# Where to start with Domenico Scarlatti sonatas?



## Aramis

I just looked up for some recordings of his keyboard sonatas but most of them are complete box sets and I would prefer one-two CDs with few highlight sonatas that are considered his best. 

I prefer piano performances and ones that will be not too difficult to find. 

Suggestions!


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## jhar26

Try this two cd set. I love it so much that I'd give it a five star rating.


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## Ukko

*Difficulty is relative*



Aramis said:


> I just looked up for some recordings of his keyboard sonatas but most of them are complete box sets and I would prefer one-two CDs with few highlight sonatas that are considered his best.
> 
> I prefer piano performances and ones that will be not too difficult to find.
> 
> Suggestions!


Piano - one or two CDs. OK.  The problem with recommendations is that I don't know how, ah, 'creative' you are willing to accept in interpretation. Pletnev takes quite a few liberties. Horowitz takes some too, and they caused a stir at the time, but they are pretty conservative compared to Pletnev's. Tipo's interpretations are pretty straight, and well done. My personal preference is the Horowitz, by a large margin. All of those recordings are findable, and are worth the effort.


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## StlukesguildOhio

I'll second jhar26's recommendation... and add the following recordings:


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## Air

On the piano?

_Hands down_, Michelangeli in Helsinki (1969). These can be found in the Aura/Documents boxes.

I wish he recorded more, but as usual, ABM isn't very generous in giving us a wide range of repertoire.

And then there are these:



















Gilels also recorded some very good Scarlatti if I recall.

But, may I ask, why not Scarlatti on the harpsichord? I would take that over piano recordings any day.


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## mamascarlatti

I would second the Pletnev, Tipo and Schiff recommendations. Schiff has the programme that I enjoy the most, including the divine K402, which set me on the road to learning to play piano.

Personally I find too much harpsichord sets my teeth on edge...


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## nefigah

mamascarlatti said:


> Personally I find too much harpsichord sets my teeth on edge...


That's cuz you've never heard one played standing up 

(But for piano, I also second the Michelangeli recommendation)


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## mamascarlatti

nefigah said:


> That's cuz you've never heard one played standing up


That is a beautiful sounding instrument. I might just convert. And she gives a great talk here too, including why she plays it standing up.


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## jhar26

Air said:


> But, may I ask, why not Scarlatti on the harpsichord? I would take that over piano recordings any day.


Which Scarlatti/harpsichord recordings would you recommend?


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## nefigah

mamascarlatti said:


> That is a beautiful sounding instrument. I might just convert. And she gives a great talk here too, including why she plays it standing up.


Yeah, that was interesting! And I liked when she turned on the lute stop for one of the keyboards, for this piece (not Scarlatti, sorry for the OT!)


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## Air

jhar26 said:


> Which Scarlatti/harpsichord recordings would you recommend?


Honestly, I'm not an expert on these things. I adore the Leonhardt I own just as I adore Michelangeli's Scarlatti from Helsinki, but the truth is one could probably do better. From friends on other forums, Scott Ross and Pierre Hantaï seem to be top harpsichord recommendations. I have to check these out in the near-future.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

Mr first Domenico Scarlatti CD, as follows. Harpsichord version - Trevor Pinnock (1 CD). Sorry, Aramis, but a good recording and intro.

(Two weeks ago, I bought the complete Scarlatti sonatas on the Brilliant Classics label).


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## Vaneyes

I prefer piano for *D. Scarlatti* Sonatas for Keyboard, and as of this date, have CDs of Sudbin, Tharaud, Zacharias, Pletnev, Queffelec, Tipo, Pogorelich, Gould, Scherbakov, Schiff, Horowitz, Ts'ong, Weissenberg, Tomsic, MacGregor, Babayan, Michelangeli, Argerich.


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## Bas

I recently bought a cd by Pletnev and I loved it so much that I invested in the full box with all of them by Scott Ross (harpsichord, probably not your thing...)

I own:














And ordered - with a lot of gift cards I received for helping out some people and my birthday - this one:














The first cd is really good if you don't like the harpsichord, but I suggest give it a chance too!


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