Born in the same year as Handel and Bach in 1685, the Neapolitan harpsichordist Domenico Scarlatti was a virtuoso with a very particular style. In Madrid, he became 'Domingo Escarlatti' and lived as a music teacher to Queen Maria-Barbara. He wrote almost 555 sonatas in which he created an explosion of wide ranging sounds from Italy and Spain. As he was able to utilise the technical possibilities of the harpsichord to the full, he produced the mournful notes of the hunting horns as well as the passionate chords played on a flamenco guitar. This programme also presents the 'Fandango' of his disciple, Padre Antonio Soler, a sort of virtuoso dance on an ostinato. The harpsichord played on this disc is an Italian model, conceived by Philippe Humeau, with a warm sound which is ideal for this repertoire.
