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JANSMUSIC RECOMMENDED RECORDING

Essential Scarlatti
Colin Booth (harpsichord & organ)
Soundboard SBCD 951

Sonata in E major; Sonata in D minor/major; Sonata in G major; Sonata in B minor; Sonata in C major; Sonata in B flat major; Sonata in A major; Sonata in D minor

Colin Booth is a not only an established harpsichord player, but he also makes them: I guess you could say he is as involved in his instrument as it is possible to be.  He has chosen to record these Scarlatti sonatas on an instrument made in 1993, which has 2 keyboards and 3 sets of strings, but using only 1 of the 1 keyboards.

Two reasons why I like this recording:  the instrument has a very "meaty" sound, which suits his style of playing perfectly, and the fact that Colin's style of playing in the more grandiose movements is measured but not laboured and he brings out the different characters of the pieces, meaning each movement is different to the last.

Scarlatti, a contemporary of Handel and Bach, wrote over 500 sonatas for the keyboard. Originating in Italy, he ended up in Spain where he spent the remaining 25 years of his life and it is the Spanish influence that can be heard in a lot of his compositions - indeed the sonatas on this recording do have echoes of flamenco dancing and Spanish guitar. particularly in the third movement of the E major sonata, the second movement of the D minor/major and the footstamping bassline of the B flat major prestissimo, which blends imperceptibly with the more refined Italian style.

We do tend to think of virtuosity and technicality when thinking of these works, but some of the more gentle movements portray an extraordinary depth of feeling, which comes through in Colin's playing.  My favourite sonata has to be the B minor, in a single movement, which he keeps moving and doesn't allow to get sentimental which would ruin it, but at the same allowing the B minor character to shine through, and there are fantastic sequential passages which are worth the wait, a couple of minutes in.