Scarlatti, D: Sinfonia No. 7 for strings and continuo in C major

This month Federico Guglielmo and his historical instruments ensemble L’arte dell’arco turn to sinfonias and sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti and to the same composer’s short intermezzo farce La Dirindina. The intermezzo was a type of entr’acte music inserted as ‘comic relief’ between the acts of court dramas and operas during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This particular farsetta involves the personal relations between a budding opera diva and her teacher; she is vain and reluctant to practice, and he is extremely jealous of her lover.

Scarlatti composed his Salve Regina for voice and strings after completing all the sonatas and here it is performed by a countertenor. Interestingly, this CD also includes Avison’s Concerto No.5 in D minor In seven parts done from the lessons of Scarlatti and Scarlatti’s Sonatas based on Avison’s concertos Nos. 5 and 10. Orquesta Barroca de Sevilla is one of the foremost Spanish early music ensembles.