Domenico Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonatas

I am not absolutely mad about the idea of Scarlatti on the piano, and I regard it as fatuous when I read, ‘If only Bach and Scarlatti had been able to hear our marvellous Steinway grands, they would have...?’ Well, they didn’t have our marvellous Steinway grands, they had their marvellous harpsichords and less than marvellous fortepianos at their disposal. Having said this, one would be churlish not to admire the fine playing and subtle comprehension of Anne Queffélec’s recording, made a quarter of a century ago.

Our rating

3

Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:16 pm

COMPOSERS: Domenico Scarlatti
LABELS: Erato
WORKS: Keyboard Sonatas
PERFORMER: Anne Queffélec (piano)
CATALOGUE NO: 4509-96960-2 ADD (1970)

I am not absolutely mad about the idea of Scarlatti on the piano, and I regard it as fatuous when I read, ‘If only Bach and Scarlatti had been able to hear our marvellous Steinway grands, they would have...?’ Well, they didn’t have our marvellous Steinway grands, they had their marvellous harpsichords and less than marvellous fortepianos at their disposal. Having said this, one would be churlish not to admire the fine playing and subtle comprehension of Anne Queffélec’s recording, made a quarter of a century ago. If you want Scarlatti on the piano, you could do worse, but also better (Horowitz). HC Robbins Landon

This website is owned and published by Our Media Ltd. www.ourmedia.co.uk
© Our Media 2024