Scarlatti K1 edition

[bartgovaert]

Hello folks,

Can anybody help me? I have been practising Scarlatti K1 for a bit, but I am noticing that what "famous" performers play way more notes than I can see on the scores that I have been looking at.

I know this is baroque and you can add a few bits and pieces but what I am hearing and seeing is much more than that.

Eg the Pogorelich performance.

Anyway, here is the question: would there be an edition that is more or less complete or should I just assume that I should add some notes myself?

(I also noticed this on the K380 where I used the Henle edition, but the difference wasn't that big).

Thanks!

Bart

[outin]

The Gilbert edition found at this link is true on what on what Scarlatti actually wrote:
https://imslp.org/wiki/Keyboard_Sonata_in_D_minor,_K.1_(Scarlatti,_Domenico)

Everything else you hear is added either by the performer or the editor. Many pianists have used the Longo editions which were heavily edited. Ornamentation is supposed to be added by the performer especially on repeats.

[mrnhrtkmp210999]

Everything else you hear is added either by the performer or the editor. Many pianists have used the Longo editions which were heavily edited. Ornamentation is supposed to be added by the performer especially on repeats.

outin is right.

Back in Scarlatti's day (Baroque period) it was common for performers to improvise ornaments on a melodic line, usually slightly ornamented in the first half and sometimes also notated by the composer, and extensively ornamented in the first repeat.

However, this does not mean you can just throw in any kind of ornaments you want. In order to ornament properly, one would have to look back at the ornaments which where used in the period in which the composer lived. So let us take a look: 

- In baroque music, unlike the romantic period, ornaments mostly occured on a strong beat and   were not as freely executed as in the romantic period.

- One very useful table which was put together by Johann Ambrosius Bach is this one:


It represents exactly the ornamentation which was frequently used in the baroque period.

However, one should not only take into consideration the facts of ornamention in the history of music but if he/she likes, should also indulge him/herself into some personal ornamentation. When you're in the process of deciding which ornamentation to use, take these things into consideration:

- An ornament should always reinforce the style and mood of the piece. This is of course, to some extent a personal aspect.

- Trills should be added at pretty much every long note ending with a cadence. In the case of the Scarlatti K. 1 Sonata this doesn't really appear.

- In a faster two-part invention-like piece like this particular sonata you could consider adding mostly mordents instead of very extensive or awkward trills.

Last note, be sure that the ornamentation you choose always represents the mood the piece is in and the time period in which the piece is written.

BW,
Marijn

[outin]

^ I might add that according to most manuscript research, not only are Scarlatti's ornamentation markings inconsistent, they don't follow the convention of some other composers of that time who used and made distinct instruction of different ornamentation markings. As ornament marking Scarlatti used mainly the trill (in different ways) and instead notated into the score mordents and other embellishments.

[bartgovaert]

That helps thanks!

But if you look at the Gilbert score (which is very similar to the other ones I saw) and compare it to what this guy is playing, the left hand is totally different, it is not just changing a mordent here and there.

So what is the story there? Is this to be considered a bit too free or is this actually fine.

[outin]

So what is the story there?

I have no idea...He thinks he knows better than the composer?

Besides the playing kind of sucks...

This is probably my all time favorite recording of this sonata:

[bartgovaert]

OK I will stick with the notes. Thanks everybody, very helpful!

[mrnhrtkmp210999]

You could stick with the notes. But you should only do that if you have an edition that is a 100 percent sure 'Urtext' one. In case you didn't know already: Urtext editions follow completely the manuscript of the composer and go look for earlier editions of certain pieces to be able to give the performer some choice about how to play it. My favorite Urtext edition is G. Henle Verlag. The advantage with this edition is that it is written out very wide, so to speak, so you have plenty of room for notations, etc.

To get back to your sonata. In the case of Scarlatti, I wouldn't recommend to completely stick with the notes since his music simply comes from a time in which you were expected not to stick with the notes, or at least give your own touch on the piece. If you would like to, I could give you a much more detailed description about the history of ornamentation and how to apply this knowledge to Scarlatti's music. However, that's your choice. Let me know.

BW,
Marijn