The Celebrated Scarlatti Recordings

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Horowitz played Scarlatti when few even knew of the composer's existence. His championship of these infectious works dismayed purists for whom harpsichord works on the concert grand is heresy. But Horowitz makes these wry, witty pieces his own. His sheer delight is amply seen in the quicksilver D-major Sonata, L. 424, and his lovingly caressed A-minor Sonata, L. 241. Throughout, Horowitz keeps within a strict classical frame while performing wonders of articulation and tonal color. Great pianism as well as an example of his adventurous musical curiosity. --Dan Davis

Tracks:

Sonata In D Major, K33 (L424): Allegro
Sonata In A, K54 (L241): Allegro
Sonata In F, K525 (L188): Allegro
Sonata In F, K466 (L118): Andante Moderato
Sonata In G, K146 (L349): Allegretto
Sonata In D Major, K96 (L465): Allegro
Sonata In E, K162 (L21): Andante
Sonata In E Flat, K474 (L203): Andante E Cantabile
Sonata In E, K198 (L22): Allegro
Sonata In D, K491 (L164): Allegro
Sonata In F, K481 (L187): Andante E Cantabile
Sonata In A, K39 (L391): Allegro
Sonata In G, K547 (LS28): Allegro
Sonata In B, K197 (L147): Andanto
Sonata In F#, K25 (L481): Allegro
Sonata In D, K52 (L267): Andante Moderato
Sonata In G, K201 (L129): Vivo
Sonata In C, K303 (L9):: Allegro

Amazon.com essential recording

Horowitz played Scarlatti when few even knew of the composer's existence. His championship of these infectious works dismayed purists for whom harpsichord works on the concert grand is heresy. But Horowitz makes these wry, witty pieces his own. His sheer delight is amply seen in the quicksilver D-major Sonata, L. 424, and his lovingly caressed A-minor Sonata, L. 241. Throughout, Horowitz keeps within a strict classical frame while performing wonders of articulation and tonal color. Great pianism as well as an example of his adventurous musical curiosity. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

My favorite selections.......2006-11-13

Three tracks in this CD rise above the others.

Track 2 in A minor. This tarentella (danced, of course, by two people) has three episodes played cross-handed. The strange music-making is superb.

Track 4 in F minor sings a Sephardic song. No other performer catches the characteristic inflections as does Horowitz.

Track 18 in C minor is a simple piece requiring only trills of great speed and smoothness.

Mr. Horowitz spent his younger years putting his personal stamp on piano music. In this CD, there is no Horowitz; there is only Scarlatti

Please, beware with this album!.......2006-10-20

It was just the last Saturday when I decided to listen this so well commented album; but I must confess the disillusion was pitifully over my hopes. Horowitz played a percussive Scarlatti overshadowing the naïve expression and the angelical mood immersed in these miniatures, on the other hand the excess of staccatos and the thundering fingering definitively wrecked any possibility of incorporeal lyricism.

A true shame! Recommended only for the hard fans of Vlada.

Not a huge Horowitz fan, but these are benchmark recordings!.......2006-05-03

I must admit Horowitz is not one of my favorite classical pianists. However, these recordings of Scarlatti are suberb. Not only are these great recordings, they are the benchmark for Scarlatti in my opinion.

I can't imagine that anyone wouldn't enjoy these. I can't fully put it into words, but something of the best of Horowitz comes through here that isn't present in a lot of his other albums.

I don't think that anyone would argue that Horowitz had great technique. He also had great breadth. However, he really hit the mark with interpreting these recordings with great feeling AND marvelous technique. This is a MUST own album for any Scarlatti or Baroque keyboard fan!

A very good match between composer and performer.......2004-08-20

I personally consider Scarlatti to be with Bach the most exciting baroque composer for keyboard. Scarlatti's flair for adventurous harmony, exquisite passage work, and climax building explain his popularity some 250 years after his demise. Of course all of these traits manifest themselves terrifically in Horowitz, master of pianistic drama and suspense.
The sonatas on this album are well chosen for the characteristics mentioned above. These performances by Horowtiz rank with some of his greatest recordings ever. If one is ever in doubt about Scarlatti one should listen to this volume...it is quite thrilling!

Horowitz's Sparkling Scarlatti is Beyond Perfection.......2003-01-19

Volume Two of Sony's reissue of the Complete Columbia Masterworks Recordings of Vladimir Horowitz contains the pianist's legendary all Domenico Scarlatti album, his fourth recording for Columbia. His first three Columbia LPs (Volume One) had been mixed composer recitals, and were strong sellers. By 1964, Horowitz had enough clout to record whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. Although Columbia marketing executives weren't thrilled with the prospect of promoting an all-Scarlatti record, Horowitz's producer, Tom Frost, asserted (rightly) that "Horowitz could play the C-major scale and it would sell."

Horowitz had recorded Scarlatti before, beginning with the Scarlatti-Tausig Cappriccio in 1928. But, by the 1960s, Horowitz was increasingly concerned about the authenticity of printed editions of Scarlatti's music. He was well aware that the printed editions he (and everyone else) had been using for decades had been altered by Alessandro Longo, who changed dynamics and ornamentation. So, he consulted with scholar Ralph Kirkpatrick (whose book on Scarlatti is considered by many to be the "Bible" on the Italian composer) and spent a great deal of time researching the correct performing style for Scarlatti.

Regardless of the printed edition he was using, the hallmarks of Horowitz's Scarlatti were always there: perfect transference of Scarlatti's sound world onto the modern piano; infinite grades of detachment and color; careful use of the sustaining pedal; flawless judgment of dynamics--from soft-softer-softest on the lower end, yet never pushing the piano too far into the forte range.

To give himself maximum selection, Horowitz recorded over twenty Sonatas in seven recording sessions, but only twelve contrasting pieces were originally issued on LP. For this CD reissue, Sony has released an additional six Sonatas, also from the original sessions at Columbia's 30th Street Studio.

The microphones for these sessions were placed a bit closer to the piano than for his previous Columbia recordings, so there is less ambiance. The impression is as if one were listening to Horowitz play in one's home. The remastering has opened up the dynamics, and brought forth a fuller, more natural piano sound, reducing noise without overly capping the high-frequencies. Tape edits, which were clearly audible in an earlier CD version(a botched job with a purple cover, avoid it), have been smoothed over here.

Best of Classics: Scarlatti, Domenico.- " Piano Sonatas (The Celebrated Scarlatti Recordings: Vladimir Horowitz, Volume II Of IX - SONY 53460) ".
Average customer rating:
Best of Classics: Scarlatti, Domenico.- " Piano Sonatas (The Celebrated Scarlatti Recordings: Vladimir Horowitz, Volume II Of IX - SONY 53460) ".

ProductGroup: Classical
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0002DG1E4

Product Description

Sonata for keyboard in E minor, K. 198 (L. 22); Sonata for keyboard in D major, K. 491 (L. 164); Sonata for keyboard in F minor, K. 481 (L. 187); Sonata for keyboard in A major, K. 39 (L. 391); Sonata for keyboard in G major, K. 547 (L. S28); Sonata for keyboard in B minor, K. 197 (L. 147); Sonata for keyboard in F sharp minor, K. 25 (L. 481); Sonata for keyboard in D minor, K. 52 (L. 267); Sonata for keyboard in G major, K. 201 (L. 129); Sonata for keyboard in C minor, K. 303 (L. 9); Sonata for keyboardin D major, K. 33 (L. 424); Sonata for keyboard in A minor, K. 54 (L. 241); Sonata for keyboard in F major, K. 525 (L. 188); Sonata for keyboard in F minor, K. 466 (L. 118); Sonata for keyboard in G major, K. 146 (L. 349); Sonata for keyboard in D major,K. 96 (L. 465) "La caccia"; Sonata for keyboard in E major, K. 162 (L. 21); Sonata for keyboard in E flat major, K. 474 (L. 203) Vladimir Horowitz - piano

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