Scarlatti for recital starters

[kghayesh]

Hi,
I am planning a 1 hour programme to be performed in Dec./Jan. I have some problems in selecting the start piece.
I have the Bach Prelude and Fugue in C (Book 1) under hand and i think it is a good starter but i have started my last recital with it so, i don't think it is a good idea to do the same thing in the next one.
I am thinking of playing 2 scarlatti sonatas coz most of them are beautiful melodies that capture the listening of most audience. I don't know whether i should choose them in similar keys ( K.XXX in G, K.XXX in G) or in contrasting keys (K.XXX in G minor, K.XXX in Bb major) or it doesn't matter...

Also, advice in choosing which sonatas is recommended
ciao.

[rafant]

Great idea. Scarlatti's Sonatas are a nice starting and they're also fine for an encore. Even I'd be glad to attend a full Scarlatti recital!
I'd choose a contrasting pair: the touching polyphonic K87 with the sparking and still melodious K491. Or the lyric K478 with the hand-crossing one and lively K27; or something lyric and nevertheless rhythmic as K466 and the spanish mood of K99.
Good luck!

[bernhard]

There is a general consensus that Scarlatti intended most of his sonatas to be played in pairs (and sometimes in threes). Of course, you don’t need to do that, and you could do what Rafant has suggested above – you could also open with a Scarlatti sonata (say a fast one), and close the recital with a gentle lyrical one (or vice –versa).

In any case, if you decide to pair them up as he intended, then have a look here for the pairing:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,2339.msg135996.html#msg135996
(reply #50)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[hodi]

i think k27 is a great choice
i think it's best scarlatti sonata!
i recommend also k435,k455

[kghayesh]

In any case, if you decide to pair them up as he intended, then have a look here for the pairing:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,2339.msg135996.html#msg135996
(reply #50)

I know that most of them can be paired. I needed to know which ones are preferable to play. Which ones can be good mood setters.

I don't think listening to all the 550 sonatas to choose from them is a good idea 

[bernhard]

I know that most of them can be paired. I needed to know which ones are preferable to play. Which ones can be good mood setters.

I don't think listening to all the 550 sonatas to choose from them is a good idea 

I think listening to them is a very good idea.

Why should anyone's taste surpass your own? I know the ones I like best (and I have described their moods and difficuties):

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2339.msg20064.html#msg20064
(Scarlatti favourite sonatas).

This does not mean that everyone will like them.

Besides, if you give this thread enough time all 555 sonatas may turn up.

And only 388 of them are actually paired up (and 12 are in threes), the rest are isolated.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[BoliverAllmon]

I agree. listen to them all and make a choice.

[stevie]

might be handier if soem of them had names

like the 'michelangeli' sonata

i like that one!

its hard to remember numbers when they go up to 555!

[BoliverAllmon]

I think even names would be difficult to remember them all.

[stevie]

I think even names would be difficult to remember them all.

true, but there are certain ones that sound distinct and use more unique textures and techniques

i heart a rpt note one, and one that sounded a bit like strumming a guitar...

[arensky]

I know that most of them can be paired. I needed to know which ones are preferable to play. Which ones can be good mood setters.

I don't think listening to all the 550 sonatas to choose from them is a good idea 

Depends on the ones you prefer and the mood you want to set! I have experimented in the past with the mellow lyrical opener for a recital, and Scarlatti has lots of those, but I think it's best (for me anyway) to grab the people and wake them up with some energy and technical display, I feel it establishes me more solidly in their eyes, rather than "coming in on little cat feet" (C. Sandburg.) I like to pounce like a cougar. But this time, a friendly one! I am opening my next recital with a group of 4 Scarlatti Sonatas, they are...

K. 127 in Ab major
K. 87 in b minor
K. 380 in E major
K. 25 in f# minor

I heard Horowitz open his 1981-82 recital program with K.127, and I learned it that year and used it to open my own recital. He was right, in many ways it is the perfect opener, it's fun, not too hard, warms up scales and chords and thirds and other passagework (of course you have to warm up before you go on stage!) and puts the audience in a good mood. In the same recitals I heard he played K.87, the famous lyrical one in b minor. His recordings of these are (were?) available on an RCA disc called "Horowitz at the Met"( I was there  and at two other concerts he gave that fall, heard the same program 3 times! ). There are many recordings of K. 380, this is one of the most played of Scarlatti's Sonatas, it's the little 3/4 time march; Schumann was not the first! I played this for a class of young pianists once, and asked them what it reminded them of, and one young man spoke up and said " A Fortress, of course!" 
Well not quite, but....found K.25 browsing through the complete Sonatas on the CD Sheet Music CD rom. It looked cool, so I printed it out, and am now learning it for real. A student loaned me the Pletnev Scarlatti CD's and it was on there; I wasn't going to listen to it, I did not want to be influenced or intimidated, but finally I couldn't resist. I was surprised, he played it with a lot of pedal and very lyrically; I like it fast, almost Presto and very dry; I have an entirely different conception, and while I enjoyed his very much (he is an extraordinary pianist  ) it didn't change my own conception of the piece. I think it can work either way, although too fast at the begining and you'll be in trouble on the last page! It's quite a stunner, and hopefully it will be when I do it... yeah, it will ! 

Comments on my group 'o Scarlatti Sonatas? Mah inquiring mind would like to know... btw they will be followed by the "Tempest" Sonata in d minor op.31 #2 of Beethoven, that's the first half.... do y'all think it's a good progression of pieces?   

[rafant]

am opening my next recital with a group of 4 Scarlatti Sonatas, they are...

K. 127 in Ab major
K. 87 in b minor
K. 380 in E major
K. 25 in f# minor

What do you think, guys, about to omit the repetition of the second part of the sonatas? Horowitz did that in his Moscow recital for the 3 sonatas he played. Will you do that in your recital, Arensky? What are the rules? I guess in some cases it could be reasonable to cut a long piece, as K296 or K478, but not the shorter ones. I like very much this stuff and prefer to listen and to play both repetitions, always.

[hodi]

oh i forgot about k67 in f# minor ! highly recommended too


also k141

[kghayesh]

So, does anybody know where i can find a good site to downolad the 550 sonatas from 

[arensky]

What do you think, guys, about to omit the repetition of the second part of the sonatas? Horowitz did that in his Moscow recital for the 3 sonatas he played. Will you do that in your recital, Arensky? What are the rules? I guess in some cases it could be reasonable to cut a long piece, as K296 or K478, but not the shorter ones. I like very much this stuff and prefer to listen and to play both repetitions, always.

I'm not quite sure yet; they run about 5 minutes apiece with all the repeats, except for K.87 wich is about 8 to 9 minutes with all repeats. I think I will play that one without repeats. As for the others, on K.25 I will play all the repeats, otherwise it's too short imo. With K.127 I might repeat the first part but not the second, not sure yet; ditto for K.380, except in that one I might repeat the second part but not the first. Evantually I will do what feels comfortable...

[gouldfischer]

So, does anybody know where i can find a good site to downolad the 550 sonatas from 

I'd love to know, too...

[rafant]

So, does anybody know where i can find a good site to downolad the 550 sonatas from  

Here is a link to download the Midi version:

https://www.kunstderfuge.com/scarlatti.htm

You could also listen a piano version of most of the sonatas here:

https://www.claudiocolombo.net/scarlatti.htm

[rafant]

And again to download the Midi version by John Sankey, there is a better link here:

https://www.midiworld.com/scarlatti.htm

[lani]

The Scarlatti k. 201 was chosen to start a recital at the local music conservatory-it was quite a hit.  (I think it's G major). My daughter is now working on k. 491-really lovely for a Christmas/January program.  She likes Bernhard's recommendation of bookending the pieces-we love Scarlatti!