Muzio Clementi, born in Rome in 1752, was brought to England as a musical prodigy at age 14 and is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Composer Biography
Domenico Scarlatti, born in Naples in 1685, was the sixth of ten children and served as Master of the Music to the Chapel Royal in Lisbon before moving to Madrid with Infanta Maria Barbara.
Interpretation
Some sonatas on this album are played without the second repeat, and in some cases, the first repeat, likely to fit the duration of an LP side.
Recording & Production
The recording venue, the Artworkers' Guild in Queen Square, Bloomsbury, was chosen for its quietness, but the wood-panelled hall had a "boxy" acoustic that made it difficult for John McCabe to assess the sound.
Interpretation
John McCabe played these sonatas on a Bösendorfer piano, his favorite make at the time, due to its lighter touch and sound.
Performer Biography
John McCabe, the pianist on this recording, was particularly keen to record Muzio Clementi, an unjustifiably neglected composer whose work he championed.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in just three days, from April 20th to 22nd, 1981, with the middle day being John McCabe's 42nd birthday.
