Scarlatti: The Keyboard Sonatas

Scott Ross's award-winning complete Scarlatti keyboard sonatas, first released on Erato in 1988, stand as a landmark in recording history. This re-release marks 25 years since Ross's death in June 1989 at age 38. In the 1980s, Ross became the first musician to record the complete keyboard sonatas 555 in all of Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757). Born in Pittsburgh, Ross moved with his mother to France in his early teens and attended the conservatories of Nice and Paris. After a 12-year stint as an academic in Quebec, he returned to France permanently in 1985 and made his home there. To celebrate the 300th anniversary of Scarlatti's birth in 1985, French radio asked Ross to perform the composers complete sonatas, for broadcast in a series of weekly programs. He recorded two sonatas a day over a period of 15 months in 1984/85. Many had never been recorded before, even though a limited selection had featured in the repertoire of major pianists including Horowitz, Michelangeli, Gieseking, Haskil and Gilels for decades. In 1988 Ross received the Grand Prix du Disque for his complete Scarlatti sonatas from Frances prestigious and authoritative Académie Charles Cros, among many other awards. In 1988 he was named Musical Personality of the Year by the Syndicat des critiques français. Domenico Scarlatti's sonatas are colorful, intense and captivating one-movement works, which explore a variety of expressive worlds and technical possibilities. Each lasts just a few minutes and many reflect the musical influence of the Iberian Peninsula, where the Neapolitan-born Scarlatti spent much of his life, notably as the music master of Maria Barbara, a Portuguese princess who later became Queen of Spain. In Madrid, towards the end of his life, Scarlatti became friendly with the legendary castrato Farinelli, who returned to Italy with copies of the manuscripts of the sonatas. The 34 CD are presented in deluxe packaging, with a 20-page printed booklet; this is complemented by 200 pages of online documentation, including a commentary on each of the sonatas (along with the musical notation of its opening bars). Review Ross possesses all the necessary virtuoso flair and stylish sensitivity to bring this exciting music bounding to life --The New York Times Performer: Scott Ross, Marc Vallon, Christophe Coin, Michel Henry, Monica Huggett Composer: Domenico Scarlatti Audio CD (September 2, 2010) SPARS Code: DDD Number of Discs: 34 Format: Box set