Scarlatti: Sonatas

Baroque powerhouse Domenico Scarlatti -- son of the great Alessandro Scarlatti and born in 1600, the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach and George Friderich Handel -- wrote an enormous 555 keyboard sonatas. These were mostly to be performed on the harpsichord, although several sources suggest that he may have also written some for the fortepiano at the Spanish court, where he was employed from 1733. The universal appeal of these sonatas -- containing Scarlatti's trademark influence of Iberian folk music and dances -- is such that they have been pushed beyond the boundaries of the intended instrument, and thus the recording also boasts performances of selected sonatas on the harp and accordion, bringing these wonderful sonatas into the 21st century.

Each of the performers on the recording are leading interpreters on their instrument. The awards that the performers have won include prizes at the Schubert International Piano Competition (Michelangelo Carbonara), Leipzig Bach Harpsichord Competition (Pieter-Jan Belder), the Concours International d'Exécution Musicale (Luigi Attademo), as well as the RecordAcademy Award (Mie Miki) and the Dutch Music Prize (Godelieve Schrama) This collection boasts a handpicked selection of these for harpsichord, piano, guitar, harp and accordion.

Other information:
- An original and appealing concept: Scarlatti sonatas played on 5 different instruments: harpsichord, piano, guitar, harp, and accordion.
- Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas have gained such iconic status that each performance on a different instrument reveals new secrets, beauties, witticisms and a visceral feeling of virtuosity and brilliance.