Lodovico Giustini, the composer, was born in Pistoia in 1685, the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Frideric Handel, and Domenico Scarlatti.
Instruments
The pianoforte, invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori, offered the advantage of playing loudly and softly with gradations in between, unlike the harpsichord or clavichord.
Composition History
Giustini's '12 Sonate da cimbalo di piano e forte, Op. 1' is the first known work specifically written for the pianoforte, an instrument that was still a rarity at the time.
Performer Biography
Enrico Maria Polimanti, the pianist on this recording, is a versatile performer who plays a wide range of solo repertoire from Jean-Philippe Rameau to Caroline Shaw.
Compositional Technique
Giustini's sonatas combine elements of both the sonata da camera (chamber sonata) with dance titles and the sonata da chiesa (church sonata) with its alternation of fast and slow movements.
Recording & Production
This album features the world premiere recording of a selection of Giustini's Op. 1 Sonatas on a modern grand piano.
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