister and four younger brothers ; his birth certificate indicates that he was named after a neighbour who witnessed the birth .
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Alkan Morhange supported the family as a musician and later as the proprietor of a private music school in le <unk> , the Jewish quarter of Paris . At an early age , Charles @-@ Valentin and his siblings adopted their father 's first name as their last ( and were known by this during their studies at the Conservatoire de Paris and subsequent careers ) . His brother Napoléon ( 1826 – 1906 ) became professor of solfège at the Conservatoire , his brother Maxim ( 1818 – 1897 ) had a career writing light music for Parisian theatres , and his sister , <unk> ( 1812 – 1897 ) , was also a pianist . His brother Ernest ( 1816 – 1876 ) was a professional <unk> , while the youngest brother <unk> ( 1827 – 1882 ) was to publish various dances for the piano .
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= = = <unk> ( 1819 – 1831 ) = = =
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Alkan was a child <unk> . He entered the Conservatoire de Paris at an unusually early age , and studied both piano and organ . The records of his auditions survive in the Archives <unk> in Paris . At his solfège audition on 3 July 1819 , when he was just over 5 years 7 months , the examiners noted Alkan ( who is referred to even at this early date as " Alkan ( Valentin ) " , and whose age is given incorrectly as six @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half ) as " having a pretty little voice " . The profession of Alkan Morhange is given as " music @-@ paper ruler " . At Charles @-@ Valentin 's piano audition on 6 October 1820 , when he was nearly seven ( and where he is named as " Alkan ( Morhange ) Valentin " ) , the examiners comment " This child has amazing abilities . "
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Alkan became a favourite of his teacher at the Conservatoire , Joseph Zimmermann , who also taught Georges <unk> , César Franck , Charles Gounod , and Ambroise Thomas . At the age of seven , Alkan won a first prize for solfège and in later years prizes in piano ( 1824 ) , harmony ( 1827 ) , and organ ( 1834 ) . At the age of seven @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half he gave his first public performance , appearing as a violinist and playing an air and variations by Pierre <unk> . Alkan 's Opus 1 , a set of variations for piano based on a theme by Daniel <unk> , dates from 1828 , when he was 14 years old . At about this time he also undertook teaching duties at his father 's school . Antoine Marmontel , one of Charles @-@ Valentin 's pupils there , who was later to become his <unk> <unk> , wrote of the school :
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Young children , mostly Jewish , were given elementary musical instruction and also learnt the first <unk> of French grammar ... [ There ] I received a few lessons from the young Alkan , four years my senior ... I see once more ... that really parochial environment where the talent of Valentin Alkan was formed and where his hard @-@ working youth <unk> ... It was like a preparatory school , a juvenile <unk> of the Conservatoire .
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From about 1826 Alkan began to appear as a piano soloist in leading Parisian salons , including those of the <unk> de la <unk> ( widow of Marshal <unk> ) , and the <unk> de <unk> . He was probably introduced to these venues by his teacher Zimmermann . At the same time , Alkan Morhange arranged concerts featuring Charles @-@ Valentin at public venues in Paris , in association with leading musicians including the <unk> <unk> <unk> and Henriette <unk> , the cellist Auguste Franchomme and the violinist Lambert <unk> , with whom Alkan gave concerts in a rare visit out of France to Brussels in 1827 . In 1829 , at the age of 15 , Alkan was appointed joint professor of solfège – among his pupils in this class a few years later was his brother Napoléon . In this manner Alkan 's musical career was launched well before the July Revolution of 1830 , which initiated a period in which " keyboard virtuosity ... completely dominated professional music making " in the capital , attracting from all over Europe pianists who , as Heinrich Heine wrote , invaded " like a plague of locusts swarming to pick Paris clean " . Alkan nonetheless continued his studies and in 1831 enrolled in the organ classes of François <unk> , from whom he may have learnt to appreciate the music of Johann Sebastian Bach , of whom <unk> was then one of the few French advocates .
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= = = Early fame ( 1831 – 1837 ) = = =
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Throughout the early years of the July Monarchy , Alkan continued to teach and play at public concerts and in eminent social circles . He became a friend of many who were active in the world of the arts in Paris , including Franz Liszt ( who had been based there since 1827 ) , George Sand , and Victor Hugo . It is not clear exactly when he first met Frédéric Chopin , who arrived in Paris in September 1831 . In 1832 Alkan took the solo role in his first Concerto da camera for piano and strings at the Conservatoire . In the same year , aged 19 , he was elected to the influential <unk> <unk> des <unk> d <unk> ( Society of the Children of Apollo ) , whose members included Luigi <unk> , Fromental Halévy , the conductor François <unk> , and Liszt , who had been elected in 1824 at the age of twelve . Between 1833 and 1836 Alkan participated at many of the Society 's concerts . Alkan twice competed unsuccessfully for the Prix de Rome , in 1832 and again in 1834 ; the <unk> which he wrote for the competition , Hermann et <unk> and L <unk> en <unk> , have remained unpublished and <unk> .
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In 1834 Alkan began his friendship with the Spanish musician Santiago Masarnau , which was to result in an extended and often intimate correspondence which only came to light in 2009 . Like virtually all of Alkan 's correspondence , this exchange is now one @-@ sided ; all of his papers ( including his manuscripts and his extensive library ) were either destroyed by Alkan himself , as is clear from his will , or became lost after his death . Later in 1834 Alkan made a visit to England , where he gave recitals and where the second Concerto da camera was performed in Bath by its <unk> Henry <unk> Field ; it was published in London together with some solo piano pieces . A letter to Masarnau and a notice in a French journal that Alkan played in London with Moscheles and Cramer , indicate that he returned to England in 1835 . Later that year , Alkan , having found a place of retreat at <unk> outside Paris , completed his first truly original works for solo piano , the Twelve Caprices , published in 1837 as <unk> . 12 , 13 , 15 and 16 . Op. 16 , the Trois <unk> de <unk> , is dedicated to Masarnau . In January 1836 , Liszt recommended Alkan for the post of Professor at the Geneva Conservatoire , which Alkan declined , and in 1837 he wrote an enthusiastic review of Alkan 's Op. 15 Caprices in the Revue et <unk> <unk> .
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= = = At the Square d <unk> ( 1837 – 1848 ) = = =
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From 1837 , Alkan lived in the Square d <unk> in Paris , which was inhabited by numerous celebrities of the time including Marie <unk> , Alexandre Dumas , George Sand , and Chopin . Chopin and Alkan were personal friends and often discussed musical topics , including a work on musical theory that Chopin proposed to write . By 1838 , at 25 years old , Alkan had reached a peak of his career . He frequently gave recitals , his more mature works had begun to be published , and he often appeared in concerts with Liszt and Chopin . On 23 April 1837 Alkan took part in Liszt 's farewell concert in Paris , together with the 14 @-@ year @-@ old César Franck and the virtuoso Johann Peter <unk> . On 3 March 1838 , at a concert at the piano @-@ maker <unk> , Alkan played with Chopin , Zimmerman , and Chopin 's pupil Adolphe <unk> in a performance of Alkan 's transcription , now lost , of two movements of Beethoven 's Seventh Symphony for two pianos , eight hands .
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At this point , for a period which coincided with the birth and childhood of his natural son , <unk> @-@ Miriam Delaborde ( 1839 – 1913 ) , Alkan withdrew into private study and composition for six years , returning to the concert platform only in 1844 . Alkan neither asserted or denied his paternity of Delaborde , which , however , his contemporaries seemed to assume . Marmontel wrote <unk> in a biography of Delaborde that " [ his ] birth is a page from a novel in the life of a great artist " . Alkan gave early piano lessons to Delaborde , who was to follow his natural father as a keyboard virtuoso .
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Alkan 's return to the concert platform in 1844 was greeted with enthusiasm by critics , who noted the " admirable perfection " of his technique , and lauded him as " a model of science and inspiration " , a " sensation " and an " explosion " . They also commented on the attending celebrities including Liszt , Chopin , Sand and Dumas . In the same year he published his piano étude Le chemin de <unk> , which critics , following Ronald Smith , believe to be the first representation in music of a steam engine . Between 1844 and 1848 Alkan produced a series of virtuoso pieces , the 25 Préludes Op. 31 for piano or organ , and the sonata Op. 33 Les <unk> <unk> . Following an Alkan <unk> in 1848 , the composer Giacomo Meyerbeer was so impressed that he invited the pianist , whom he considered " a most remarkable artist " , to prepare the piano arrangement of the overture to his forthcoming opera , Le prophète . Meyerbeer heard and approved Alkan 's arrangement of the overture for four hands ( which Alkan played with his brother Napoléon ) in 1849 ; published in 1850 , it is the only record of the overture , which was scrapped during rehearsals at the Opéra .
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= = = <unk> ( 1848 – 1872 ) = = =
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In 1848 Alkan was <unk> disappointed when the head of the Conservatoire , Daniel Auber , replaced the retiring Zimmermann with the mediocre Marmontel as head of the Conservatoire piano department , a position which Alkan had eagerly anticipated , and for which he had strongly lobbied with the support of Sand , Dumas , and many other leading figures . A disgusted Alkan described the appointment in a letter to Sand as " the most incredible , the most <unk> nomination " ; and <unk> noted in his journal " By his confrontation with Auber , [ Alkan ] has been very put out and will <unk> continue to be so . " The upset arising from this incident may account for Alkan 's reluctance to perform in public in the ensuing period . His withdrawal was also influenced by the death of Chopin ; in 1850 he wrote to Masarnau " I have lost the strength to be of any economic or political use " , and lamented " the death of poor Chopin , another blow which I felt deeply . " Chopin , on his deathbed in 1849 , had indicated his respect for Alkan by <unk> him his unfinished work on a piano method , intending him to complete it , and after Chopin 's death a number of his students transferred to Alkan . After giving two concerts in 1853 , Alkan withdrew , in spite of his fame and technical accomplishment , into virtual seclusion for some twenty years .
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Little is known of this period of Alkan 's life , other than that apart from composing he was immersed in the study of the Bible and the Talmud . Throughout this period Alkan continued his correspondence with Ferdinand Hiller , whom he had probably met in Paris in the 1830s , and with Masarnau , from which some insights can be gained . It appears that Alkan completed a full translation into French , now lost , of both the Old Testament and the New Testament , from their original languages . In 1865 , he wrote to Hiller : " Having translated a good deal of the <unk> , I 'm now onto the second Gospel which I am translating from the Syriac ... In starting to translate the New Testament , I was suddenly struck by a singular idea – that you have to be Jewish to be able to do it . "
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Despite his seclusion from society , this period saw the composition and publication of many of Alkan 's major piano works , including the <unk> études dans tous les tons mineurs , Op. 39 ( 1857 ) , the Sonatine , Op. 61 ( 1861 ) , the 49 Esquisses , Op. 63 ( 1861 ) , and the five collections of Chants ( 1857 – 1872 ) , as well as the Sonate de concert for cello and piano , Op. 47 ( 1856 ) . These did not pass <unk> ; Hans von Bülow , for example , gave a laudatory review of the Op. 35 Études in the <unk> Berliner <unk> in 1857 , the year in which they were published in Berlin , commenting that " Alkan is <unk> the most eminent representative of the modern piano school at Paris . The virtuoso 's <unk> to travel , and his firm reputation as a teacher , explain why , at present , so little attention has been given to his work in Germany . "
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From the early 1850s Alkan began to turn his attention seriously to the pedal piano ( pédalier ) . Alkan gave his first public performances on the pédalier to great critical acclaim in 1852 . From 1859 onwards he began to publish pieces designated as " for organ or piano à pédalier " .
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= = = <unk> ( 1873 – 1888 ) = = =
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It is not clear why , in 1873 , Alkan decided to emerge from his self @-@ imposed obscurity to give a series of six Petits Concerts at the Érard piano <unk> . It may have been associated with the developing career of Delaborde , who , returning to Paris in 1867 , soon became a concert fixture , including in his recitals many works by his father , and who was at the end of 1872 given the appointment that had escaped Alkan himself , Professor at the Conservatoire . The success of the Petits Concerts led to them becoming an annual event ( with occasional interruptions caused by Alkan 's health ) until 1880 or possibly beyond . The Petits Concerts featured music not only by Alkan but of his favourite composers from Bach onwards , played on both the piano and the pédalier , and occasionally with the participation of another instrumentalist or singer . He was assisted in these concerts by his siblings , and by other musicians including Delaborde , Camille Saint @-@ <unk> , and Auguste Franchomme .
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Those encountering Alkan at this phase included the young Vincent d <unk> , who recalled Alkan 's " <unk> , hooked fingers " playing Bach on an Érard pedal piano : " I listened , riveted to the spot by the expressive , crystal @-@ clear playing . " Alkan later played Beethoven 's Op. 110 sonata , of which d <unk> said : " What happened to the great <unk> poem ... I couldn 't begin to describe – above all in the <unk> and the <unk> , where the melody , penetrating the mystery of Death itself , climbs up to a <unk> of light , affected me with an excess of enthusiasm such as I have never experienced since . This was not Liszt — perhaps less perfect , technically — but it had greater intimacy and was more <unk> moving ... "
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The biographer of Chopin , Frederick <unk> , sought Alkan for his <unk> in 1880 but was <unk> denied access by Alkan 's concierge – " To my ... enquiry when he could be found at home , the reply was a ... decisive ' Never ' . " However , a few days later he found Alkan at Érard 's , and <unk> writes of their meeting that " his reception of me was not merely polite but most friendly . "
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= = = Death = = =
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According to his death certificate , Alkan died in Paris on 29 March 1888 at the age of 74 . Alkan was buried on 1 April ( Easter Sunday ) in the Jewish section of <unk> Cemetery , Paris , not far from the tomb of his contemporary Fromental Halévy ; his sister <unk> was later buried in the same tomb .
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For many years it was believed that Alkan met his death when a bookcase toppled over and fell on him as he reached for a volume of the Talmud from a high shelf . This tale , which was circulated by the pianist <unk> Philipp , is dismissed by Hugh Macdonald , who reports the discovery of a contemporary letter by one of his pupils explaining that Alkan had been found prostrate in his kitchen , under a <unk> @-@ <unk> ( a heavy coat / umbrella rack ) , after his concierge heard his moaning . He had possibly fainted , bringing it down on himself while grabbing out for support . He was reportedly carried to his bedroom and died later that evening . The story of the bookcase may have its roots in a legend told of <unk> <unk> ben Asher , rabbi of Metz , the town from which Alkan 's family originated .
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= = Personality = =
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Alkan was described by Marmontel ( who refers to " a <unk> misunderstanding at a moment of our careers in 1848 " ) , as follows :
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" We will not give the portrait of Valentin Alkan from the rear , as in some photographs we have seen . His intelligent and original <unk> deserves to be taken in profile or head @-@ on . The head is strong ; the deep forehead is that of a thinker ; the mouth large and smiling , the nose regular ; the years have <unk> the beard and hair ... the gaze fine , a little mocking . His <unk> walk , his puritan <unk> , give him the look of an Anglican minister or a rabbi – for which he has the abilities . "
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Alkan was not always remote or aloof . Chopin describes , in a letter to friend , visiting the theatre with Alkan in 1847 to see the comedian <unk> : " [ <unk> ] tells the audience how he was desperate to <unk> in a train , but couldn 't get to a toilet before they stopped at <unk> . There wasn 't a single vulgar word in what he said , but everyone understood and split their sides laughing . " Hugh Macdonald notes that Alkan " particularly enjoyed the patronage of Russian aristocratic ladies , ' des <unk> <unk> <unk> et <unk> [ highly <unk> and frilled ladies ] ' , as Isidore Philipp described them . "
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Alkan 's aversion to <unk> and publicity , especially following 1850 , appeared to be self @-@ willed . Liszt is reported to have commented to the Danish pianist <unk> <unk> that " Alkan possessed the finest technique he had ever known , but preferred the life of a <unk> . " Stephanie <unk> has suggested that Alkan may have suffered from <unk> syndrome , <unk> or obsessive – <unk> disorder .
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Alkan 's later correspondence contains many <unk> comments . In a letter of about 1861 he wrote to Hiller : " I 'm becoming daily more and more <unk> and <unk> ... nothing worthwhile , good or useful to do ... no one to devote myself to . My situation makes me <unk> sad and <unk> . Even musical production has lost its attraction for me for I can 't see the point or goal . " This spirit of <unk> may have led him to reject requests in the 1860s to play in public , or to allow performances of his orchestral compositions . However , it should not be ignored that he was writing similarly <unk> self @-@ analyses in his letters of the early 1830s to Masarnau .
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Jack Gibbons writes of Alkan 's personality : " Alkan was an intelligent , lively , humorous and warm person ( all characteristics which feature strongly in his music ) whose only crime seems to have been having a vivid imagination , and whose occasional <unk> ( mild when compared with the behaviour of other ' highly @-@ strung ' <unk> ! ) stemmed mainly from his <unk> nature . " Macdonald , however , suggests that " Alkan was a man of profoundly conservative ideas , whose lifestyle , manner of dress , and belief in the traditions of historic music , set him apart from other musicians and the world at large . "
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= = Judaism = =
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Alkan grew up in a religiously <unk> Jewish household . His grandfather <unk> Morhange had been a <unk> of the Talmud in Metz , and was probably a <unk> ( Hebrew teacher ) in the Jewish congregation at Paris . Alkan 's widespread reputation as a student of the Old Testament and religion , and the high quality of his Hebrew handwriting testify to his knowledge of the religion , and many of his habits indicate that he practised at least some of its obligations , such as maintaining the laws of <unk> . Alkan was regarded by the Paris Consistory , the central Jewish organisation of the city , as an authority on Jewish music . In 1845 he assisted the Consistory in evaluating the musical ability of Samuel <unk> , who was subsequently appointed as <unk> ( cantor ) of the main Paris synagogue ; and he later contributed choral pieces in each of <unk> 's collections of synagogue music ( 1847 and 1856 ) . Alkan was appointed <unk> at the Synagogue de Nazareth in 1851 , although he resigned the post almost immediately for " artistic reasons " .
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Alkan 's Op. 31 set of Préludes includes a number of pieces based on Jewish subjects , including some titled <unk> ( Prayer ) , one preceded by a quote from the Song of Songs , and another titled <unk> <unk> de la synagogue ( Old synagogue melody ) . The collection is believed to be " the first publication of art music specifically to deploy Jewish themes and ideas . " Alkan 's three settings of synagogue melodies , prepared for his former pupil <unk> de <unk> , are further examples of his interest in Jewish music ; <unk> <unk> provides a detailed analysis of these works and their origins . Other works <unk> this interest include no . 7 of his Op. 66 . 11 <unk> <unk> et 1 <unk> ( 1866 ) , entitled " Alla <unk> " and marked " con <unk> " , a parody of excessive <unk> practice ; and the slow movement of the cello sonata Op. 47 ( 1857 ) , which is prefaced by a quotation from the Old Testament prophet <unk> and uses melodic tropes derived from the <unk> of the <unk> in the synagogue .
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The inventory of Alkan 's apartment made after his death indicates over 75 volumes in Hebrew or related to Judaism , left to his brother Napoléon ( as well as 36 volumes of music manuscript ) . These are all lost . <unk> in his will to the Conservatoire to found prizes for composition of <unk> on Old Testament themes and for performance on the pedal @-@ piano , and to a Jewish charity for the training of <unk> , were refused by the beneficiaries .
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= = Music = =
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= = = Influences = = =
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<unk> François @-@ <unk> points out the frequency with which Alkan has been compared to Berlioz , both by his contemporaries and later . She mentions that Hans von Bülow called him " the Berlioz of the piano " , while Schumann , in criticising the Op. 15 <unk> , claimed that Alkan merely " imitated Berlioz on the piano . " She further notes that <unk> Busoni repeated the comparison with Berlioz in a draft ( but unpublished ) <unk> , while <unk> Sorabji commented that Alkan 's Op. 61 Sonatine was like " a Beethoven sonata written by Berlioz " . Berlioz was ten years older than Alkan , but did not attend the Conservatoire until 1826 . The two were acquainted , and were perhaps both influenced by the unusual ideas and style of Anton <unk> who taught at the Conservatoire from 1818 to 1836 , and by the <unk> of the composers of the period of the French Revolution . They both created individual , indeed , idiosyncratic sound @-@ worlds in their music ; there are , however , major differences between them . Alkan , unlike Berlioz , remained closely dedicated to the German musical tradition ; his style and composition were heavily determined by his <unk> , whereas Berlioz could hardly play at the keyboard and wrote nothing for piano solo . Alkan 's works therefore also include miniatures and ( among his early works ) <unk> music , genres which Berlioz avoided .
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Subsets and Splits