Domenico Scarlatti
wrote 555 keyboard sonatas, a stupendous
achievement even allowing for the fact
that they are all single-movement works.
The key to this burst of creativity
seems to lie in Scarlatti’s move to
Portugal where, at the age of 35, he
became chapel master to King João
of Portugal and harpsichord teacher
to the Infanta Maria Barbara. After
nine years, Maria Barbara married the
heir the Spanish Throne, Scarlatti followed
her to Madrid and he remained there
until his death. The sonatas combine
brilliant, virtuoso techniques with
a remarkable feel for the sounds and
sights of the Iberian Peninsula.
This set (consisting
of 3 CDs) is volume 6 of Brilliant Classics’
projected complete edition of the Scarlatti
sonatas. Whereas Naxos are producing
a Scarlatti edition using different
players all playing on the piano, Brilliant
use the same player, Pieter-Jan Belder,
for all the sonatas, recording each
disc on a different harpsichord. Belder
plays the sonatas in the Kirkpatrick
ordering which makes for interesting
listening as Kirkpatrick attempted to
link them in pairs.
The issue of what instrument
the sonatas are played on is a very
important, but very personal one. Personally,
I have a leaning towards hearing these
works on the piano even though that
is seen as not authentic. But what is
authentic? Belder plays three different
harpsichords all made by Cornelis Bom;
I don’t think that any of them are particularly
Spanish-influenced. Was there a distinctive
Spanish harpsichord sound and how did
it affect Scarlatti’s technique? These
are questions that intrigue me and if
we start to worry too much about authenticity,
then we should take them into account.
Then, of course, there is the tantalising,
circumstantial evidence which might
link Domenico Scarlatti with a form
of early piano; now that would make
an interesting record.
The harpsichords which
Belder plays are all rather closely
miked; too closely for my taste. He
is an efficient player and listening
to any one of these sonatas you cannot
help but be impressed by his technique.
He never sounds rushed or flustered
and renders everything with wonderful
clarity. He rather favours steadyish
speeds; not too slow but not too fast
either. The result is efficient and
admirable.
But I’m afraid that
I want a little more. Compared to Scott
Ross on Erato, Belder lacks the variety
of touch necessary. Scott uses this
tactile variety to bring out the sense
of fantasy implicit in the pieces. Belder
seems to lack a sense of the sonatas’
fantasy and renders them in a slightly
uniform manner which tends to reduce
them.
The booklet contains
an interesting article on the Spanish
influences in Scarlatti’s sonatas, but
nothing about the specific sonatas on
this disc.
No-one should be without
some recordings of Scarlatti sonatas
in their library, though I don’t know
how many of us want to have the complete
set. At super-budget price, this ongoing
Brilliant series is a way of acquiring
the complete sonatas in quietly efficient
performances. But if I bought it, I’d
want to supplement it with some other
performers who bring out the fantasy
and the Spanishness of these works.
Robert Hugill
Pieter-Jan Belder (harpsichord) 
