Domenico
SCARLATTI
Complete Keyboard Sonatas Vol. 24
Alon Goldstein, Piano
Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757) 3/8. It is among the more technically demanding of @ The Sonata in A minor, K.383/L.134/P.269, in the
Complete Sonatas Vol. 24 Scarlatti’s sonatas. eighth Venice volume, dated 1754, marked Allegro and in
5 The Sonata in G major, K.210/L.123/P.293, is found in 6/8, offers music of some brilliance.
Domenico Scarlatti was born in Naples in 1685, sixth of in 1739, including the 30 already available from the the third Venice volume, dated 1753, marked Andante and # Preserved in the second Venice volume of 1752,
the ten children of the composer Alessandro Scarlatti, earlier publication. In more recent times the sonatas were in 3/8. It is a work of some delicacy, monothematic in Sonata in E minor, K.198/L.22/P.132, in triple metre and
Sicilian by birth and chiefly responsible for the early edited by Alessandro Longo, who provided the numerical structure. marked Allegro, is a toccata, largely in two voices.
development of Neapolitan opera. The Scarlatti family listing under ‘L’, and in 1953 the American harpsichordist 6 The first sonata in Scarlatti’s Essercizi per $ The Sonata in G major, K.324/L.332/P.285, from the
had extensive involvement in music both in Rome and in Ralph Kirkpatrick offered a new listing, distinguished by gravicembalo, the Sonata in D minor, K.1/L.366/P.57, is sixth Venice volume of 1753, an Alla breve marked
Naples, where Alessandro Scarlatti became maestro di the letter ‘K’. Stylistic grounds have suggested a further placed first in Kirkpatrick’s catalogue. The 30 sonatas Andante, offers chains of thirds and sixths.
cappella to the Spanish viceroy in 1684. Domenico changed listing by Giorgio Pestelli, under the letter ‘P’, published in London in 1739 may be presumed to % The Sonata in A major, K.279/L.468/P.306, again Alla
Scarlatti started his public career in 1701 under his and proposing a new chronology, while Emilia Fadini, in represent the composer’s choice, whatever the order and breve and Andante, is given in the fifth Venice volume of
father’s aegis as organist and composer in the vice-regal a complete edition for Ricordi, offers a further re- dating of their composition. It offers a lively introduction 1753. Here Scarlatti explores a number of less related keys.
chapel. The following year father and son took leave of ordering, based in part on the Venice volumes. to the collection. ^ From the eleventh Venice collection of 1756, the
absence to explore the possibilities of employment in Kirkpatrick’s listing of the sonatas, based on the 7 The Sonata in B flat major, K.273/L.398/P.174, from Sonata in C major, K.465/L.242/P.406, an Allegro in 3/8,
Florence, and Alessandro was later to exercise paternal chronological order of the available sources, starts with the fifth Venice volume, dated 1753, has an opening offers a display of arpeggios and figuration with
authority by sending his son to Venice, where he remained the 30 Essercizi per gravicembalo offered for sale in early section marked Vivo and in 3/8, with a contrasting central answering thirds.
for some four years. In 1709 Domenico entered the 1739 by Adamo Scola, ‘Musick Master in Vine Street, section in 6/8 and marked Moderato. & The Sonata in F minor, K.187/L.285/P.145, an Allegro
service of the exiled Queen of Poland, Maria Casimira, near Swallow Street, Piccadilly’. The publication 8 The Sonata in G minor, K.196/L.38/P.244, from the in 3/8, is from the second Venice volume. It offers rapid
in Rome, there meeting and playing against Handel in a included a dedication in Italian to the King of Portugal second Venice volume dated 1752, forms a possible pair figuration, predominately in the left hand, leading to
keyboard contest, in which the latter was declared the and a prefatory note for the purchaser, denying serious with K.210, following the ordering of sonatas in the Parma chordal textures at the close of the repeated first section.
better organist and Scarlatti the better harpsichordist. It intention and modestly suggesting rather ‘lo scherzo manuscript. * The third Venice volume, dated 1753, ends with the
has been suggested that he spent a period from 1719 in ingegnoso dell’Arte’. The listing continues primarily with 9 The Sonata in D minor, K.120/L.215/P.146, marked Sonata in G major, K.235/L.154/P.172, a 3/8 Allegro. In
Palermo, but his earlier connection with the Portuguese the Venice volumes, in chronological order of Allegrissimo and in 12/8, brings hand-crossing and chains place of a central development, the sonata offers a gently
embassy in Rome led him before long to Lisbon, where compilation, if not necessarily of composition. of sixths and thirds in a work that makes considerable lilting siciliano, dismissed on the return of the opening
he became music master to the children of the royal 1 The Sonata in C major, K.159/L.104/P.418, is included technical demands. It is included in the fifteenth Venice section.
family. This employment took him in 1728 to Madrid, in the first Venice volume, dated 1752. The thirds, heard volume, dated 1749. ( The Sonata in E flat major, K.508/L.19/P.516, is given
when his pupil the Infanta Maria Bárbara married the heir at the outset and suggesting horn calls, are a continuing 0 The Sonata in B minor, K.498/L.350/P.367, is included in the twelfth Venice volume and is a triple time Allegro.
to the Spanish throne. Scarlatti apparently remained there feature, the first part of the sonata returning finally, after in the twelfth Venice volume, dated 1756. An Allegro in It offers arpeggios and extended cadences, marked in strict
for the rest of his life, his most considerable achievement a contrasting minor section. 3/4, it has been paired with K.197. time, and emphatic passages of octaves in the conclusion
the composition of some hundreds of single-movement 2 The Sonata in C minor, K.11/L.352/P.67, is one of the ! Found in the fourth Venice volume, dated 1753, Sonata of both sections.
sonatas or exercises, designed largely for the use of the Essercizi per gravicembalo published in London in 1739 in E major, K.264/L.466/P.308, Vivo in 3/8, explores
Infanta, who became Queen of Spain in 1746. and is without tempo indication. It is a piece of some remoter keys in its repeated central section. Keith Anderson
The keyboard sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti survive in delicacy.
part in a number of 18th-century manuscripts, some 3 The Sonata in G major, K.424/L.289/P.374 is found in
clearly from the collection of Queen Maria Bárbara, the tenth Venice volume, dated 1755, and is marked
possibly bequeathed to the great Italian castrato Farinelli, Allegro, and Alla breve. It opens with an ascending major
who was employed at the Spanish court, and now in scale, imitated in the lower part and makes use of
Venice. Various sets of sonatas were published during the rhythmic patterns and repetitions familiar in other
composer’s lifetime, including a set of 30 Essercizi per Scarlatti sonatas.
gravicembalo, issued, seemingly, in London in 1738, and 4 The Sonata in D major, K.299/L.210/P.268, from the
42 sonatas published in London by Thomas Roseingrave sixth Venice volume of 1753, is marked Allegro and in
Alon Goldstein
Alon Goldstein is one of the most original and
sensitive pianists of his generation. He has
appeared with the Chicago and San Francisco
Symphony Orchestras, The Philadelphia
Orchestra, and the Los Angeles, Radio
France, London and Israel Philharmonic
Orchestras under conductors such as Zubin
Mehta, Herbert Blomstedt, Vladimir Jurowski
and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. Recent
highlights include performances of
Prokofiev’s Piano Concertos with the
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Mozart’s
Triple Concerto at Carnegie Hall, and a 17-
concert Latin American tour with the Israel
Chamber Orchestra under Yoav Talmi.
Goldstein’s discography includes Mozart’s
Piano Concertos with the Fine Arts Quartet
and Dvořák’s Piano Trios with the Tempest
Trio (Naxos) and Mendelssohn’s Piano
Concertos with the Israel Chamber Orchestra
(Centaur). A passionate advocate of music
education, recent teaching engagements have
included the Steans Institute at Ravinia
Festival, The Gilmore Keyboard Festival, and
Ensemble Connect (formerly Ensemble
ACJW) at Carnegie Hall. Goldstein has
performed at prestigious venues around the
world, including Carnegie Hall, the Moscow
Kremlin, Hollywood Bowl and the Southbank
Centre. In 2019 he was inducted into the
Society of Scholars of his alma mater, the
Johns Hopkins University. He currently holds
the position of Strandberg/Missouri Endowed
Chair and Distinguished Visiting Professor at
the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
www.alongoldstein.com
Photo © Christian Steiner
Domenico Scarlatti is best remembered for the hundreds of single-movement keyboard sonatas he
composed for his pupil the Infanta Maria Bárbara, who married the heir to the Spanish throne in
1728, taking her music master with her from Lisbon to Madrid. Scarlatti’s panache and inventiveness
is always on show in these compact sonatas, their delicacy and refinement hiding some surprising
explorations of unexpected keys, and technical demands such as hand-crossing and chains of sixths and 8.574196
thirds that would have posed some interesting challenges to his clearly talented pupil.
DDD
Domenico
Playing Time
SCARLATTI 76:31
(1685–1757)
7
Complete Keyboard Sonatas Vol. 24
47313 41967
1 Sonata in C major, K.159/L.104/P.418 2:21
2 Sonata in C minor, K.11/L.352/P.67 3:09
3 Sonata in G major, K.424/L.289/P.374 3:15
4 Sonata in D major, K.299/L.210/P.268 3:24
5 Sonata in G major, K.210/L.123/P.293 4:41
6 Sonata in D minor, K.1/L.366/P.57 2:12
7 Sonata in B flat major, K.273/L.398/P.174 4:46
8
8 Sonata in G minor, K.196/L.38/P.244 3:07
www.naxos.com
Made in Germany
Booklet notes in English
& 훿 2020 Naxos Rights (Europe) Ltd
9 Sonata in D minor, K.120/L.215/P.146 3:29
0 Sonata in B minor, K.498/L.350/P.367 5:58
! Sonata in E major, K.264/L.466/P.308 5:09
@ Sonata in A minor, K.383/L.134/P.269 2:56
# Sonata in E minor, K.198/L.22/P.132 2:50
$ Sonata in G major, K.324/L.332/P.285 5:23
% Sonata in A major, K.279/L.468/P.306 6:08
^ Sonata in C major, K.465/L.242/P.406 2:48
& Sonata in F minor, K.187/L.285/P.145 4:14
* Sonata in G major, K.235/L.154/P.172 4:34
( Sonata in E flat major, K.508/L.19/P.516 5:19
Alon Goldstein, Piano
Recorded: 5–8 October 2018 at The Performing Arts Centre, Country Day School, King City, Ontario, Canada
Producers: Bonnie Silver, Norbert Kraft • Engineer: Norbert Kraft • Editor: Bonnie Silver • Booklet notes:
Keith Anderson • Cover photo: La Granja de San Ildefonso, Spain © Emanuele Leoni / Dreamstime.com
