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PAKM004:
The Scarlatti Sonata Society Recordings - D. Scarlatti
MP3
price
Wanda
Landowska, harpsichord
Originally released in 1934 as 6 HMV 78s : DB4960 - DB4965 in a
limited edition of 500 albums. Matrix numbers: 2LA5-III, 2LA12-II,
2LA6-I, 2LA11-III, 2LA10-I, 2LA8-II,
2LA13-II, 2LA15-I, 2LA16-II, 2LA14-II, 2LA7-II, 2LA9-III
(Duration 51'19")
Play
sample sonata:
To
say that Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1754) was prolific in
his compositions for harpsichord is perhaps an understatement. We know
of 555 sonatas for the instrument, most of them written in pairs to contrast
and compliment each other. In this recording, however, Wanda Landowska
chose freely from the entire canon to select the twenty sonatas presented
here, writing in her notes:
From
among the sonatas which seem to me the most beautiful I have chosen those,
which grouped according to relationship and following my fancy, form a
sequence and complete narrative of love and mad adventure.
It
has been hard to decide which sonatas to take and which to omit from this
world of wonders. I console myself with the thought that those which I
have omitted will soon have their revenge. And as there are nearly 600
sonatas I shall be able to vary almost infinitely the magical chain of
Domenico Scarlatti's enchantments.
Wanda
Landowska (left) was born in Poland in 1879, lived for many
years in France before fleeing the Nazis in 1940, and eventually settled
in the USA until her death in 1959. At a time when the harpischord was
an almost forgotten relic of the past and playing styles were very much
late-romantic, she almost single-handedly resurrected the instrument,
and the precise playing style required by this music.
These
recordings, originally released as a limited edition of just 500 sets,
are perhaps the highlight of her European recording career. Clearly Landowska
had a huge input in the recording - she was, after all, one of the foremost
experts in the field - and contributed not just performances, but (as
we have read) made her own personal selection of pieces, and wrote the
delightful sleevenotes.
Of
the Sonata in E minor (The Farewells), she writes:
This
is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful and significant sonatas.
At first it appears to lack balance because Scarlatti introduces a love
theme and then interrupts it suddenly with a theme of energetic decision.
But these mystifying interruptions and the opposition of the two themes
are explained by their arrangement and alternation. They emphasis the
accents of the drama which is about to unfold.
In
fact, it is a little opera that we are witnessing. The first bars create
the dry heavily-scented atmosphere of the piece. In the silence a woman's
voice is raised, sustained by arpeggios on a guitar. We have scarcely
heard this tender entreaty than it fades away. A decided theme springs
up: it is a man's footstep resounding on the pavement. This theme is in
its turn interrupted. A silence...then once more the woman's voice is
raised, entreating and voluptuous. The theme of decision mingles with
the more and more passionate accents of the worman. Their dialogue becomes
a struggle in which the theme of decision triumphs: Fate ordains that
the man shall depart. Again the footsteps are heard, near at first then
fading away - an effect of perpective of which Scarlatti was particularly
fond. The woman remains alone. The last bars, which are a pathetic summary
of this tragedy, express the poignant farewells of the deserted woman.
Fanciful
stuff? Perhaps - but clearly she has a strong involvement with the music!
Of the selection offered below she is brief and to the point:
The
rapid and fiery sonata in F minor passes like a flash of lightning.
Landowska's
individuality shines out through all of these recordings - a review of
an earlier transfer of her Scarlatti recordings states that her "playing
has more character than most other harpsichord players put together".
Hear it for yourself in these wonderful new transfers.
REVIEW
of SCARLATTI - Sonata Society recordings (Wanda Landowska, 1934)
Domenico
Scarlatti, famous son of the even greater Alessandro Scarlatti,
wrote over 500 sonatas for the harpsichord while he was composer
in residence for the King of Spain. We may fear that, as Stravinsky
said about Vivaldi, "he wrote the same concerto 500 times".
There may be much that is routine in Vivaldi's output, but
there is very little that is routine in Scarlatti's. All that
is present in both the inner and the outer world is paraded
before one in the corpus of his sonatas.
While
it is possible to appreciate Bach on the piano, I believe
that Scarlatti demands the harpsichard in spite of the performances
of Horowitz, Gilels and Pletnyev. The overtones, the plangency,
the timbre, and the rapid ability to change colors of the
harpsichord are demanded by Scarlatti's moods and themes.
I
am amazed by Landowska's light and varied touch in these recordings.
There is no hint of banging or exaggeration as I have found
occasionally in her later work. All is balance and order in
the best baroque style. The sound is natural, warm and clear.
A 50 minutes of beauty and balance.
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Wanda
Landowska (left) was born in Poland in 1879, lived for many
years in France before fleeing the Nazis in 1940, and eventually settled
in the USA until her death in 1959. At a time when the harpischord was
an almost forgotten relic of the past and playing styles were very much
late-romantic, she almost single-handedly resurrected the instrument,
and the precise playing style required by this music. 
