Search - Scarlatti, Leonhardt :: Harpsichord Sonatas

Essential: the essence of the music!

Bradley P. Lehman | Dayton, VA USA | 05/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording by Leonhardt has been around now for about 30 years on various labels. This selection of 14 sonatas has just about everything one could want in music. Leonhardt delivers these pieces with tremendous commitment, from dash to suavity to gruff humor to tender sorrow to 18th century Flamenco. (You'll almost swear that's a guitar and castanet show in K 193....) His playing is always plastic and sensitive: the musical ideas arise naturally from the compositions and Scarlatti's creativity. The rhythm is buoyant, and again emerges from the pieces: never driven from above them. The sonatas each have their own life, and Leonhardt takes them wherever they want to go. And repeated listening reveals different nuances each time. What more is there to say? Rating: as many stars as possible."

Seon Scarlatti

James Bunnelle | 03/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Originally published on the Seon label in 1979, this is my favorite recording of Scarlatti's sonatas, each paired off according to Kirkpatrick's research. Leonhardt's interpretations are excellent and the clarity is amazing. The only negative thing I can say is that it's way too short. The K.3 present here far surpasses any that I've heard."

I don't like the harpsichord...but I love this!

dm | rochester, ny | 07/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not a harpsichord fan...it sounds too "quaint" for me.



Plus it's hard getting color out of it since all chords are plucked with the same intensity.



But Leonhardt is an awesome player and Scarlatti a great composer; these pieces are very dynamic and great listening.



A highly recommended purchase."