Scarlatti: Sonatas; Soler: Variaciones del fandango espanol; Boccherini – Andreas Staier (2 CDs) WARNER CLASSICS

Scarlatti published just 30 of his 550 or so keyboard sonatas. They appeared in London in 1738/9 under the title Essercizi per gravicembalo (‘Keyboard exercises’). In the preface he warned players: “Do not expect, whether you be amateur or professional, to find any profound intention in these compositions, but rather an ingenious jesting with art.” Scarlatti’s sonatas are perhaps most famous for their flamboyant Hispanic touches, with hints of the rhythms and melodies of Spanish folk music. (The composer, born in Naples, spent 25 years in Madrid.) During his lifetime his music was not widely circulated and it’s impact and influence was largely restricted to composers like Sebastián de Albero and Antonio Soler who, like Scarlatti himself, had connections with the royal household of Spain. That being said, the works by Scarlatti’s younger contemporaries that are included on this album demonstrate the imaginative independence of Spanish/Spanish-based composers. One of the world’s most prominent harpsichord and fortepiano performers, Andreas Staier embarked on a solo career in 1986, making his mark on the Baroque, Classical and Romantic repertoire. Born in Göttingen in 1955, he studied modern piano and harpsichord in Hannover and Amsterdam. He spent three years as harpsichordist of the ensemble Musica Antiqua Köln, and as a soloist he appears regularly with such orchestras as Concerto Köln, Freiburger Barockorchester, the Akademie für alte Musik Berlin and the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées.


1 CD1- Keyboard Sonata in E minor KK394
2 Keyboard Sonata in E Major KK395
3 Keyboard Sonata in C minor KK115
4 Keyboard Sonata in C minor KK116
5 Keyboard Sonata in F minor KK69
6 Keyboard Sonata in a Major KK113
7 Keyboard Sonata in a Major KK114
8 Keyboard Sonata in E Major KK215
9 Keyboard Sonata in E Major KK216
10 Keyboard Sonata in C Major KK513
11 Keyboard Sonata in C minor KK246
12 Keyboard Sonata in C Sharp minor KK247
13 Keyboard Sonata in a Major KK208
14 Keyboard Sonata in a Major KK209
15 Keyboard Sonata in D Major KK414
16 Keyboard Sonata in D Major KK415
17 Keyboard Sonata in G minor KK426
18 Keyboard Sonata in G Major KK427
19 CD2- Fandango in D minor, R. 146
20 Recercata, Fuga and Sonata in G Major : I Recercata
21 Recercata, Fuga and Sonata in G Major : II Fuga
22 Recercata, Fuga and Sonata in G Major : III Sonata
23 Keyboard Sonata No.9 in C minor
24 Sonata No.17 in C minor
25 Keyboard Sonata No.16 in F minor
26 Variaciones Del Fandango Español
27 Recercata, Fuga and Sonata in D Major : I Recercata
28 Recercata, Fuga and Sonata in D Major : II Fuga
29 Recercata, Fuga and Sonata in D Major : III Sonata
30 Adagio in G minor
31 Keyboard Sonata in G minor
32 Fandango