Wondrously evocative, audacious and exciting.
John Austin | Kangaroo Ground, Australia | 04/21/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Acclaimed French harpsichord player Christophe Rousset seems to have made only this one CD of Domenico Scarlatti sonatas to date. I can thoroughly recommend the playing, the two instruments used, and - of course - the works themselves, which are wondrously evocative, audacious and exciting. The recording was made in 1998. All but the last 4 sonatas were performed on a single manual Portugese instrument dating from 1785. It has a silent action, a pungent bass and spicy, rich sonorities right up to the top treble. The other instrument has two manuals and, dating from 1756 England, is closer in time to Scarlatti's own era. Rousset makes good use of the resources the two manuals provide, and accidentally kicks the wooden casing, in K 140. Like most keyboard players who enjoy a challenge, he has a high old time with the frenetic repetitions and hand crossings in K 141."