Scarlatti 4

Featuring

Pierre Hantaï
Domenico Scarlatti

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Compositional Technique

Scarlatti's instrumental technique has a 'choreographic' aspect, with leaps, hand-crossings, and glissandos creating physical sensations for the performer.

Composition History

Scarlatti's life took a decisive turn in 1719 when he accepted a post in Lisbon, leading him to focus almost exclusively on keyboard composition.

Compositional Technique

Domenico Scarlatti's 555 keyboard sonatas largely follow the same binary form, single-movement structure, often requiring acrobatic instrumental technique.

Composer Biography

Domenico Scarlatti, son of a musician, left Naples to work in Venice and Rome, where he met other notable composers like Gasparini, Weiss, Roseingrave, Handel, and Vivaldi.

Composer Biography

Scarlatti's 'Essercizi' (exercises) were published in 1738 and are considered to be from the early part of his compositional output.

Critical Reception

Frédéric Chopin appreciated Scarlatti's music, calling it 'lofty spiritual food,' but avoided playing it in public due to fear of critics.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Scarlatti's sonatas are described as 'organised chaos,' featuring adventurous harmonic labyrinths and structural 'dead ends' that repeat motifs indefinitely before moving on.