Product Description
The over 550 harpsichord sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti constitute one of the highest peaks of 18th century instrumental music. Despite being structured in a single movement, based on a theme and divided into two parts with a refrain, his sonatas have been shown to be pieces of remarkable originality. Their style is authentic and very bright, revealing a truly innovative and creative spirit with extremely daring and unconventional dissonances and modulations. The manifold contaminations come from the musical universe of that time: from the concert to the cantata, from the popular elements to the Spanish dance rhythms. Various sounds are recalled through the spontaneous, evocative and natural timbre of the harpsichord: from the orchestral ones to those of two other famous pinch instruments, such as the guitar and the harp.
The greatest researcher on Domenico Scarlatti, Ralph Kirkpatrick, claimed: «Despite being a composer for harpsichord, and although almost all his compositions are conceived for the harpsichord language, his musical skills, more important than the sound effect, can be enhanced on any instrument».
This aspect is aptly reflected in the harp versions of Scarlattis sonatas, which are primarily a way to show how the harp can represent the spirit and the playfulness of these compositions. Apparently, this instrument is one of the most suitable to capture the purity of the musical textures of these sonatas and their perfect balance between musical mathematics and feelings. Moreover, the didactic purposes of these adaptations are notable, since the player is faced with fast scales, double stops, repeated notes, broken octaves, complex arpeggios, embellishments and other unusual passages pervaded by a virtuoso language.
By carefully selecting every single sonata and choosing the most suitable fingerings to highlight key phrases, Fabrizio Aiello has carried out a praiseworthy work which plays a crucial role in enriching the harp repertoire.
Susanna Bertuccioli
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.