D. Scarlatti: The Complete Keyboard Sonatas, Vol. 4

Featuring

Carlo Grante
Domenico Scarlatti

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Composition History

Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas are almost always arranged in groups of thirty, a practice also seen in works by other composers like Seixas, Soler, and Albero.

Composer Biography

Domenico Scarlatti, the composer, shares his birth year, 1685, with famous composers Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel.

Composer's Artistic Vision

In a dedication to King João V, Scarlatti described his Essercizi (Exercises) as "ingenious Jesting with Art" intended to train mastery of the harpsichord, rather than profound learning.

Interpretation

The Italian word 'tremulo' in Scarlatti's scores, often equated to a trill, may actually indicate rapid repetitions of notes, similar to a guitar tremolo, according to some scholars.

Compositional Technique

A notable feature in some of Scarlatti's sonatas is the 'great curves' or 'calligraphic slurs' in his notation, which may indicate notes to be omitted or a da capo with an alternative ending.

Performer Biography

Carlo Grante, the pianist on this recording, gave the first live performance of all 53 of Leopold Godowsky's Studies on the Études of Chopin at the Newport Festival.