Scarlatti, D: Keyboard Sonata K391 in G major

In this recording, famous musical chapters such as l’Omaggio a Boccherini of Mario Castelnuovo–Tedesco and the Piezas Caracteristicas of Federico Moreno Torroba are featured next to genuine rarities Alba and Postludio by the Swiss composer Hans Haug. The last two works have not been available on CD for more than 20 years.

A selection from the 600 sontas by Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) that illustrate two facets of his musical personality.

CD1 depicts the genius of the composer – some of his greatest and most remarkable sonatas have been selected by Carbonara. These works illustrate the exploratory and innovative nature of the sonatas. CD2 gathers together a selection of sonatas that illustrate the gambler, or the reckless side of the composer. These sonatas are just as innovative as those on CD1, but there is a devil may care craziness to some of the music. These are dramatic extreme works that give some idea of the incredible technique Scarlatti possessed as a player, and of his remarkably fertile imagination.

2CDs of Scarlatti sonatas containing some unknown and rarely recorded works.

New recordings made in 2009.

Extensive booklet essay by the artist on each sonata.

Carbonara has recorded Ravel’s complete piano music for Brilliant Classics, and a CD of piano music by Nino Rota. He studied with Andreas Staier, Alicia de Larrocha and Leon Fleischer.

This is an interesting disc of baroque guitar music performed on a steel stringed guitar, giving an unusual depth of sound and sonority. Not one for the purists!

Approximately 40 years have passed since Ralph Kirkpatrick published his epic study of the life and works of Domenico Scarlatti. This wonderful book, the product of the author's unique combination of artistic and scholarly talents, helped to dispel once and for all the superficial impression of Domenico Scarlatti as a sort of rococo lightweight, a composer of "original and happy freaks" as one of his 18th century contemporaries described him. Today, several decades into our international love affair with 18th century performance practice, Domenico Scarlatti is a towering figure universally accepted as one of the greatest and most original artists of the Baroque.

Described as “The Royal Family of the Guitar” Los Romeros celebrate 50 years as a guitar quartet in 2008. At the GRAMMY awards on 8 February 2007 Los Romeros were honored with the Recording Academy President’s Merit Award in recognition of their achievements. The story of Los Romeros started with Celedonio Romero (19117-1996).

A self-taught guitar virtuoso who taught each of his sons to play the guitar as soon as they were able to hold the instrument – thus Celin, Ángel and Pepe developed and brought the guitar to a global significance as individual soloists and as members of Los Romeros. The ensemble has commissioned and premiered new works and numerous arrangements over the past half century and began recording initially for Mercury (in the early 1960s) and then for Philips. This new compilation features recordings made over more than thirty years and features the ensemble as well as individual members of this remarkable family in a wide variety of original works and arrangements.