Soler's Harpsichord Sonatas on Naxos
Robin Friedman | Washington, D.C. United States | 05/08/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I recently heard a harpischord recital by Jacques Ogg at the Library of Congress which featured several works by Padre Antonio Soler (1729 -- 1783). I have been listening to the series of Soler's harpsichord sonatas performed by Gilbert Rowland on Naxos. The pleasure of hearing Soler live encouraged me to explore the Naxos series further.
Soler's harpsichord music is immediately recognizable as Spanish and as influenced by the harpichord sonatas of Scarlatti, with whom Soler probably studied. Soler composed approximately 200 harpsichord sonatas, most of which are in the single-movement binary form that Scarlatti developed. Towards the end of his life, with the galant, early classical form of music coming to the fore, Soler composed three and four movement sonatas recognizably classical in character. These works remain markedly Spanish as well. These latter sonatas make great use of the Alberti bass, a generally four-note repeated accompaniment figure consisting of a broken chord much used by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven in their piano sonatas.
As of this writing, Gilbert Rowland has recorded 11 CDs out of a series of 15 or 16 CDs of Soler's complete harpsichord works. The works are not arranged chronologically, which is fortunate because it allows the listener to hear one or two of the releases and get a good cross-section of Soler's work. Each CD includes a multiple-movement sonata from Soler's later output together with several Scarlatti-like binary sonatas.
This CD, volume 4 in the series, was recorded in 1995 and includes ten binary sonatas and one four-movement work. The ten binary sonatas are grouped in four pairs of two works in an identical key, in accordance with much recent scholarship, together with two unpaired works. In many cases, the paired works are of a contrasting character. Thus, on this CD the opening lengthy and complex sonata in G major is followed by a short, dancelike work in the same key. The two sonatas in e-minor, my favorites on this collection, include a long, poignant slow work followed by a highly lively, energetic, and virtuosic piece. The two unpaired sonatas include the sonata no. 53 in A major, with a march-like theme which, as Rowland's notes point out, uses a theme similar to that of "Pop, goes the Weasel".
The multiple movement work on this recording is the 20-minute Sonata no. 94 in G major, Op. 4, no. 4, composed in 1779. This work opens with a graceful modestly paced andantino featuring the Alberti bass figures I mentioned earlier. It is followed by an uptempo allegro and then by a contrasting pair of minuets, the first slow and stately and the second much more lively. The finale is a quick, energetic dance movement.
Soler's works will delight lovers of the harpsichord and lovers of Spanish music. They will also appeal to those interested in early classical music who want to venture slightly out of more usual fare. Listeners wanting to explore the music of Padre Soler will enjoy sampling some of the releases in the ongoing Naxos series. Volume 4 is a fine example.
Robin Friedman"
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1