Domenico Scarlatti spent nearly forty years of his life on the Iberian Peninsula, serving the King of Portugal João V and his daughter Maria Bárbara of Braganza.
Composition History
Domenico Scarlatti modestly called his 555 sonatas "exercises for the harpsichord," which gradually formed an unprecedented body of work.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Scarlatti invited his interpreters to be "more human than critical," stating that if they were happy playing his music on the piano, they would grasp its spirit.
Composer Biography
Domenico Scarlatti, the composer, was the sixth child of Alessandro Scarlatti, a famous composer, and waited until his father's death to fully pursue his own musical path.
Compositional Technique
Scarlatti's sonatas incorporate Spanish characteristics, such as the sound of gypsy guitars, flamenco castanets, and Andalusian singing, reflecting the "duende" or soul of Spain.
Performer Biography
Anne Queffélec, the pianist on this album, was named "Performer of the Year" at the Victoires de la Musique in 1990 and has performed with major orchestras worldwide.
Compositional Technique
Scarlatti's ornamentation, with its appoggiaturas and melismas, is compared to Muslim arabesques, mosaics, and gildings found in Spanish architecture.
