Four Sonatas
Domenico Scarlatti
1685-1757
Annotations for Eliot Fisk Concert, January 15, 1989, prepared by Ron Purcell, Sherman Oaks, California:
The rediscovery of Scarlatti and his music by the reknown harpsichordist, Ralph Kirkpatrick, has brought to the publics attention one of the most original composers of all time. The son of one of Italy's major church composers, Allesandro Scarlatti, he left more than 500 works the majority of which are keyboard sonatas. The center of his activities was mainly focused in Italy, Spain and Portugal. The "Young Eagle" as his father referred to him in a letter to Ferninando de' Medici was patronized by a circle of aristocracy and noted figures of the Vatican. Scarlatti enjoyed his last ten years in the company of the Melomanes , Fernando VI and Queen Maria Barbara, whom ruled Spain from 1746 to 1760. His last five years in this enviroment saw him produce a vast amount of new works.
Curt Sachs says that the majority of musical instruments are derived from the human voice. Yet there are some instruments which owe their existence to other musical instruments. In the case of the harpsichord, Kirkpatrick, in his biography on Domenico Scarlatti, says this instrument has drawn on the resources of "the guitar or lute, the organ, and the orchestra." The relationship between the guitar or lute and the harpsichord are obvious - both are pluck-stringed instruments, the former with the finger tips the latter with the quill. However, in the case of Scarlatti's music, Kirkpatrick is also referring to the Spanish connection: "As far as we know, Scarlatti never played the guitar, but surely no composer ever fell more deeply under its spell. In the Spanish dance pieces its strumming open strings form many an internal peddle point, and its arpeggiated figurations evoke a kind of intoxicating monotony." Further, he states: "the habit of immitating the Spanish guitar seems to have had a profound influence on Scarlatti's part writing and disposition of chords." The selection of pieces performed in this program reveal this relationship between the harpsichord and the guitar.
Sonata in b, K.377 [L.263] Allegrissimo, meter 2/4
Sonata in b, K. 27 [L.449] Allegro, meter 3/4
Sonata in e, K. 87 [L. 33] Andante Moderato, meter 3/4, orig. in bmin.
Sonata in A, K.209 [L.428] Allegro, meter 3/8
Ron Purcell
- International Guitar Research Archives
- California State University, Northridge
-
-
-
-
|
