Domenico Scarlatti: 14 Sonatas

Domenico, son of Alessandro Scarlatti, one of the great Italian composers, was born in Naples in 1685. In a letter addressed to Ferdinand de' Medici, Alessandro says, 'This son of mine is an eagle whose wings are grown; he ought not to stay idle in the nest, and I ought not to hinder his flight.' Curiosity about distant places and love of the unexpected made him leave Italy in 1719 for London, where his opera Narciso was performed the following year. From London he went to the Iberian Peninsula. In Lisbon he was appointed Maestro of the Royal Chapel, and he guided the musical education of Princess Maria Barbara. A desire to see his father again took Scarlatti to Naples in 1724. While there, he played the harpsichord for the great composer Hasse, who was delighted and amazed. Domenico left Italy and went back to Portugal, where he resumed his position and his harpsichord lessons with the Princess Maria Barbara. It was for her that he composed harpsichord pieces which he called Esercizi. Maria Barbara worshiped her Maestro and invited him to join the royal suite when she went to Madrid in 1729. From this time on Scarlatti did not leave Spain. Scarlatti wrote 555 Sonatas for the keyboard. Composed primarily for the harpsichord, these short, single-movement pieces explore bold harmonies, rapid hand crossings, and rhythmic vitality influenced by Spanish music. Each sonata feels like a miniature experiment, full of surprising contrasts and inventive ideas. Despite their brevity, they demand great skill and sensitivity from performers. Scarlatti's music stands apart from his Baroque contemporaries, anticipating Classical clarity while retaining a distinct personality. Played by Finnish keyboard player and conductor Aapo Hakkinen. A personal note from him: 'Scarlatti is the only composer who reminds me of the playfulness of a cat, and he does not suffer from this comparison. We all have seen a kitten play with a twig. It is impossible to describe it's grace, charm, vivacity, and inventiveness. For a very serious man, these puerile marvels are, of course, useless, to say the least. After all what is the cat's aim in playing with a twig? If only it were on the lookout for a mouse, it would be useful to the household and therefore acceptable. Among all the Scarlatti sonatas which appeared the most beautiful to me, I chose to play those which according to their affinities and to my fancy form a chain and pursue a single tale of love and wild adventure.' Hakkinen plays on a famous historical instrument, the Joao Baptista Antunes 1789, located and recorded in the Museu Nacional da Musica, Lisbon, Portugal.