Visibly impressed by the new institution of the horse-drawn carriages that made public transport in the Paris of the 1830s so much more enticing, the 15 year old star pianist Charles Valentin Alkan composed his Op. 2, Les Omnibus. The carefully planned increase in dynamics and the choice of tempo, as well as technical sophistications like glissandi and chromatics with a good portion of almost improvisatory freedom help us to envision the Dames Blanches. Not just a stepping stone for the aspiring virtuoso, the brilliant concerto-variations are bound to enrich every ambitious venue by their charming program.