Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Michelangeli's are not to be missed; neither are Myra Hess' for that matter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrRdNwgt0B4

[Que]

That said, the piano also has advantages.

Yes, but not in performing Scarlatti! 

There are nevertheless some pianists who turn out a musically exceptional performance...

The previous (recent) thread on the same subject (plus the harpsichord): Scarlatti sonatas - piano/harpsichord

Q

[Que]

Speak for yourself.

I always do, James.

All I can say is thank God the first Scarlatti I heard wasn't on the harpsichord...I might not have bothered listening again.

Pity you don't like the harpsichord, it is a really wonderful instrument. Not liking it seems a major disadvantage in appreciating keyboard music from the Baroque era - not least of all: Bach's!

Most pianists pick out the Scarlatti sonatas that work best on a piano, but nevertheless many characteristics of the music are altered. Even so, the result can be highly enjoyable if the pianist is a great musician, like Horowitz. But that doesn't make the piano generally speaking particularly suitable for performing this music. Ever heard Scarlatti sonatas performed on organ? Works actually much better than on the piano ...

Q

[Bunny]

It's not that I dont like the harpsichord but the piano for me has so much more and I'd rather listen to them.

Must say I've never really liked Bach on the harpsichord - sounds like skeletons copulating in a biscuit tin ... the piano (or organ) has so much more.

Too, too, harsh!  Unnecessarily harsh!  It's one thing to state a personal preference, but in going so far, you are actually trashing Old Bach.  Bach indisputably loved the sound of his music on the harpsichord, and took great pride in his mastery of that instrument.  To suggest that Bach would have forsaken the harpsichord for the piano if only he had one available is to indulge in silly speculation.  The glory of Bach's music is not that it sounds better on an instrument Bach couldn't imagine, but that it sounds wonderful on any instruments you play it on -- including, and especially the harpsichord.

Back to topic!

I love Scarlatti on harpsichord and on piano.  One of my favorite recordings on piano is by Alexis Weissenberg.  It won't be to everyone's taste, but for pure fireworks it cannot be beat!

I also have a wonderful vinyl recording of Scarlatti played on a pedal fortepiano from the Metropolitan Museum of Art that may have been similar to models owned by Queen Maria Barbara, and possibly known by Scarlatti.  I do believe that the reason many of his essercizi display well on the piano is because the composer actually had early prototypes of the instrument available to him.  Many of his pieces also sound wonderful arranged for guitar, clearly the music of the Iberian peninsula was a great influence on him. 

[FideLeo]

Horowitz, Pletnev, Pogorelich, Queffelec, Scherbakov, Schiff, Sudbin, Tipo, Tomsic., Ts'ong, Zacharias.

Marcelle Meyer

[ezodisy]

Michelangeli's are not to be missed; neither are Myra Hess' for that matter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrRdNwgt0B4

As good as it gets, and always surprising he is overlooked here as his style and temperament are absolutely perfect for this music. With all respect to the young guns, they've got a long way to go before they reach perfection like this.

[Guido]

What do people think of this one?



Browning has long been one of my favourite pianists.

http://www.amazon.com/John-Browning-Performs-Domenico-Scarlatti/dp/B0001IXBJS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1210102317&sr=8-2

[BorisG]

Too, too, harsh!  Unnecessarily harsh!  It's one thing to state a personal preference, but in going so far, you are actually trashing Old Bach.  Bach indisputably loved the sound of his music on the harpsichord, and took great pride in his mastery of that instrument.  To suggest that Bach would have forsaken the harpsichord for the piano if only he had one available is to indulge in silly speculation.  The glory of Bach's music is not that it sounds better on an instrument Bach couldn't imagine, but that it sounds wonderful on any instruments you play it on -- including, and especially the harpsichord.

Back to topic!

I love Scarlatti on harpsichord and on piano.  One of my favorite recordings on piano is by Alexis Weissenberg.  It won't be to everyone's taste, but for pure fireworks it cannot be beat!

I also have a wonderful vinyl recording of Scarlatti played on a pedal fortepiano from the Metropolitan Museum of Art that may have been similar to models owned by Queen Maria Barbara, and possibly known by Scarlatti.  I do believe that the reason many of his essercizi display well on the piano is because the composer actually had early prototypes of the instrument available to him.  Many of his pieces also sound wonderful arranged for guitar, clearly the music of the Iberian peninsula was a great influence on him. 

An interesting read on Scarlatti's technique, and the equipment available to him-

http://www.sankey.ws/scarlattimus.html

[Bunny]

An interesting read on Scarlatti's technique, and the equipment available to him-

http://www.sankey.ws/scarlattimus.html

thanks!

[Guido]

Anyone have this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Domenico-Scarlatti-Complete-Sonatas-Vol/dp/B000IB0DGW

Why is there a cellist listed in the performers?

[Bunny]

Anyone have this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Domenico-Scarlatti-Complete-Sonatas-Vol/dp/B000IB0DGW

Why is there a cellist listed in the performers?

Because the listing was made by someone at amazon who doesn't know what a gravicembalo is?  Lester also played fortepiano and organ for the set, but not a cello.  Here's a link to Nimbus that describes the set.

[Guido]

 here was me hoping that someone had arranged some for cello and piano! I would like nothing better to be able to play somethig by Scarlatti on the cello - all we have are rather mundane offering by Allessandro Scarlatti. I suppose that these are so much 'piano pieces' that it would be difficult or innapropriate to know how to incorporate another instrument into them - This will need some thought!

[Bunny]

here was me hoping that someone had arranged some for cello and piano! I would like nothing better to be able to play somethig by Scarlatti on the cello - all we have are rather mundane offering by Allessandro Scarlatti. I suppose that these are so much 'piano pieces' that it would be difficult or innapropriate to know how to incorporate another instrument into them - This will need some thought!

Guido, these  "essercizi" that we are discussing are by Domenico Scarlatti, not his father Alessandro who was a great composer of the Italian Opera Seria.

As for finding an arrangement for cello, perhaps you might start with some of the guitar arrangements?  There are recordings of arrangements for one and two guitars that I know of.  Perhaps they might be suitable for transcription for cello?  Btw, the Yepes recording has been reissued by Arkivmusic.com (available through amazon), and may also be available as a download from DG.

 

[dirkronk]

I do love Scarlatti on piano and--again--my faves have already been named. However, a friend recently provided me with a CD by Viktoria Lakissova on the Labor Records label. The performances, from Radio Bremen in 2004, are a smattering of Domenico Scarlatti keyboard sonatas--on piano--coupled with pieces composed as homages to Scarlatti, by Francaix, Manziarly, Nikolovski, Alkan, Lewenthal, Hamelin, Godowski, Steffens and Kurtag. Though I wouldn't put Ms. Lakissova on the same plane as Horowitz, Babayan, Sudbin and others, she seems pretty darn good at first hearing--and the disc makes for very interesting listening. I still need to live with it for a while before generally recommending its purchase, but those who see it available cheap somewhere might want to check it out.

Cheers,

Dirk

[Guido]

Guido, these  "essercizi" that we are discussing are by Domenico Scarlatti, not his father Alessandro who was a great composer of the Italian Opera Seria.

Thanks very much for the recording recommendations. I know that we are discussing the essercizi, I was just commenting that the closest thing us cellists had to Domenico Scarlatti, are his father's rather pale offerings. I will look into those recordings!

[Bunny]

Thanks very much for the recording recommendations. I know that we are discussing the essercizi, I was just commenting that the closest thing us cellists had to Domenico Scarlatti, are his father's rather pale offerings. I will look into those recordings!

Well, good luck in your search!  I hope the guitar arrangements will be of use when you are making the transcriptions for cello.

[Que]

I got requests by 12tone and SonicMan for comments on this Scarlatti disc by Ottavio Dantone, part of a planned Scarlatti series on the Italian label Stradivarius. Played on different instruments and by various performers:

Vol. 1. Spanish Influence. Emilia Fadini, harpsichord. STR 33500
Vol. 2: The Italian Manner. Ottavio Dantone, harpsichord. STR 33501
Vol. 3: Iberian Naples. Sergio Vartolo, harpsichord & organ. STR 33502
Vol. 4: The Italian Manner, Part II. Ottavio Dantone, harpsichord. STR 33503
Vol. 5: Scarlatti as chosen by Clementi. Emilia Fadini, fortepiano. STR 33618
Vol. 6. The Harmonic Research. Marco Farolfi, harpsichord & fortepiano. STR 33619
Vol. 7. The Italian Manner, Part III. Ottavio Dantone, harpsichord. STR 33621
Vol. 9. Scarlatti and the Organ. Maria Cecilia Farina, organ. STR 33667
Vol. 10. The Mandolin Sonatas. Mauro Squillante, mandolino. Vrenna Raffaele, harpsichord. STR 33710



So, here it goes. I was surprised. Knowing Dantone from Bach recordings (stellar Goldbergs & WTC), this shows another side to him. An being familiar with Scott Ross' "helter skelter" interpretations, this sounds a bit more mellow and especially in the slower sonatas more contemplative. Dantone carefully spins them out, a moments at the verge of plodding (to my taste), while Ross "zips" through them at moderate but forward pace. This is emphasised by the recording, which is rather diffuse -  I suspect the instrument was recorded from a moderate distance in a rather spacious room. Also the instrument - a copy after the Portuguese harpsichord builder Joachim (Joaquim) José Antunes, 1785 - is very sonourous and quite soft-edged. Quite a special sound. But Dantone can get strong as well, resulting in rather "thunderous" passages.

All in all intelligent, idiomatic, subtle and very rewarding interpretations. On the plus side are sophistication and lush sonorities, but still I'd liked a bit more quixoticism. But I guess that's a question of "How weird do you want your Scarlatti?" In my case: pretty weird.. Next I'll try Encrico Baiano (Symphonia)

Samples - have fun! Comparing first Ottavio Dantone and then Scott Ross:
Sonata K.43:
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/11/4/1562799/01%20Sonata%20in%20g%20minor%2C%20K.43.mp3[/mp3]
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/11/4/1562799/3-13%20Sonata%20in%20G%20minor%20-%20Kk%20043.mp3[/mp3]
Sonata K.52:
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/11/4/1562799/04%20Sonata%20in%20d%20minor%2C%20K.52.mp3[/mp3]
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/11/4/1562799/4-04%20Keyboard%20Sonata%20in%20D%20minor%20-%20Kk%20052_%20Andante%20moderato.mp3[/mp3]
Sonata K.53:
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/11/4/1562799/05%20Sonata%20in%20D%20major%2C%20K.53.mp3[/mp3]
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/11/4/1562799/4-05%20Keyboard%20Sonata%20in%20D%20major%20-%20Kk%20053_%20Presto.mp3[/mp3]
Q

[Josquin des Prez]

Recently I acquired the first two vol.s (á 3 CDs) of Belder´s on-going Scarlatti set. This is nothing less than a relevation, because Belder´s interpretations are much more human and reflective than Scott Ross´, and Belder accordingly finds more depth in these works than Scott Ross, who in these ears often is too efficient (read: superficial).

Sorry, i'm going to have to disagree. Belder isn't anywhere in the same league with Ross, neither technically nor in his interpretation. I think you are confusing mannerism with depth.

[Harry]

Sorry, i'm going to have to disagree. Belder isn't anywhere in the same league with Ross, neither technically nor in his interpretation. I think you are confusing mannerism with depth.

I am in full accord with Premont, Belder is in many ways far superior to Scott Ross, a rather nervy kind of fellow. I don't know where you got your knowledge about playing the harpsichord, but if you cannot hear the quality player Belder is, than your knowledge must be zero. "Confusing mannerism with depth", quite a statement my friend, which I would not easily make.
Sorry about that too.

[jwinter]

I've enjoyed Scarlatti on piano for quite a while -- I have Horowitz, Tipo, Pletnev, and the first 9 volumes of Naxos' set with various pianists -- and would now like to pick up one of the complete sets on harpsichord for contrast.

So -- Scott Ross, Belder on Brilliant, or someone else?  Has anyone heard both of these sets and can compare?