Classical Music | Music for Fortepiano

Recorded on 12/01/1997, uploaded on 02/12/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Scarlatti on Fortepiano sheds new light on Domenico Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas and the early piano, or "fortepiano," of the composer's own time. The fortepiano, available to Scarlatti (1685-1757) in the royal palaces of Spain, was part of his sonic world. Yet the many Scarlatti sonata recordings on the market typically employ harpsichord or modern piano.

Paradoxically, most fortepiano recordings offer music of the Classical and early Romantic periods, many of whose composers were starting to outgrow the early piano's capabilities, observes recording producer Jim Ginsburg. "On fortepiano, Scarlatti's baroque sonatas present the performer with interpretive opportunities, rather than constraints," he says.

Keyboard artist David Schrader, a virtuoso on both harpsichord and fortepiano, says he tried to select, from among Scarlatti's 550 sonatas, those that benefit from the fortepiano's unique sound and its ability to employ "dynamic variation for the purpose of phrasing." Some of these sonatas (actually single-movement exercises) are quintessentially Spanish, while others show Scarlatti's "Roman" Italian side.

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Cedille Records is the recording label of The Chicago Classical Recording Foundation, a publicly-supported, not-for-profit, organization devoted to promoting the finest musicians, ensembles, and composers in the Chicago area by producing and releasing their efforts on audiophile-quality recordings. The recordings and their promotion are designed to stimulate interest in these performers and composers and bring their artistry to a wider audience. Cedille Records is also dedicated to promoting interest in neglected areas of the classical repertory by presenting masterpieces that have been overlooked by other recording companies.