What are your favourite Scarlatti bits? I'm curious to hear which ones you like? This is not a top 10 by any means, I just want to highlight some of my favourite Scarlatti passages for keyboard. Some of them are very inventive, some of them are just achingly beautiful. I encourage everyone to listen to the full versions of these sonatas as well as the honorable mentions. Scarlatti is a curious figure, a baroque outlaw if you ask me. His keyboard sonatas are a whole genre on their own enjoying the likes of figures as Chopin, Bartok, ... I've chosen for recordings on piano & harpsichord. Some people have complained (on other videos and in general) that his music is sometimes overromanticized... It's just a matter of taste. I just cannot but love the tender sound of K466 & K32 on piano or Pogorelich's lovely staccato touch in K450. This doesn't take away the beauty of the excellent performances on harpsichord by any means. All the peformers can be found in the description.
You have to hear how raw and exciting k56 is, it's pure energy I recommend the performance by Alice Ader, she goes for a more fast and romantic performance than the baroque stacco esc approach
Thank you for this reminder of just how mind-blowingly amazing Scarlatti's music is! I don't have any sonata recommendations, since I haven't listened to many of them yet, but I can recommend Horowitz's recording of K 380, which is incredibly lovely. Also, I like that you have a mix of piano and harpsichord recordings in the video. In the recording you chose for K 531, that harpsichord or clavichord has the warmest, richest sound I've ever heard.
Amazing! Scarlatti is one of my top 5 favorite composers, so I'm very glad that you made this video! He is a very original and unique composer. I love his use of simplicity, but also at the same time making his music beautiful and energetic. His unique way of using modulations, hand crossings, cluster-like chords, leaps, and more has amazed me ever since I first discovered him.
I like k120, very interesting melody and very difficult. K119 the cluster in this sonata is amazing! The K 24 i studied and played when i was a student 😊. K 96. These are my favourites, anyway i agree with your choices. Some of the sonatas you chose i didn't know. Thanx for letting me know!
As a kid I used to have this introduction to baroque piano book that I loved and it had the sonatas in C minor K.11 and D minor K.64, both of which I still think are great to this day. And the sonata in E major K.380 that you included is wonderful, the balance of the march-like theme and the melting, lyrical (almost proto-mozart-ian?) theme is sublime.
Really like the Gavota K64. K380 was one of the first Scarlatti sonatas I heard, needless to tell how happy I was with the discovery :). There are a lot of parallels between Mozart's and Scarlatti's music, but that's a whole topic on it own, perhaps for a future video? Anyway, have a look at the honorable mention K513 and the theme and variations from Mozart's 11th piano sonata 😏
K502 has a lot of variety but with localized repetitiveness - 6 straight identical measures (39-44, like those six hand-crossing measures in K27) and a crazy meter shift in the second half. K454 is another one with a lot of inventiveness, fanfare like themes mixed with speedy triplet runs K208, a slow one with one of the most beautiful melodies
We have to be a little bit careful with the clusters, apparently they could be interpretated as acciaccaturas (see comment section). Still, it's quite remarkable indeed
K260 contains probably the most Romantic, even cinematic, Scarlatti passages I’ve ever heard. But it tends to get played way too fast IMO. (It’s marked Allegro, but I don’t think that’s intended to convey a highly upbeat Allegro; it just distinguishes it from an Adagio, and suggests here rather a gracefully flowing minuet-like andantino tempo.) Gustav Leonhardt’s rendition of K239 is also amazing.
K40 is dope - it’s in c minor but is a fast (relatively) minuet. K80 has some a quirky opening rhythmic figure and some sequences that will make you languish K159 has that opening horn call section that gets all broody in the dev when it goes to the parallel minor and has all of the crush chord adjacent appogiaturas/acciacaturas (I don’t remember which and I don’t have the scores on me, this is just being pulled out of my memory on the spot) K185 has the a striking, flirtatious LH melody to open the piece K427 is brazen and bold K83b has some emotionally tumultuous modulation sequences I know there are others that I really like (you listed at least K9 as an honorable mention, I tried to not repeat any of those but no promises). will have to check later
It's not THAT uncommon though, it's a musical depiction of a hunt scene, open fifths are typical of the genre, think about Vivaldi's Autumn 3rd movement
I was puzzled by this when making the video, but some sources point out that these are clusters? Can you point out where you found your sources or elaborate a bit more?
@@TimondeNood They were describbed by Francesco Gasparini in the treatise L'armonico pratico al cimbalo (1708), which is available online in imslp if you are curious (not the first edition though). Also, if I recall correctly, Ralph Kirckpatrick dedicated a chapter to them in his book of Scarlatti in the 50's, where he explained how to play them at the harpsichord.
Most bautiful are too many to write but these I find heartwrenching: 213 247 481 Most unhinged: 461 56 175 24 76 141 (already mentioned) 517 98 Pogorelic, Horowitz, Pletnev, Mazzochin, Micelangeli selections of sonatas are all nice and I find them all good interpretations
What are your favourite Scarlatti bits? I'm curious to hear which ones you like? This is not a top 10 by any means, I just want to highlight some of my favourite Scarlatti passages for keyboard. Some of them are very inventive, some of them are just achingly beautiful. I encourage everyone to listen to the full versions of these sonatas as well as the honorable mentions. Scarlatti is a curious figure, a baroque outlaw if you ask me. His keyboard sonatas are a whole genre on their own enjoying the likes of figures as Chopin, Bartok, ... I've chosen for recordings on piano & harpsichord. Some people have complained (on other videos and in general) that his music is sometimes overromanticized... It's just a matter of taste. I just cannot but love the tender sound of K466 & K32 on piano or Pogorelich's lovely staccato touch in K450. This doesn't take away the beauty of the excellent performances on harpsichord by any means. All the peformers can be found in the description.
k. 143 with its HYSTERICAL oom-pha bits
k. 216 is just ridiculous, k. 248 as well
k. 478, so beautiful and wistful
k. 513
the entirety of k. 466...just sooo good
K. 144
You have to hear how raw and exciting k56 is, it's pure energy
I recommend the performance by Alice Ader, she goes for a more fast and romantic performance than the baroque stacco esc approach
Some sonates work very well on guitar. Check out Rene Izquirdo for instance on solo guitar, or how the Assad brothers worked their magic as a duo.
He's so criminally underrated istg
Piano Genius ! He is no less than other famous composers because he wrote huge amounts of work !
I just discovered a scarlatti goldmine. Thank you for introducing me to these!
My pleasure Jasper. Some of the next videos will feature more baroque gems, some of them pretty underrated.
Thank you for this reminder of just how mind-blowingly amazing Scarlatti's music is! I don't have any sonata recommendations, since I haven't listened to many of them yet, but I can recommend Horowitz's recording of K 380, which is incredibly lovely. Also, I like that you have a mix of piano and harpsichord recordings in the video. In the recording you chose for K 531, that harpsichord or clavichord has the warmest, richest sound I've ever heard.
Amazing! Scarlatti is one of my top 5 favorite composers, so I'm very glad that you made this video! He is a very original and unique composer. I love his use of simplicity, but also at the same time making his music beautiful and energetic. His unique way of using modulations, hand crossings, cluster-like chords, leaps, and more has amazed me ever since I first discovered him.
K87 is another gem...it seems very simple, just 3/4 meter and a stream of quavers, but so much stuff happening inside
1:13 Le même motif est présent dans la fugue en si mineur BWV 869. Intéressant.
Excellent!! Tanks. The K466 & 380 always kill me.
I love your selection of sonatas! My favorite is either k 27 or 175. Scarlatti’s unique style is a joy to study and listen to!🎉
I love Scarlatti!
I like k120, very interesting melody and very difficult. K119 the cluster in this sonata is amazing! The K 24 i studied and played when i was a student 😊. K 96. These are my favourites, anyway i agree with your choices. Some of the sonatas you chose i didn't know. Thanx for letting me know!
Beautiful video! I will check all of the pieces you talked about :)
i love k53 second part. great vídeo!
As a kid I used to have this introduction to baroque piano book that I loved and it had the sonatas in C minor K.11 and D minor K.64, both of which I still think are great to this day. And the sonata in E major K.380 that you included is wonderful, the balance of the march-like theme and the melting, lyrical (almost proto-mozart-ian?) theme is sublime.
Really like the Gavota K64. K380 was one of the first Scarlatti sonatas I heard, needless to tell how happy I was with the discovery :). There are a lot of parallels between Mozart's and Scarlatti's music, but that's a whole topic on it own, perhaps for a future video? Anyway, have a look at the honorable mention K513 and the theme and variations from Mozart's 11th piano sonata 😏
K502 has a lot of variety but with localized repetitiveness - 6 straight identical measures (39-44, like those six hand-crossing measures in K27) and a crazy meter shift in the second half.
K454 is another one with a lot of inventiveness, fanfare like themes mixed with speedy triplet runs
K208, a slow one with one of the most beautiful melodies
Nice one thank you !
Marcelle Meyers version of K. 27, is greatly underappreciated, please give it a listen! The way the melody sings is simply heartbreaking
I've always loved 3:48, almost sounds like Schubert.
2:00 what? Never heard it before, it surprises me that Scarlatti wrote modern cluster chords!
We have to be a little bit careful with the clusters, apparently they could be interpretated as acciaccaturas (see comment section). Still, it's quite remarkable indeed
04:02 Sunny K531= España, Flamenco, Andalucía + Italian Music.
The ending theme of k7 with the triple octave leaps is a banger
Ooof, that one is pretty wild, should've been on the list for sure...
Some of my favourites are k 551 and k161
K260 contains probably the most Romantic, even cinematic, Scarlatti passages I’ve ever heard. But it tends to get played way too fast IMO. (It’s marked Allegro, but I don’t think that’s intended to convey a highly upbeat Allegro; it just distinguishes it from an Adagio, and suggests here rather a gracefully flowing minuet-like andantino tempo.)
Gustav Leonhardt’s rendition of K239 is also amazing.
Arpeggio passages when It comes in g minor
K. 32 is my first Scarlatti piece. Simple but beautiful
I love that piece so much. It's so beautiful, just like K466
Basically everything on Pogo’s album is great stuff
He's back btw 🤗 Didn't listen to his new album yet tho.
@ yeah I attended a concert of him in het Concertgebouw a few month’s ago. Let’s just say he’s not the same pianist anymore😅
2:03 I believe is the Mannheim rocket ? Im not sure but to me it sounds the same like in a famous Mozart's Symphonies
K40 is dope - it’s in c minor but is a fast (relatively) minuet.
K80 has some a quirky opening rhythmic figure and some sequences that will make you languish
K159 has that opening horn call section that gets all broody in the dev when it goes to the parallel minor and has all of the crush chord adjacent appogiaturas/acciacaturas (I don’t remember which and I don’t have the scores on me, this is just being pulled out of my memory on the spot)
K185 has the a striking, flirtatious LH melody to open the piece
K427 is brazen and bold
K83b has some emotionally tumultuous modulation sequences
I know there are others that I really like (you listed at least K9 as an honorable mention, I tried to not repeat any of those but no promises). will have to check later
I really like the K427! K159 was indeed featured on the honorable mentions, a timeless opening theme I agree.
I didn't realize that in K 380 there are some open fifths. Not at the very beginning like in Beethoven's 9th Symphony, but almost at the beginning.
It's not THAT uncommon though, it's a musical depiction of a hunt scene, open fifths are typical of the genre, think about Vivaldi's Autumn 3rd movement
You serially left out the incredible key change in the famous d minor????????!!
Could somebody help me? There's one Scarlatti's sonata that looks like Campanella-Liszt, with very longs sleeps.😢
Amazing compilation! Btw "clusters" on K. 175 are not that modern, they are old school acciaccaturas from the early 18th century italian fashion :P
I was puzzled by this when making the video, but some sources point out that these are clusters? Can you point out where you found your sources or elaborate a bit more?
@@TimondeNood They were describbed by Francesco Gasparini in the treatise L'armonico pratico al cimbalo (1708), which is available online in imslp if you are curious (not the first edition though). Also, if I recall correctly, Ralph Kirckpatrick dedicated a chapter to them in his book of Scarlatti in the 50's, where he explained how to play them at the harpsichord.
@@Zarty-Music interesting! I'll have a look & thank you!
You miss K120 😱😱😱
Most bautiful are too many to write but these I find heartwrenching:
213
247
481
Most unhinged:
461
56
175
24
76
141 (already mentioned)
517
98
Pogorelic, Horowitz, Pletnev, Mazzochin, Micelangeli selections of sonatas are all nice and I find them all good interpretations