 In 1848 Alkan was bitterly 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 shameful nomination " ; and Delacroix noted in his journal " By his confrontation with Auber , [ Alkan ] has been very put out and will doubtless 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 bequeathing 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 . 
 In 1848 Alkan was bitterly 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 <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>had</mark></a> eagerly anticipated , and for which he <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> 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 shameful nomination " ; and Delacroix noted in his journal " By his confrontation with Auber , [ Alkan ] <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>has</mark></a> been very put out and will doubtless continue to be so . " The upset arising from this incident may account for Alkan <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>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 <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>have</mark></a> 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 , <a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>had</mark></a> indicated his respect for Alkan by bequeathing him his unfinished work on a piano method , intending him to complete it , and after Chopin <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>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 . 
In 1848 Alkan was bitterly disappointed when the head of the Conservatoire , Daniel Auber , replaced the retiring Zimmermann w the mediocre Marmontel as head of da Conservatoire piano department , a position which Alkan done eagerly anticipated , and for which he done strongly lobbied witw/e support of Sand , Dumas , and many other leading figures . A disgusted Alkan described the appointment in a letter to Sand as " tdamost incredible , the most shameful nomination " ; and Delacroix noted in his journal " By his confrontation with Auber , [ Alkan ] done been very put out and will doubtless continue to be so . " The upset arising from this incident may account for Alkan  reluctance to perform in public in the ensuing period . His withdrawal was also influenced by thdaeath of Chopin ; in 1850 he wrote to Masarnau " I done lost thedarength 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 , done indicated his respect fa Alkan by bequeathing him his unfinished wrk on a piano method , intending em to complete it , and after Chopin  death a number of his students transferred to Alkan . After giving 2 concerts in 1853 , Alkan withdrew , in spite of his fame and technical accomplishment , into virtual seclusion for some twenty yrs .