Paradies: Complete Sonatas for Harpsichord

Featuring

Alessandro Simonetto
Pietro Domenico Paradies

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Composer Biography

Paradies moved to London in 1746, where he established himself as a teacher of harpsichord and voice.

Historical Context

King George II granted Paradies a 'royal privilege and licence' for 14 years, acting as a precursor to copyright, forbidding others from reprinting his compositions.

Composer Biography

Pietro Domenico Paradies, the composer, is a somewhat mysterious figure in music history, with little known about his life and even his name being subject to different spellings.

Compositional Technique

All the sonatas in this collection consist of two contrasting movements, typically in the same key, and show the influence of Alessandro Scarlatti and Domenico Scarlatti through their structure, keyboard virtuosity, and harmonic quirks.

Composition History

The harpsichord sonatas are dedicated to Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, the mother of King George III, and include a formal address from Paradies to her.

Composer Biography

Paradies, the composer, likely studied with Nicola Porpora, a prominent Italian opera composer and teacher, and initially focused on composing for the theater.

Composition History

The collection of twelve harpsichord sonatas by Paradies was published in 1754 by John Johnson, a London publisher whose business was located opposite St. Mary-le-bow at Cheapside.