Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 07/24/2007, uploaded on 01/17/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Sonata in b minor, Kk 197 (L. 147)      Domenico Scarlatti

The 550 single-movement sonatas written by Domenico Scarlatti were arbitrarily catalogued and published for performance on the piano by Alessandro Longo in 1906.  But his editions contained many amendments and inappropriate "corrections". The American harpsichordist Ralph Kirkpatrick (1911-1984) prepared a more accurate, chronological catalogue in the 1940s and 1950s - the Kk numbers used today.  Scarlatti revolutionized keyboard music by imparting to it a new freedom of style.  He introduced many new technical devices, including rapid repetitions, crossed hands, and double-note passages.  While perhaps written as training exercises, they are also delightful compositions.     Jie Chen

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.