DOMENICO SCARLATTI

Highlights From The ‘Complete Sonatas’

48 Favourite Sonatas

CD 1

1 K24 A major 4.59

2 K141 D minor 4.15

3 K124 G major 4.36

4 K27 B minor 2.19

5 K511 D major 1.29

6 K513 D minor 3.49

7 K515 C major 3.31

8 K516 D minor 3.18

9 K517 D minor 3.17

10 K523 G major 2.31

11 K380 E major 3.20

12 K87 B minor 3.23

13 K125 G major 2.35

14 K432 G major 2.38

15 K429 A major * 3.32

16 K430 D major * 2.57

17 K441 B-flat major 1.59

18 K447 F-sharp minor 1.30

19 K314 G major 3.27

20 K370 E-flat major 2.16

21 K122 D major 2.51

22 K123 G major 3.25

23 K126 C minor 3.43

24 K134 E major 2.54

25 K251 C major 1.54

26 K137 D major 3.25

Total playing time 79.49

CD 2

1 K455 G major 1.56

2 K460 C major 3.16

3 K461 C major 4.12

4 K145 D major 4.35

5 K146 G major 2.40

6 K147 D major 3.56

7 K56 C minor 2.08

8 K9 D minor 1.56

9 K33 D major 1.59

10 K202 B-flat major 6.03

11 K434 D minor * 3.21

12 K260 G major 7.37

13 K206 E major 5.31

14 K415 D major * 3.18

15 K205 F major 4.31

16 K333 D major 2.43

17 K239 F minor 3.54

18 K520 G major 4.30

19 K490 D major 2.43

20 K491 D major 2.46

21 K492 D major 2.20

22 K57 B-flat major 3.20

Total playing time 79.15

* played on the fortepiano

Richard Lester - Harpsichord & Fortepiano

“Until now the reference recording for this repertoire has been that of Scott Ross. But it's more than 20 years since that recording appeared. Lester's Nimbus series contains more material and makes an exceptionally good alternative which cannot be recommended too highly.” Mark Sealey musicwebinternational.com

Domenico Scarlatti was born in Naples on October 26th 1685, the same year as Bach and Handel. It was not until around 1720 however, that his compositional skills developed fully following an appointment in Portugal as chapel music master to King João V, and his nine-year-old daughter, Princess Maria Barbara. Domenico was to remain as her music master for the rest of his life.

Between 1752 and 1757, thirteen volumes containing thirty sonatas in each were copied out for the Queen. To this series of volumes, two others were added and dated 1742 and 1749. By 1782 these fifteen volumes were housed in the Biblioteca Marciana, in Venice. They are now referred to as the ‘Venice’ manuscripts and constitute the principal source for these recordings.

The complete Keyboard sonatas with appendices and recent discoveries, plus six Continuo sonatas and are issued on 38 CDs in 7 volumes.

Nimbus 2cds NI5822-3