Bombardo-Carillon

Charles-Valentin AlkanOp.47

RomanticKnownfantasyC-sharp minorAllegro4/4~6 min
H7
Henle (estimated)
RCM 10ABRSM 8

About this piece

Alkan's work is a tour-de-force of sonority, intended to imitate the rich, bell-like textures of a carillon. It features complex, layered writing and extreme register demands that create a unique, organ-like sonic impact.

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Teacher notes

Use deep arm weight to voice the heavy chordal textures clearly.

Technical focus

large-chordslayered-texturepedalingdramatic-contrast

Mood

powerfulmysterious

Your status

Not in your repertoire

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Bombardo-Carillon (Op.47) by Charles-Valentin Alkan?

Bombardo-Carillon (Op.47) is rated Henle level 7 of 9 — late advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grade 8 and above. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 10.

What level do I need to play Bombardo-Carillon?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 7 — meaning you can already play level 6–7 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.

How long is Bombardo-Carillon?

A typical performance of Bombardo-Carillon (Op.47) lasts about 6 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Bombardo-Carillon?

Bombardo-Carillon (Op.47) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.