(Born October 26, 1685, in Naples; died July 23, 1757, in Madrid)
Domenico Scarlatti, the founder of modern keyboard technique and a great keyboard virtuoso, wrote around 555 harpsichord sonatas, forerunners of the Classical sonata. He found his own voice through the miniature art of the Baroque sonata, but only about thirty of his sonatas were published during his lifetime. For him “sonata” meant music “sounded” on an instrument.
Scarlatti received his first appointment in 1701 as organist and composer at the royal chapel in Naples, where his father was the maestro di cappella. Domenico's first musical compositions were operas that he composed during his years there. On his father's insistence, he left Naples in 1705 to go to Venice, an important operatic center. After four years there, Scarlatti moved to Rome, where, between 1709 and 1719, he held several positions.
In 1719, he left his native Italy to work at the patriarchal chapel in Lisbon, Portugal.
In Lisbon, he also was responsible for the musical training of King John V's children. There, Scarlatti wrote many sonatas for the Infanta Maria Barbara, a particularly gifted keyboard player. After Maria Barbara's marriage to the Spanish Crown Prince Fernando in 1729, Scarlatti moved to the Spanish court in Madrid, where he remained for the rest of his life as a member of the Spanish royal household.
His sonatas typically are in binary form, with a first half that ends in the dominant and a second half that works its way back to the home key. Scarlatti's sonatas are perhaps the most successful works to migrate from the harpsichord to the modern grand piano. Their transparent texture of simple two- and three-part keyboard writing has one foot in the imitative counterpoint of the Baroque, and yet it foreshadows the Classical era's clarity, balance, and harmonic simplicity.
Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas also represent a unique fusion of Baroque elements with the folk traditions of Spain. While rooted in the technical and structural conventions of his time, his works break new ground through the innovative use of rhythm, dissonance, and keyboard virtuosity. Today, they are celebrated for their originality, technical brilliance, and emotional depth, offering a rich insight into the cultural influences of his time. Though often overshadowed, Scarlatti's music continues to resonate, appreciated for its blend of technical mastery and Spanish folk elements.
Especially appealing to modern performers has been their evocation of popular folk music of Spain and the repetitions, octaves, and arpeggios that make them effective for pianistic display. Most are rich in diverse and colorful echoes of Spanish songs and dances; they feature brilliant coloration, utilizing extremes from high to low registers. In the early 20th century, the poet Gabriele d'Annunzio compared them to “a necklace which breaks, producing a resounding hail of glistening pearls rolling around and bouncing about like precious bubbles of watery beauty.”
Sonata K. 427 in G Major, Presto quanto sia possibile, is very brief, effervescent, and festive- sounding with fanfare-like bold, repeated chords. This energetic sonata, with its intricate ornamentation, is often used for an encore because it affords a dazzling display of virtuosity. The effect is sparkling. The outer framing sections feature rapid passage work, including rapid 16th notes in crisp echoed phrases; the passage work seems extremely virtuosic because of its lightning-fast articulation and the necessity of precise finger control. The display features cascading arpeggios and daring leaps across the keyboard.
The sonata eschews mere superficial virtuosity in favor of profound lyricism. The piece brilliantly merges an Italian opera composer's sense of melodic flow with the vivid sonic landscapes of Scarlatti's adopted home. Listeners can clearly discern the cross-pollination of various Spanish folk influences, particularly flamenco gestures and guitar-like registrations. These textures are highlighted by striking parallel fifths, bold harmonic shifts, and sudden syncopations that give the music a restless, dramatic edge.
Sonata K. 247 in C-sharp minor is a single-movement work, which combines melodic flow with contrapuntal clarity. It is one of Scarlatti's most emotionally intense and structurally innovative creations, written in an unusual and highly expressive key for the period.
Sonata K. 438, Allegro, is also a single movement sonata with binary form; a bit longer than the other sonatas on this program, it extends approximately 3–4 minutes. It delivers a brilliant display of wit, lightness, and rhythmic vitality beginning with a joyful, cascading drive; the scalar runs and the brief, elegant ornamentations highlight the pianist's finger independence. The sonata relies on pure Italianate lyricism. The first section sweeps upward before modulating to the dominant key, while the second half playfully explores temporary harmonic shifts before resolving triumphantly back into the home key.