Domenico Scarlatti dedicated his 30 Essercizi to King Jose V of Portugal in 1738, in gratitude for his knightly accolade.
Historical Context
The Spanish Queen Maria Bárbara de Bragança, Domenico Scarlatti's patroness and pupil, bequeathed the sonata volumes to the castrato Farinelli, who brought them to Bologna.
Recording & Production
Christoph Ullrich is recording all 555 of Domenico Scarlatti's harpsichord sonatas on a modern Steinway concert grand piano for this complete series.
Interpretation
For some multi-movement sonatas with figured bass, the performer Christoph Ullrich collaborated with guitarist Stefan Hladek to play the chords, creating a blend of piano and guitar.
Performer Biography
Christoph Ullrich, the pianist, has a diverse repertoire spanning all epochs and styles since Bach and has performed internationally as a soloist, chamber musician, and vocal accompanist.
Compositional Technique
While most of Domenico Scarlatti's sonatas are single-movement, some in the Venetian collection deviate, comprising two, three, or even four movements.
Composition History
Domenico Scarlatti's one-movement sonatas are preserved in 15 manuscript volumes, mostly containing 30 sonatas each, compiled under his supervision.
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