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Scott Ross died on 13 June 1989, less than two years after these recordings
were first issued. The following obituary appeared in The Times on 17
June 1989.
Contents Sommaire
The Times obituary of Scott Ross
Vivi felice
Glossary
20
Essential reading
Credits and acknowledgements
24
24
25
Vivi felice
25
26
27
Repres
44
Bibliographie de base
Gnrique
47
47
Vivi felice
Vivi felice. Live happily. These are the final words of the preface
to the only collection of Scarlattis pieces for keyboard instrument
published during his lifetime.
The words express a warm and generous wish. They are more than
the mere encouragement of a master to a pupil; they are those of a
friend. The dedication comes as a surprise compared with others of
the epoch when the high and mighty were addressed by their
humble and obedient servants or when Johann Sebastian Bach
quite deliberately dedicated his work to the glory of God by means
of the three letters S.D.G. alongside his signature. Scarlattis
1
Italian composer Alessandro Longo. This was the first time that
Scarlattis output could be seen in its true perspective and the edition
became the standard work of reference for fifty years. But even this
edition was not free from traces of somewhat off-hand treatment.
Longo, for instance, completely upset the order of the sonatas to be
found in the manuscripts by grouping them into suites, thereby
obliterating not only the feeling engendered by the different stages
of composition but also the pairing of the sonatas, an essential
element whose existence was to be brought to light once again by
Ralph Kirkpatricks research fifty years later. Longo, moreover,
following in the faulty footsteps of his forerunners, overloaded his
edition with arbitrary phrase marks and dynamics and the changes he
made, particularly in the harmonies, did little, in most cases, save
impoverish what Scarlatti had composed.
There is another curious feature to his work: virtually all the pieces
are written in the simplest of all possible forms, binary form. The
sonatas are made up of two roughly equal parts, each one intended
to be repeated. The first part ends in the dominant in most cases, the
second invariably ends in the tonic and the sequences leading to the
endings are comparable. Exceptions to this framework are rare.
Scarlatti, who poured out musical ideas in abundance, appears to
have had little interest in bringing new developments into the
musical forms of his time.
his improvisations to the skilful copyists of the royal library. One can
go even further and see in this an explanation for the brevity of his
compositions: he was out to keep things as short as possible. Such an
explanation is no better or worse than any other, but it really does
seem, particularly in the case of the later sonatas, that they came in
bursts and that they were quite simply written down under
dictation. All this can only increase the admiration one feels for
Scarlatti, whose brilliance as a performer was matched by his
consummate skill as an improviser. It should not be forgotten that
while he was still in Italy, he had come out on top in a friendly
improvisation contest with Handel.
Pairing
The idea that many of the sonatas had originally been arranged
pairwise was put forward by Gerstenberg in 1935. Ralph Kirkpatrick
revived the idea in the course of his own research.
The arbitrary layout of early editions of the sonatas ignored the fact
that in the Venice and Parma manuscripts about two-thirds of the
sonatas appear to form pairs or even, in some cases, sets of three.
Musical language
The style, writing and individual language of Scarlattis sonatas
combine to form a captivating world. The rhythmic and melodic
invention, the almost diabolical skill displayed in the use of the
instrument and the mastery of keyboard technique keep the listener
constantly enthralled. Comment, while not entirely superfluous, is
fraught with difficulty.
Scarlatti himself did not state specifically that the sonatas were
intended to be paired, even though the practice was frequent
amongst contemporary Spanish composers. Some of the pairings
might well appear open to doubt. In other cases, however, there is
irrefutable proof that pairing was intended. For example, the
copyists of the Venice and Parma manuscripts wrote that there
should be a swift follow-on between what are now known in
Kirkpatricks catalogue as Kk 347 and Kk 348. They also wrote that
the sonatas Kk 516 and Kk 517 had been copied in the opposite
order to that intended by the composer.
Rhythm
Scarlattis sonatas, particularly in the interpretation by Scott Ross,
appear to be driven along by an inner pulse. Occasionally, this is
reinforced by rhythmic ostinato passages identical with those to be
heard even today in Spanish songs and in flamenco. It could well be,
moreover, that these popular rhythms made a strong impression on
Scarlatti when he arrived in Andalusia (saetas, seguidillas, buleras,
rhythmic roulades).
Accents
Scarlatti was a complete master of the art of providing accents for his
music. By introducing a note which was foreign to the general line
of a theme, or by inserting an unusual note into a chord, he
reinforced his melodies or their accompaniment. The sudden
explosion of a chord, a fast scale or a tight cluster of notes act as
interjections which highlight the text.
Instrumental styles
Scarlatti was a successful composer of operatic and orchestral music.
In spite of this, he devoted the last thirty years of his life entirely to
the harpsichord. We do not really know why this should have been
so, and the absence of letters or contemporary accounts of the
musicians life is particularly frustrating here. More than any other
composer of his day, however, Scarlatti resorted to orchestral devices
in his sonatas and to references to other instruments. We can often
hear the guitar in his music, the mandolin with its repeated notes,
percussion instruments or fanfares of trumpets.
Modulations
One of the most remarkable sides to Scarlattis genius was his ability
to go through the keys in a variety of modulations, either gradually,
the accidentals being introduced one by one, or suddenly by an
abrupt shift to an unrelated key a whole tone or even a third away.
Form
The architecture of Scarlattis sonatas is simple. Such, at least, is the
impression one gets from looking at them or listening to them. This,
too, is the reputation which they share with most
eighteenth-century harpsichord compositions.
3
Virtuosity
Scarlattis limpid musical writing can at first glance lead one to the
conclusion that his works are easy to perform. Nothing could be
further from the truth. Clarity of writing has nothing to do with ease
of execution. Scarlatti, who was the most accomplished virtuoso
amongst contemporary harpsichord players, did not have to worry
about finding somebody to perform his music. In any case, his pupil,
Queen Maria Barbara of Braganza, for whom these pieces were
written, must herself have been a very skilled performer. Some of
the sonatas demand a high level of technique in the playing of scales
and arpeggios and passages in thirds and sixths and octaves.
The later sonatas are more varied in form but the first traces of what
lends them such opulence are to be found here. There is, for
example, the free form which first appears in Kk 19, and the
principle of the development of the second half of the sonata is to
be seen in Kk 9, albeit to a limited degree.
Four-fifths of the sonatas are closed but Scarlatti enriched the
form by various devices such as permutations of the sequences of the
two halves of the sonata to make it asymmetrical (right from
Kk 1 as against Kk 2, but also in Kk 4, 12, 21 and 24) and the
dropping of the traditional practice of landing up in the dominant at
the double bar separating the two halves of the sonata: half of the
sonatas in a minor tonality reach this point in the relative major (Kk
3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 15, 19 and 27). Similar examples are to be found in
the works of contemporary composers, but to a lesser degree. Later
on, Scarlatti exploited the surprise effect created by a sudden
modulation in the opening bars of the second half of a sonata.
Archaic styles
A few sonatas contain several distinct musical lines from beginning
to end as though they were designed for performance by an
instrumental trio or quartet. Others incorporate a number of typical
polyphonic features. Finally, there are a few sonatas which contain a
single upper voice and an accompanying bass line (figured or
unfigured) somewhat reminiscent of accompanied songs.
In these sonatas, there are few modulations, apart from shifts from
major to minor (or the opposite). The majority of the Essercizi are
in the minor, only thirteen out of the thirty being in the major.
There is a preference for the use of flats only eleven sonatas have
a key signature in sharps. The key signatures in this first edition are
written in the old shortened form: G minor has a single flat,
C minor has only two, etc. The same applies to the major keys: A
major is written with two sharps, E major with three. There are
never more than three accidentals in the key signature. It was only
later that Scarlatti exploited the possibilities provided by the
introduction of equal temperament.
Reader,
Whether you be Dilettante or Professor, in these Compositions
do not expect any profound Learning, but rather an ingenious
jesting with Art, to accommodate you to the Mastery of the
Harpsichord. Neither Considerations of Interest, nor Visions of
Ambition, but only Obedience moved me to publish them.
Perhaps they will be agreeable to you; then all the more gladly
will I obey other Commands to please you in an easier and more
varied Style. Show yourself then more human than critical, and
thereby increase your own Delight. To designate to you the
Position of the Hands, be advised that by D is indicated the
Right, and by M the Left. Live happily.
These thirty sonatas are one of the jewels of Scarlattis uvre. For a
long time they were the most easily accessible; they appeared in
many editions and they were certainly the most played. Even today
they are the ones which have been most recorded. They are, in fact,
an anthology of Scarlattis compositions, bearing the stamp of the
composer in full possession of his art. Most of the characteristic
features of his writing throughout the 555 sonatas catalogued by
Kirkpatrick appear in these pieces. Scarlatti goes through the whole
gamut of keyboard technique and exploits to the full startling effects
such as handcrossing, jumps of two octaves or more, repeated notes
and virtuosic scale and arpeggio passages.
It was William Smith who discovered the first (?) sales advertisement
for the Essercizi. It is dated February 1739. According to Kirkpatrick,
it was in April 1738 that Scarlatti was awarded the Portuguese title
of Knight of the Order of Santiago, which is the title which features
on the first page of the edition. There is, therefore, every reason to
suppose that the first edition of the Essercizi dates from the end of
1738 or early in 1739.
CD 3
Kk 31Kk 42 These twelve sonatas were first published in England
in a sort of pirate edition put together by Thomas Roseingrave (cf.
Glossary) shortly after the first publication of the Essercizi.
Roseingrave included the first thirty sonatas, but changed the title of
the collection. He also changed the order and introduced pieces that
he had no doubt brought back from Italy twenty years earlier. He
opened the collection with one of his own compositions
publishing morals were rather different then from what they
are now!
All thirty pieces go along at a brisk pace, and this no doubt accounts
for Scarlattis reputed lack of interest in slow tempi. Fifteen are
marked Presto and fourteen Allegro. Only the very last piece,
nicknamed at a much later date the Cats Fugue (cf. Glossary
Gatto), is marked Moderato. It is only later that Scarlattis lyrical side
becomes evident, when strongly contrasted Allegro and Andante
4
Apart from the two short dances, Kk 32 and Kk 34, and the fugue
movements, this is the first sonata for which Scarlatti does not
provide a rapid tempo marking.
Kk 53 The Parma manuscript stipulates that this sonata should be
preceded by the one now known as Kk 258. Kirkpatrick, however,
was unable to fall in with this injunction since he had opted for the
order in the Venice manuscript. It is nevertheless one of the first
signs that some of the sonatas were intended to be paired (cf.
Glossary).
CD 6
Kk 94 is a short minuet with a form unusual for Scarlatti. The
opening theme reappears without alteration a few bars before the
end. The piece does not feature in Longos edition, the only source
being the last movement of Toccata X (cf. Kk 82).
Kk 96 This splendid piece of work deserves its fame both for the
variety of its themes and for the orchestral nature of the writing. It
opens with the brass and the subsequent figures have a mandolin
accompaniment. Each half has a polyphonic passage leading to a
grand tutti closing.
Kk 81 See CD 34.
Kk 82 This piece, like Kk 85, is not in binary form, making it a rare
exception in Scarlattis output. However, not too much should be
read into this since the two pieces form part of a suite in the
Coimbra manuscript (cf. Glossary) under the title Toccata X. The
rest of the suite consists of sonatas Kk 82, Kk 85, Kk 78 (gigue and
minuet), and Kk 94 (minuet). Had Kirkpatrick followed strict logic,
he would have put the suite at the beginning of his catalogue; this,
however, would have deprived him of the chance of giving pride of
place to the Essercizi.
Now follow the pieces which feature in the Venice collection dated
1749. They do not, however, necessarily date from this epoch.
Kk 99 and Kk 100 These two pieces are combined to form a single
sonata in the Venice manuscript dated 1749. They are even joined
together by the instruction volti subito at the end of Kk 99. There can
therefore be no doubt about the pairing, even if one of the pieces is
in the minor and the other in the major.
Kk 101 and Kk 103 both have highly spirited motifs. The unison
motif which appears in Kk 101 reappears in Kk 102 and this sonata,
in its turn, takes the inspiration for its closing from sequences already
used in Kk 7 and Kk 55.
Kk 122 The rhythmic pattern here is one that has often appeared
already:
CD 8
Kk 126 The melodic sequences, separated from one another by
arpeggios and chromatic figurations over ostinato chords, differ
according to whether they fall on the beat or off the beat. And here
we have two of Scarlattis most familiar fingerprints.
trills, repeated notes and notes alternated between the two hands.
Kk 128 This sonata has much in common with the preceding one
through the innocent charm of its thematic material and the style of
its harmonic progressions and rhythmic patterns.
Kk 129 The division of each half of this sonata around the fulcrum
(called the Crux by Kirkpatrick, cf. Glossary) is underlined here by
two pauses which punctuate the somewhat repetitive musical
discourse.
Kk 130 Most of the material here consists of parallel thirds and sixths
and octaves, and in the main the piece stays in the relative minor of
the opening tonality.
Kk 131 The tonality is unusual, and the sonata is based essentially
on moving thirds. Kk 23 and Kk 136 provide similar examples.
CD 7
Kk 113Kk 114 After a powerfully stated opening, Kk 113
continues with a long chain of quavers through major and minor
keys close to the tonic. Kk 114 provides a contrast by means of
varied rhythms. Everything is reminiscent of traditional Spanish
music. The opening is in the nature of a country festival and there
follows, in the second half, a descending seven-note throaty
Flamenco chant decorated with trills, rhythmic figurations and
rocketing scales.
These are the last pieces in the Venice manuscript dated 1749. Only
two out of the next nine sonatas appear in the Parma manuscript. Six
of the others are taken from English manuscripts (Worgan and
7
Fitzwilliam) and the last one, Kk 147, is taken from copies made by
Abb Santini and now housed in Mnster (id.). The three sonatas
Kk 142, Kk 143 and Kk 144 do not appear in the Longo edition.
has not disappeared entirely. The first eight sonatas are virtually in
two-part writing, but very quickly Scarlatti introduces items
requiring greater keyboard mastery, as for instance the
heavily-charged passages in Kk 156 and Kk 158, and the wide jumps
in Kk 157.
CD 9
Kk 141 This is one of Scarlattis best-known pieces. The series of
repeated notes over an accompaniment which is heavily laden with
acciaccaturas provides a contrast with the generous flow of the
concluding passages of the two halves.
Kk 164 From one end to the other, this sonata repeats, either with
or without acciaccaturas, the same figure made up of two crotchets
and a triplet. Scott Ross succeeds in breaking the monotony by the
occasional use of the lute stop.
The pairing of sonatas becomes very nearly the general rule in this
series. Twenty of the first twenty-one sonatas are paired and the last
(Kk 176) forms a sort of pair in itself.
The accompaniments in these pieces are simplified, the chords rarely
have more than two notes in them, and in Kk 149 and Kk 154 they
are often reduced to groups of three quavers or crotchets.
CD 10
With Kk 156, the undertaking to keep the music fairly easy seems
to have fallen by the wayside, even though the pedagogical element
8
CD 11
Kk 174 A hand crossing study. The right hand then the left hand
keep on traversing the non-stop quaver pattern in the middle of the
keyboard. The fine amplification of the syncopated pattern in the
final cadence is worth noting.
All these pieces were composed before 1752. Most of them are in
pairs, and the earlier ones in particular the sonatas in 3/8 in
addition to containing the usual Scarlatti rhythmical figures,
summon up images of flamenco song through the introduction of
tense and ornate melodies which hover above as ostinato bass. One
of Scarlattis fingerprints,
Kk 177Kk 180 form two pairs in which the metres are inversed:
C3/8, 3/8C, proof that the progression of movements is less
important than contrast of metre in the system of pairing.
Kk 181 A single theme runs right through this sonata,
characterised by the following rhythm:
Kk 183 Were it not for the trills and the syncopated passages which
underline the gap between Scarlatti and his European
contemporaries, the opening of this sonata and the imitation passages
could well have made it an allemande from a typical harpsichord
suite of the time.
Kk 202 Here, Scarlatti offers yet another original form created out
of three different sequences: A 3/8 B 6/8 C 3/8. The outside
sections (A and C are clearly related and they serve as a frame for B,
which is a lengthy and constantly modulating sequence on the
rhythm of a sicilienne. The final layout, resulting from the interplay
of the repeats, is: A/A/B/C/B/C.
CD 13
The sonatas numbered from 202 to 205 in Kirkpatricks catalogue
do not appear in any of the manuscripts in the Venice collection.
The source is therefore the Parma manuscript, where they are to be
found in the fourth volume dated 1752. Kk 203 forms a pair with
Kk 198 they follow one another in the Parma manuscript under
the numbers 20 and 21. The next two sonatas, 22 and 23, also form
a pair, but curiously enough, on this occasion Kirkpatrick stresses
their association by giving them the numbers 204a and 204b in his
CD 15
The evolution of Scarlattis compositional style can be seen if a
comparison is made between identical passages in the earlier and the
later sonatas in Kirkpatricks catalogue. Take, for example, the way
left and right hand scale passages are linked in Kk 229 (CD 14) and
Kk 43, or the interplay of alternate notes in Kk 230 and Kk 29.
These details are introduced into sonatas which are certainly more
balanced and have a greater degree of finish even though they may
not be any richer in style.
CD 14
Kk 217Kk 218 Whilst it is true that most of the openings of the
sonatas are treated in imitation, there are few that are as ornate as
Kk 217. The post-crux on the other hand is powerful and orchestral
in atmosphere. Moreover, the whole of the keyboard is traversed
with hand crossing passages. There is contrast, too: Kk 218 brings
this pair to a close with a particularly spirited moto perpetuo.
Kk 253 The beginning of the second half of this sonata, where there
are gentle modulations around three repeated quavers, is one of its
most noteworthy features.
Kk 238 The rhythms in this sonata recall pieces in the French style.
Yet, according to Kirkpatrick, these very rhythms are based on a
folk-song from Estremadura. It should be noted that, following the
custom of the time, the proper value of rests and upbeats is not
shown in the score. The notation of Kk 92 in a similar context is
more accurate.
CD 17
Kk 258 This sonata and Kk 53 form one of the rare pairs in the
Parma manuscript. Is it a scribes mistake? Was it a consequence of
the difficulty of making a collection of Scarlattis works which could
well have been scattered? It is hard to say.
CD 16
Kk 244Kk 245 A pair in the unusual tonality of B major there
are only five sonatas with five sharps in the key signature. The
composer here roams through all the keys at his disposal, particularly
in Kk 244, which incidentally contains the fingerprint
Kk 245 is a gigue.
Kk 246Kk 247 This pair of sonatas is marked by the intricacy of
the writing. Kk 246 is rich in modulations, particularly enharmonic
modulations, and in Kk 247, Scarlatti overlays the basic rhythmic
motif
Kk 263Kk 264 The first sonata, a toccata in the minor, closes with
one of the heavily-laden cadences to be found in the earlier pieces
in Kirkpatricks catalogue. Nevertheless, the freedom with which
Scarlatti handles the imitation entries in this sonata and the
interrupted rhythmic passages in the opening mean that it is out of
the question to ascribe the piece to the composers early period. The
second sonata, which is in the major, provides several instances
of Scarlattis mastery in controlling the dynamics of the harpsichord.
In the final part of the extension, he gradually swells out the chords
to bring them up to seven notes, thereby creating an unusual
crescendo effect.
Kk 266Kk 267 These are written respectively for two voices and
for three voices. From the first crux onwards, right up to the end, the
following rhythmic motif appears in every bar:
CD 18
Sonata Kk 268 marks the beginning of a new series of takes in Scott
Rosss recording, the instrument used being one by William Dowd.
variety through the triplets which appear in the closings and in the
modulations in the second half. Kk 284 is a sprightly rondo whose
theme appears alternately in the major and the minor over a G in the
bass. An octave G pedal point repeated on the first beat of every bar
creates an effect something like the drone of a hurdy-gurdy, all of
which contributes to giving this superb piece the atmosphere of a
country dance.
Kk 272 There are hardly any bars where the rhythmic motif
CD 19
Kk 289Kk 292 These four sonatas constitute either a short suite or,
just as easily, a couple of pairs. Each one of the pieces is set in
movement by a rhythmic motif which is maintained throughout.
The motif appears in the opening (in the case of Kk 290, it is not
heard in the first few bars). Nobody could deny the elegance of
these pieces, whose simple charm is matched by the mastery of
the writing.
Kk 270 None of the sources provides a tempo for this sonata, which
seems to be a sketch experimenting time and time again with the
opening motif
Kk 293 is a toccata. The motifs are for the most part treated in
imitation. The result is a piece of three-part polyphony, just a shade
laboured, which frequently moves along in a series of harmonic shifts.
Kk 277Kk 278 In lyrical pieces such as the first of this pair, one
cannot but admire the charm and the economy of Scarlattis writing.
Kk 278, too, is an uncomplicated little piece in the shape of a
tarantella with a well-defined crux which is underlined by a fermata
led into by means of a descending arpeggio.
Kk 296Kk 299 These two pairs placed at the head of the last of the
three Venice volumes dated 1753 are real masterpieces. They have
all the thematic wealth, the full sound and the rhythmic and
harmonic contrasts of the flamboyant period with, in addition, the
lyricism of the slower movements (Kk 296, 298).
Kk 300Kk 301 Here we have two sonatas imbued with charm and
simplicity. They appear at the end of the Parma manuscript, likewise
dated 1753. The fact, however, that the Venice and the Parma
manuscripts carry the same date does not necessarily have any
bearing on the actual dates of composition.
CD 20
Kk 302 This is one of the few Andante ternary form pieces in
Kirkpatricks catalogue. It is centred around a continuous stream of
triplets and the resulting fluidity is suddenly interrupted at the end
of each half by a cascade of arpeggios and a torrent of scales.
Kk 326Kk 327 In this pair, Kk 326 has the feel of a toccata and Kk
327 is reminiscent of an early dance. The modulations in Kk 326
frequently move through the cycle of fifths and are closer to the
German school than to Scarlattis usual style. The regular
subdivisions of Kk 327 and the five-quaver motif, repeated more
than a hundred times in various guises
turn the piece very nearly into an item of choreography.
in Kk 312 or
in Kk 313 are divided between the two hands and performance is
rendered all the more difficult by the fact that the last note in each
group is at some distance from the others.
Kk 333 The two halves of this sonata are entirely different in tempo,
metre and character. It is rather as though Scarlatti put half of one
sonata with half of another to make a sort of contracted pair.
CD 21
What temperament was used by Scarlatti in 1750? Were the
instruments at the court of Spain tuned unequally so that the
thirds could be really in tune? Were the remote keys, laden with
sharps and flats, put at a disadvantage? Keys like F sharp, B and
D flat, which are so convenient for virtuoso playing, are rarely
tried out. There are three pairs of sonatas in these keys and a few
isolated pieces which modulate into these reputedly difficult
tonalities only to escape from them rapidly by slipping from the
major into the minor.
Kk 337Kk 338 These are two far more opulent sonatas. Kk 337 is
a true concertante piece, with contrasting tutti and soli passages.
13
(5, 7, 13 bars) and the variety of its rhythms, provides a contrast with
the second, which is more akin to a toccata, characterised as it is by
regular four-bar sequences and by a bass line which moves along on
each beat.
and the regular subdivision of the piece into four-bar segments lends
the piece the character of a dance.
This pair of sonatas marks the end of the seventh volume of the
Venice manuscript, the first of the three volumes bearing the date
1754. The two sonatas which follow appear only in the Parma
manuscript (Volume IX, also dated 1754).
CD 22
Scarlatti strews his compositions with idiosyncratic rhythmical
figures. They often fall on the weak beats and compensation for the
absence of the initial strong beat is provided either in the
accompaniment or in the melodic motif. From time to time he
seems to take enjoyment in slipping a small unexpected sound into
closing passages.
CD 23
Kk 356Kk 357 These are interesting pieces on several counts.
Firstly, from the technical point of view, they are the first to exploit
the highest notes on the keyboard (cf. Introduction to the sonatas).
Both of them require the use of a high G, and subsequent sonatas
frequently go beyond the D which is the top note on most
harpsichords. The instrument for which Scarlatti wrote them was in
all probability the Spanish harpsichord, but we have only
descriptions to go on. A few spinets also have such a compass. From
the stylistic point of view, we can see the characteristics of what
Kirkpatrick describes as the late manner. A new world begins
here, an even more dazzling one. There is all the opulence which
we associate with Scarlattis flamboyant period combined in masterly
fashion with the variety of form and clarity of writing of the middle
period. Nevertheless, the progression from one style to the next is
hardly perceptible.
high up on the keyboard this time but also repeated eight times,
which rings out like a bugle call.
Kk 341Kk 344 Four sonatas in the key of A, only the first of which
is in the minor. Do they fall into pairs? Or are they a triptych with
an isolated sonata? I am in favour of the first suggestion, not only
because we are amongst a large number of pairs which come one
after the other with increasing regularity, but also because the two
sonatas Kk 343 and Kk 344 provide marvellous contrasts in writing
and movement, the very essence of the pair notion.
Kk 345Kk 346 These two pieces, which are paired in all the
manuscript sources, have hidden links. Both are based on repeated
rhythmic figures
There are always virtuoso passages, like the fast scales which disturb
the tranquil sway of Kk 361, or the scales and arpeggios in contrary
movement to be found in Kk 364 and Kk 367. In these works,
Scarlatti is more of a composer than a mere player of the
harpsichord. Elsewhere, he sometimes went so far as to make
performance of his music well-nigh impossible by overloading it
with technical difficulties. These pieces have a fullness of sound
which is all the more striking on account of the economy of the
means employed (cf. Kk 368).
Kk 352Kk 353 These two sonatas are remarkable for their purity
of form and for the straightforward incisiveness of their musical
material. Note the fingerprint:
CD 24
The last 183 sonatas on this recording were played on a harpsichord
constructed by Anthony Sidey.
CD 25
Kk 394Kk 395 Kk 389 opens in an austere style and then explodes
into a cascade of arpeggios worthy of the great classical concertos.
All this leads into a sequence in which the taut line of a flamenco
chant is sustained by an accompaniment of parallel fifths. Kk 395,
too, has an exceptionally intense development in which a
syncopated melodic line is sustained by ostinato chords which
gradually slide down to the lower end of the keyboard. This is one
of the rare sonatas in which modulations occur in the post-crux.
The spare, almost severe style of many of the sonatas in the final part
of Kirkpatricks catalogue is frequently characterised by two-part
writing (from time to time, a third note is added to reinforce the
harmony). This is particularly true of sonatas Kk 374 to 379, three
pairs in fast tempo. The delicacy of these pieces, together with the
imagination they display, makes it impossible for me to associate
them, as G. Pestelli does, with the works written thirty years earlier
in Rome. Nevertheless, it has to be admitted that they do not go
beyond the top D of the harpsichord. Moreover, they have
something of the atmosphere of the dances which appear in the
earliest suites.
Kk 386Kk 387 The first of this pair, written throughout for two
voices, is in the style of a toccata. The tonal zones are lit up by
chromatic scales and by rhythmic and broken arpeggios. The initial
motif is stretched over the whole keyboard and the closing passages
are punctuated by parallel octaves.
Here we come to the last of the volumes dated 1754 in the
collection of Venice manuscripts.
Kk 408Kk 409 The Andante which forms the prelude to this pair
contains a string of duple and triple metre sequences in quavers, and
the short development is lent tension by means of the contrary
motion of these motifs. There is a long development at the
CD 27
Kk 428, Kk 429 are also contrasting pieces. Kk 428, driven along
by a motif which is announced at the end of the opening, is an
austere work with a pedal bass and ostinato repetitions. Kk 429, on
the on the other hand, has all the charm of a barcarolle, with
arabesques in the bass and a sinuous oscillating melodic line. The
result is one of those remarkable lyrical pieces of which Scartatti held
the secret.
CD 26
Kk 410Kk 411 The way in which the various registers of the
harpsichord are exploited the same motif is repeated on different
octaves makes Kk 410, as well as many other of the sonatas from
this period of Scarlattis life, particularly interesting for their variety
of colour and provides a possible explanation for the marking per
cembalo expresso in Kk 356. The regular subdivisions of Kk 411 into
four-bar sequences and its single theme (arpeggios in contrary
motion) give the piece something of the atmosphere of a minuet.
Kk 412Kk 413 The first of this pair of sonatas has a single theme
and the piece is propelled throughout by the rhythmic sequence
announced in the opening bars. Note the whole-bar rests around the
crux and the dramatic effect they create. Kk 413 is a devil-may-care
tarantella or even perhaps devilish on account of the wide leaps
which have to be executed by the left hand.
Here we begin the series of sonatas which was copied out in Volume
X of the Venice manuscript dated 1755.
Kk 426Kk 427 The partners in this pair of sonatas differ from each
other both in tempo and character. Kk 426 is a gentle piece made
up of separate sequences which vary in register and tone. It is
followed by the impetuous Presto quanto sia possibile of Kk 427 in
which railroads of semiquavers are from time to time whipped along
by four powerful chords on the rhythmic pattern:
16
CD 28
Kk 449Kk 450 Yet another pair made up of pieces in quick
tempo. The virtuosic character of Kk 449 is underlined by the use
of broken sixths, and in Kk 450, we have a Spanish tango whose
rhythm is maintained remorselessly from beginning to end.
Throughout, the piece is for four voices (sometimes five) and the
writing is particularly dense and resonant.
CD 29
Kk 468Kk 469 Most of the material for both halves of Kk 468 up
to the crux is provided by slightly varied versions of the opening
theme. The writing of the repeated notes in the closing figures
suggests that these should be treated rather differently from the
examples already met (cf. Kk 418, 230, 104, 84). In Kk 469, there
are chains of quaver motifs which create a static development at the
beginning of the second half (cf. Kk 438).
Kk 452Kk 453 These two pieces appear amongst the sixty sonatas
in the second volume of the Mnster manuscript. Neither Venice
nor Parma includes them. They are the only pair consisting of two
slow pieces.
CD 31
Kk 501Kk 502 The forthright construction of Kk 501 (which
would be concentrated were it not for the added sequences in bar
80) and the fluidity of the writing, which is enhanced by trills and
triplets, provide a sharp contrast with the complex nature of Kk 502.
Scarlatti takes unusual pains over the expression of unequal notes,
and we have here the only example of his use of dotted rests:
Moreover, all three pieces are thoroughly virtuosic and the rapid
scales in Kk 490, which are already impressive, become nothing
more nor less than rockets in the post-crux of Kk 492. Note also the
arpeggios in the post-crux of Kk 491, the thirds in Kk 492 and the
sixths in Kk 490.
Kk 509Kk 510 Up to the crux in each half, all the voice entries in
Kk 509 are treated in imitation. Themes and motifs announced by
one hand receive replies from the other hand. Immediately after the
opening of Kk 510, the writing becomes polyphonic, virtually note
against note. Incidentally, it is worth noting that the sonata begins in
D minor and ends in the major.
Here, we come to the end of the volumes dated 1756 in the Venice
and Parma sets. The subsequent volumes bear the date 1757, the
year of the composers death.
Kk 514Kk 515 The first sonata in this pair is placed right at the
beginning of Longos edition and it is separated from Kk 515 (Longo
255). It has often come as a considerable surprise to musicians
meeting Scarlatti for the first time, for the music is exceptionally arid
and the melodic line leaps around in a totally perplexing manner.
Its meaning becomes apparent only when it is placed in its
proper context.
CD 32
The following four sonatas, which constitute a couple of pairs, seem
more or less designed for work on a particular technical difficulty
(Debussys tudes come to mind):
Kk 520 could be entitled Study in Thirds (each post-crux features
them);
Kk 521 could in turn be called Study in Embellishments on account
of the variety of mordants, acciaccaturas and note-clusters it
contains. Note the way the rhythm is broken up in the closing
figurations;
Kk 522 features a number of passages containing various octave
figurations;
Kk 523 could be a study in contrary stepwise movements and leaps,
as these raise problems for the performer throughout the piece.
which provide the impetus for Kk 538, and the broad tonal schema
of Kk 539.
CD 33
The manuscript copies in the royal collections were intended for the
personal use of Queen Maria Barbara. There is a possibility that
Scarlatti did not consider these copies as final versions of his
compositions. Although Kirkpatrick looked upon these last sonatas
as the full flowering of the composers work, it is nevertheless
understandable that some authorities feel that they are no more than
preliminary sketches.
Kk 542Kk 543 These are the last sonatas in the Venice manuscript.
Note the mordants, trills and spirited note clusters in Kk 543 which
contrast with the austere construction of Kk 542, a piece notable for
its shifts between major and minor and for a number of accented
rhythmic passages.
already heard so often, and there are motifs in thirds for the
right hand which receive widespread arpeggio responses from the
left hand.
Glossary
Acciaccatura From the Italian verb acciaccare meaning to crush or
flatten; the name of a type of musical ornamentation found in
eighteenth-century harpsichord music. Scarlatti made frequent use
of the acciaccatura in his sonatas. The ornament appears in a
number of accompanying bass lines in order to strengthen the
sound (bass lines in Kk 141, cadences in Kk 208 and modulations
in Kk 490). He also made use of it in a great number of melodic
lines in order to provide pointing for the phrasing (e.g. Kk 132,
etc.). The theory behind the acciaccatura appears in the writings
of Francesco Gasparini, who was one of Scarlattis teachers, but it
is clear that Scarlatti made a far more extensive use of the device
than Gasparini had envisaged. (cf. LArmonico pratico al cembalo,
Venice, 1708).
There are only six sonatas which fall outside these categories. All
contain errors of instrumentation, numbering or copying. Some are
of doubtful authenticity. Sonatas Kk 43, 70 and 94 require a top D,
bringing them more into the group beginning with Kk 100.
Similarly, Kk 97, 148 and 153 require an E flat. There are grounds
for doubting the authenticity of Kk 97 and the other two appear to
have been intended for the fortepiano.
are written out on four staves in order to bring out the different
melodic lines. Kenneth Gilbert points out that this layout, which
favours the idea of the pieces being played on a two-manual
harpsichord, is in contradiction with the structure of instruments
going up to a g. The Spanish harpsichords which appear in the court
inventories had only a single keyboard. Further to this curious
problem, Kenneth Gilbert has more recently put forward the idea
that Kk 356 could be the first of a long series of pieces of extended
range and that the marking per cembalo expresso underlined the fact
that they were intended to be played on instruments which had been
suitably extended and adapted for them. The French, in this
connection, talk about a harpsichord which has been raval. Why
could one not talk about a harpsichord which has been squeezed
(expresso) in order to extract the last drop of sound out of it, in much
the same way as one talks about squeezing a lemon to get the last
drop of juice out of it? (Kenneth Gilbert at the Nice Symposium).
later, Longo, made sure that it would stick. We know that Wanda
Landowska had a famous cat, but we shall probably never know if
Scarlatti had such a pet. Nothing, however, is more alien to his style
than to give a title to one of his compositions, however suitable it
might be from an anecdotal point of view.
Gilbert Kenneth Gilbert was born in Montreal. After training at the
Conservatory there, he came to France and Italy to complete his
studies, working with Gaston Litaize, Ruggero Gerlin and Nadia
Boulanger. As an organist in Montreal, he played a decisive role in
the movement towards the Classical organ. After making his
London debut as a harpsichordist in 1968, he began to give concerts
in the leading towns and cities of Europe and America, and to make
a large number of records. He has taken part in numerous radio and
television broadcasts as well as in a great many festivals. His work as
a musicologist has led him to edit new editions of music for the
harpsichord by Couperin, Rameau, dAnglebert and Frescobaldi.
He also edited Couperins works for the organ, Bachs Goldberg
Variations and the monumental edition of all Scarlattis sonatas. The
latter work was selected by the Committee of the European Music
Year in 1985. Kenneth Gilbert taught first at the Montreal
Conservatory and at Laval University in Quebec. He was appointed
to the Royal Antwerp Conservatory in 1971. In the following year,
he took over from Gustav Leonhardt at the Haarlem Summer Organ
Academy in the Netherlands and likewise from Ruggere, Gerlin at
the Chigiana Academy in Sienna in 1981. He has conducted the
harpsichord class at the Stuttgart Hochschule since October 1981,
the year in which he became director of the Early Music
Department at the Strasbourg Conservatory where, until 1985, he
ran the post-graduate harpsichord course, the only one of its kind in
France. He has just been appointed professor of harpsichord playing
at the Salzburg Mozarteum. Kenneth Gilbert has exercised a great
deal of influence over the young generation of harpsichordists both
in Europe and America through his playing and his pedagogical
career in the field of early music.
There are other sonatas in which it would seem simpler to play the
top notes with the outside fingers of the right hand, keeping the
inside fingers for the accompaniment. Purists like to point out that
if you do this, you lose the whole point of many of the hand
crossings, which is to impose a certain degree of psychological
pressure on the performer, even if there is nothing that can actually
be heard. I suppose that I must indeed go along with that point
of view to a certain extent, at least so far as television broadcasts
are concerned.
Kirkpatrick has decisively refuted Burneys somewhat discourteous
comment which linked the disappearance of hand crossings with
Scarlattis increasing portliness. It would seem, in fact, that Scarlatti
did not put on weight as he grew older. It has to be admitted,
though, that the hand crossings are useful for determining the
chronology of the composers works.
only five of the sonatas from the so-called middle period (Kk 174,
175, 182, 217, 243). Amongst the final group of 300 sonatas, apart
from Kk 528, 529 and 554, there are only about ten which resort to
hand crossing, and even then only in moderation.
Longo The name Longo will always be associated with the first
complete edition of Scarlattis keyboard works and with the first
complete catalogue of the sonatas drawn up in connection with it.
The eleven volumes of the edition appeared in 1906 (the date of the
copyright) and new editions were put out regularly by the
publishers, Ricordi, until recent years. The great merit of the edition
was to acquaint the entire world with 545 sonatas. Until that time,
only a handful of pieces forty or so had been available.
Unfortunately, Longos edition reflects very much the spirit of the
age late nineteenth/early twentieth century and was designed
for pianists who were not particularly interested in accurate scores.
At times, one is surprised and even scandalised by the liberties taken
by Longo. He came from a Neapolitan family of musicians and was
himself a composer. It would appear that he produced his edition in
partnership with his father. Kenneth Gilbert discovered the texts
used for the first edition in the library of the Naples Conservatory.
They consist mainly of a most carefully-produced copy of the
Venice manuscript made, in all probability, by the father but heavily
laden with the sons additions in the shape of phrase markings,
dynamics and fingerings, which means that the edition is no longer
acceptable today. What is even more serious is that Longo actually
altered the text in many places and completely destroyed the order
in which the sonatas originally appeared. He ignored the gradual
development of Scarlattis style and the groupings suggested by the
manuscripts (pairs and triptychs) and reorganised them into suites
according to tonality. From a musical point of view, this made no
sense whatsoever. In addition, Kirkpatricks catalogue reveals that
there are eleven sonatas which Longo did not include in his edition,
i.e Kk 41 (fugue in D minor), Kk 80, 94, 97, 142, 143, 144, 204a,
204b, 452 and 453. The two sonatas Kk 204a and b are in fact a
single piece.
they form with Kk 443, 509 and 518, all three of which are written
in the major. The actual distribution of modes throughout
Kirkpatricks catalogue should nevertheless be noted. Most of the
first hundred numbers are sonatas in the minor. The proportion
changes radically afterwards. Twenty-three out of the twenty-five
didactic sonatas which are to be found in the initial Parma and
Venice volumes (from Kk 148 onwards) are in the major, and out
of the last three hundred sonatas there are fewer than sixty in the
minor. When there are sharps in the key signature, the chances are
that the piece will be in the major; if there are flats, one can expect
the minor. Sonatas in the major with flats in the key signature are
twice as rare as sonatas with sharps. The opposite is true in the case
of pieces in the minor.
23
Essential reading
Ralph Kirkpatrick Domenico Scarlatti, first published in 1983 by the
Princeton University Press.
Jol Sheveloff The keyboard music of Domenico Scarlatti, published by
Ann Arbor University, Michigan, USA, 1970.
Kenneth Gilbert Prface de ldition intgrale en onze volumes de luvre
pour clavier de Domenico Scarlatti, Heugel, Paris 1983.
Nice Symposium Record of the Proceedings of the International
Symposium on Domenico Scarlatti, organised by the Nice Early Music
Festival in 1985.
Roberto Pagano Scarlatti, Alessandro e Domenico, due vite in una,
published by Arnaldo Mondadori in 1985.
24
Quand la mort nous la pris, certes Scott Ross avait bien des uvres
de Bach en commande les mdias, toujours simplistes, voyaient
en lui le Glenn Gould du clavecin ce qui avait le don de mettre
Scott en fureur, et comme il sest toujours ingni faire le contraire
de ce quon voulait quil ft, il abordait un nouveau rpertoire, celui
de la fin du XVIIIe sicle Mozart tout simplement. Ses intimes
connaissaient aussi sa passion pour Chopin et pour le piano. Depuis
longtemps il rvait dun concert o il aurait eu sur scne un clavecin
et un piano, et o il aurait jou successivement Couperin et
Debussy. Sa sret de got, sa fabuleuse facilit digitale auraient
permis ce challenge.
Scott avait aussi un got quil gardait encore plus secret pour la
musique contemporaine, mais ce got tait trs slectif, par exemple
il adorait Ligeti mais pensait beaucoup de mal des clavecins des
interprtes duvres contemporaines. Ces machineries passeraient
vite selon lui au rayon des antiquits, alors que les Taskin, les Blanchet,
les Ruckers et autres clavecins anciens resteraient vivants. Scott avait
aussi un livre en chantier et son criture, sa pense, gardaient
llgance et lacuit de son jeu.
Pour tous ses amis, pour son public travers le monde entier, Scott
Ross laisse en dpit dune vie si brve limage dune perfection
acheve, dun interprte qui a ralis ce quil portait en lui. Et en
mme temps lhomme paradoxal, multiple, tait si riche que sans
doute chacun peut avoir son souvenir de Scott Ross.
Denise Fasquelle
Vivi felice
Vivi felice. Vivez heureux. Ce sont les derniers mots qui prfacent
lunique recueil des pices publies par Scarlatti.
Couplage
Ce couplage est une notion que Ralph Kirkpatrick a remis en
vidence aprs les travaux de Gerstenberg (1935) sans toutefois lui
donner un caractre impratif.
Les ditions prcdentes, par leur ordonnance arbitraire, avaient
nglig le fait que dans les manuscrits de Venise et de Parme,
pratiquement plus des deux tiers des sonates semblent associs, deux
par deux, parfois trois par trois.
Mal dite, mal traite, son uvre posait galement des nigmes qui
ne sont toujours pas rsolues. Il nexiste par exemple aucun
manuscrit autographe de Scarlatti pour ces sonates. On dispose certes
de manuscrits, mais ils sont dus des copistes. Il existe plusieurs
copies relativement comparables, relies aux armes de la maison
dEspagne. Elles sont actuellement conserves en Italie aux
bibliothques de Venise et de Parme. En revanche, le texte
autographe demeure introuvable si toutefois il a exist.
Lauthenticit, mais surtout la chronologie des sonates reste matire
discussion.
Autre nigme, celle des conditions dans lesquelles les sonates ont t
composes. On pense que la plupart dentre elles ont t crites au
Portugal et en Espagne : Scarlatti tait Matre de Musique de la
Princesse Maria Barbara de Bragance, fille du Roi du Portugal puis
Reine dEspagne. Mais Scarlatti aurait pu tout aussi bien emmener
avec lui des compositions faites lors de sa brillante carrire en Italie,
avant de sexiler. Pourquoi cet exil, dailleurs ? Quelle force pousse
Scarlatti quitter son pays natal lge de cinquante ans et pour
toujours ? De fait, il abandonne sa famille paternelle, une Italie en
pleine effervescence musicale, une carrire brillante dinterprte et de
compositeur dopras. On sait trop peu de choses sur lui pour pouvoir
rpondre, mais les raisons de son dpart sont sans doute plus
psychologiques que financires. Il est certain que lapparition de son
uvre magistrale correspond ce dpart. Il sest agi sans doute dun
exil heureux : sa relation avec Maria Barbara fut dune constance et
dune fidlit exemplaire, et il avait lestime de son entourage. Anobli,
il fondera une famille et pourtant un silence presque total entoure
son existence jusqu sa mort. Il ny a gure que son ami le chanteur
italien Farinelli il jouait galement un rle musical prpondrant
la cour dEspagne qui ait laiss quelques tmoignages sur lui, cest
en tout cas grce lui que les sonates copies et relies sont finalement
parvenues en Italie, la mort de la Reine.
y regarder de prs, la chose nest pas aussi vidente quon sest plu
lcrire dans des traits de composition modernes ; leurs auteurs ny
trouvant que ce quils cherchaient : des origines plus ou moins
maladroites de la sonate classique, des raisons daffirmer la supriorit
de la grande forme qui marquera la musique du XIXe sicle. Or les
deux formes (la sonate de Scarlatti, la sonate dite classique) sont
simplement diffrentes ; comme lopra seria diffre de lopra de
Verdi, le motet de la cantate : rien nautorise une hirarchie de ces
valeurs. La forme sonate classique saffirme comme telle dans les
uvres o le thme principal est repris la rexposition dans la
mme tonalit ce fut le monde formel de Carl Philipp Emmanuel
Bach et de son cole on connat la suite
Sous le titre des Essercizi per gravicembalo ces sonates furent en effet les
seules pices dont Scarlatti assura personnellement la publication,
prsentant ses intentions dans une prface, avec une ddicace ceux
qui dornavant seront ses nouveaux matres en Espagne.
A-t-il choisi le graveur, corrig les preuves ? Le graveur tait
clbre : Fortier, plus clbre quattentif le frontispice du recueil
est publi avec un clavecin lenvers ! Quant aux preuves,
sont-elles absolument conformes loriginal ? Les doutes qui
subsistent restent incontrlables. En tout cas Scarlatti choisit les
pices quil dsirait voir publier et les a sans doute retravailles avant
de les livrer son diteur anglais.
Sans doute les plus joues et encore aujourdhui les plus enregistres,
elles furent longtemps les plus facilement accessibles en raison des
nombreuses ditions.
Par bien des cts, ces sonates marquent une transition dans la vie et
luvre de Scarlatti : le compositeur italien adopte lEspagne et le
compositeur dopras dornavant se consacre au clavier. On trouve
dans ce recueil un heureux mlange de la tradition italienne et de
linspiration quoffre lEspagne avec ses danses et ses chants
populaires. Aux cts de toccatas (Kk. 1, 4, 12 ), de pices
concertantes ou polyphoniques (Kk. 3, 8, 30 ), on ne peut nier
les reflets de la danse et des chants espagnols dans des pices comme
Kk. 2, 5, 17 ou 24.
Les formes des sonates ultrieures seront aussi plus varies, mais lon
trouve ici en germe ce qui fera leur richesse. La forme libre par
exemple, qui apparat ds Kk. 19, le principe du dveloppement des
secondes parties de la sonate, qui bien que limit apparat ds Kk. 9.
Les quatre cinquimes des sonates sont du type ferm, comme la
plupart des pices binaires du XVIIIe sicle, mais Scarlatti enrichit
cette forme par diffrents procds tels que la permutation des
squences musicales dans les deux parties de la sonate, qui rend
celle-ci asymtrique (ds Kk. 1 par opposition Kk. 2 mais galement
dans Kk. 4, 12, 21, 24) ; ou encore labandon de la traditionnelle
dominante la double barre (la moiti des sonates en mineur
sarticule ainsi au relatif majeur Kk. 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 15, 19, 27).
CD 3
Kk. 31Kk. 42 : ces douze sonates ont t publies pour la premire
fois en Angleterre, dans une sorte ddition pirate tablie par
Thomas Roseingrave (cf. Repres), au lendemain de la premire
publication des Essercizi. Tout en reprenant ces trente premires
sonates, il change le titre de louvrage, modifie lordre des pices et
augmente le nombre des sonates, mlangeant des pices quil avait
sans doute ramenes dItalie vingt ans plus tt avec lune de ses
propres compositions, en guise dintroduction. Les murs de
ldition taient lpoque bien diffrentes des ntres !
Il est clair en tout cas que les pices ajoutes par Roseingrave aux
Essercizi sont des pices de jeunesse, comme bon nombre de celles
qui figurent dans les cent numros suivants du catalogue de
Kirkpatrick. On y trouve souvent la marque de lcole italienne :
Kk. 35 est par exemple une toccata, Kk. 41 une fugue quatre
parties ; lune et lautre de ces pices auraient pu tre de Haendel.
On y trouve la trace du style concertant : Kk. 37 et Kk. 40 font
penser Vivaldi ; les danses qui forment lessentiel des Suites pour
clavier de lpoque sont galement prsentes (Kk. 40, 42).
28
Kk. 58 : est une fugue quatre voix, aussi peu rigoureuse que les
deux prcdentes (Kk. 30 et Kk. 41). Les thmes svres prsentent
en revanche un beau contraste entre un sujet chromatique
descendant et un contre-sujet diatonique ascendant.
Kk. 74 est un Capriccio, au mme titre que Kk. 63, si leur parent
est vidente, il est intressant de constater la conduite dynamique
diffrente des deux pices : les accords et les cadences charges de
Kk. 63 contrastent avec la fluidit de Kk. 74.
Kk. 63 : est marqu Capriccio, Kk. 64 Gavotte (Cf. supra Kk. 59).
noter daprs Kirkpatrick la similitude de Kk. 63 avec une pice
dAdolfo Hasse publie Londres en 1740 (Op. 2, Sonate no 4,
3e mouvement).
Kk. 79 est une trs belle toccata crite en imitation et termine par
des conclusions rythmiquement brillantes.
Kk. 80 : Ravissant menuet (chiffr). Cest la deuxime pice du
catalogue de Kirkpatrick qui ne figure pas dans ldition Longo, ceci
est dautant moins comprhensible quen ralit Kk. 79 et Kk. 80
sont associes sous le mme numro XLV dans le manuscrit de
Venise, source utilise par Longo et Kirkpatrick.
CD 5
Kk. 67 : Le style classique, voire archaque de cette sonate ressort de
son criture en imitation. Il ny a pas une mesure qui ne rpte
inlassablement les quatre notes de laccord bris entendu au dpart.
Kk. 82 comme Kk. 85, nest pas une pice binaire comme le sont
toutes les sonates de Scarlatti. Cette particularit prend toutefois une
signification particulire si lon considre ces pices comme faisant
partie dune suite, telles quelles figurent dans le manuscrit de
Combre (Cf. Repres). Sous le titre de Toccata X sont en effet
regroupes (dans lordre) les sonates Kk. 82, Kk. 85, Kk. 78 (gigue
et menuet), Kk. 94 (menuet). Ce manuscrit daterait de 1720. En
toute logique cela aurait d inciter Kirkpatrick les placer en tte de
son catalogue ; ceut t se priver de commencer par les chefs
duvre que sont les Essercizi.
Cette sonate sinscrit dans lventail des pices danser que lon
trouve dans les compositions premire manire. noter : les
manuscrits ne prcisent pas de tempo pour cette sonate.
Kk. 69 : Bien que polyphonique, voire orchestrale, cette sonate est
galement mue par une cellule rythmique unique
Kk. 70, Kk. 71 et Kk. 72 : Ces trois sonates ont une parent
vidente, elles refltent le style classique des toccate par une criture
en imitation et un droulement sans surprise. Giorgio Pestelli fait
remonter ces pices aux premires annes de Scarlatti, lorsquil tait
Venise (1705-1709) ou Rome (1709-1719) ; il avance
lhypothse que Kk. 72 serait la toute premire pice crite par
Scarlatti pour le clavecin. Il ny a pas de srieuses raisons pour
confirmer ou contredire cette ide.
Kk. 73 est une suite de trois pices, les deux dernires portant
lindication Minuetto. Leur matriel thmatique prsente une grande
similitude du fait de limpulsion des motifs qui tous trois prennent
fortement appui sur le temps fort de chaque mesure. Ces trois
motifs, ascendants, sont amens dans chaque mouvement en figures
de plus en plus serres
29
CD 6
Kk. 94 : petit menuet dont la forme est inhabituelle chez Scarlatti :
son thme initial est repris lidentique quelques mesures avant la
fin. Cette pice ne figure pas dans ldition intgrale de Longo, sa
seule source est le dernier mouvement de la Toccata X (cf. Repres
et supra Kk. 82).
Kk. 111 : Lessentiel de cette curieuse pice repose sur une srie
daccords contretemps de la main droite rpts 26 fois, ce qui fait
52 fois avec les reprises !
CD 7
Kk. 113Kk. 114 : Aprs une ouverture hroque, Kk. 113 droule
un systme continu de croches, en majeur et mineur, dans les
tonalits voisines de la tonique. Kk. 114 contraste par la varit de
ses rythmes ; tout voque la musique populaire espagnole : la liesse
de son ouverture, le chant tendu de la deuxime partie dont les sept
notes descendantes sont tour tour appuyes de trilles, de rythmes
et de gammes rapides comme des fuses.
Les trois sonates Kk. 101, Kk. 102 et Kk. 103 nous donnent lun
des rares exemples des liaisons que lon trouve dans les copies
manuscrites. Elles portent sur des arpges ou des gammes rapides ; il
est difficile den tirer une conclusion gnrale sur larticulation dans
le jeu de Scarlatti.
Kk. 101 et Kk. 103 prsentent des motifs extrmement volubiles ; le
motif nonc lunisson dans Kk. 101 est repris dans Kk. 102 qui
sinspire galement dans ses formules conclusives des squences dj
utilises dans Kk. 7 et Kk. 55.
30
CD 9
Kk. 141 : Lune des pices les plus connues de Scarlatti. La
succession de ses notes rptes sur un accompagnement charg
dacciaccature, contraste avec le droulement gnreux des
conclusions de chaque partie.
CD 8
Kk. 126 : Les squences mlodiques, spares par des arpges et des
lments chromatiques, soutenus par des accords obstins, se
diversifient selon quils appuient ou quils ludent le premier temps :
on a ici deux des signatures courantes de Scarlatti.
Kk. 129 : La division des deux parties des sonates de Scarlatti autour
de ce pivot que Kirkpatrick nomme crux (Cf. Repres), est ici
rendue vidente par les deux points dorgue qui viennent ponctuer
un discours tant soit peu rptitif.
Kk. 130 : Tierces, sixtes et octaves parallles forment lessentiel du
matriel musical de cette pice dont la construction tonale se fait
principalement sur le relatif mineur de la tonalit de louverture.
Les vingt-neuf pices de cette srie sont groupes dans les volumes
numros 1 de Parme et de Venise (ce dernier dat de 1752). Elles
sont toutes dsignes Toccata dans lindex du manuscrit de Parme. Il
ne sagit pas proprement parler dune collection de pices
didactiques, mais on ne peut sempcher de constater une
progression de leur difficult. Les premires sont abordables au
commun des clavecinistes, alors que certaines pices prcdentes
ncessitent une technique confirme. Progressivement on retrouve
le niveau de difficult auquel Scarlatti nous avait habitu.
Kk. 131 : Dune tonalit inhabituelle, cette sonate repose sur des
dplacements de tierces des exemples voisins apparaissent dans Kk.
23 et Kk. 136.
Kk. 132Kk. 133 Charme et vivacit opposent ces deux sonates,
dans une ambiance de fracheur et de luminosit. Kirkpatrick y
voyait le climat dAranjuez. La construction libre que Scarlatti utilise
de plus en plus amne de nombreux thmes dans la deuxime partie
de Kk. 132.
Kk. 148 ncessite un clavier plus tendu que les claviers habituels. Ce
constat, mais surtout lexamen du style de ces sonates, amnent les
commentateurs sinterroger sur linstrument pour lequel elles furent
crites. Il existait des forte-piano la cour dEspagne ; Kirkpatrick
avance que les huit premires sonates (Kk. 148 Kk. 155) leur taient
destines ; Sheveloff gnralise cette hypothse pour les sonates
jusqu Kk. 265 ! En ltat actuel des recherches ce ne sont toujours
que des hypothses.
CD 10
Avec Kk. 156, si lintention didactique demeure, la volont dcrire
facile semble sestomper. Les huit premires sonates sont
pratiquement crites deux voix, mais trs vite Scarlatti rintroduit
des lments qui ncessitent une plus grande matrise du clavier,
tmoins les agrgats volubiles de Kk. 156 ou Kk. 158, les grands
carts de Kk. 157.
Kk. 139 (CD 8)Kk. 140 (CD 9) : Deux sonates dune grande
virtuosit ; Kk. 140 notamment est parmi les plus difficiles de toute
luvre de Scarlatti.
31
Kk. 175 : tude pour les acciaccature, pousse trs loin dans
louverture et les zones centrales de chaque partie. Des accords
jusqu dix notes chargs dlments trangers lharmonie
crent des objets sonores dun effet percutant et froce.
sera entendue dans Kk. 178 et Kk. 179, alors que la deuxime partie
de Kk. 180 prsente un extraordinaire dveloppement de cette
scansion espagnole. Le chant tendu est ici port par des accords de
plus en plus riches qui crent un vritable crescendo. noter
galement dans Kk. 177 louverture et les squences qui voquent
une harmonie de trompettes.
Triolet que lon retrouve dans Kk. 165 associ une blanche ou
deux noires. La linarit des sonates de Kk. 164 Kk. 170 renforce
lhypothse dun ensemble de pices didactiques, ou du moins
destines un public damateurs que rebuteraient les difficults
parfois considrables des pices de la priode flamboyante.
Avec Kk. 177 commence une nouvelle srie de sonates qui jusqu
Kk. 201 sont prsentes dans le catalogue de Kirkpatrick dans lordre
du deuxime volume de Venise.
Kk. 177Kk. 178Kk. 179, Kk. 180 prsentent deux couples dont
les mesures sont inverses : C-3/8, 3/8-C, preuve que dans les
couplages la progression des mouvements est moins importante que
le contraste des mesures.
Kk. 167Kk. 168 : Aux triolets travaills dans Kk. 164, sajoutent
sur un canevas similaire des trilles et des mordants ; le mouvement
est galement plus rapide. Cette sonate est accouple Kk. 168 qui
semble proposer ltude des contretemps.
Kk. 182 : Les squences de cette sonate sont relies par une courte
formule o deux notes courent doctave en octave, cest pour
Scarlatti loccasion de donner un ct spectaculaire sa musique. Le
chant flamenco apparat dans la deuxime partie de la sonate, et
jusqu sa fin. Les conclusions sont diffrentes.
CD 11
Kk. 174 : tude pour les croisements de mains, le dessin continu des
croches au centre du clavier est successivement survol par la main
gauche puis par la main droite. noter la belle amplification du
dessin syncop de la dernire conclusion.
32
CD 12
Kk. 189 : Scarlatti impose souvent une disposition des mains dont
lintrt est plus visuel que sonore. Il fait ici jouer le dbut des post-crux
dune seule main : contrairement aux indications que donnent parfois
les compositeurs pour faciliter le jeu de leurs interprtes, il sagirait ici
plutt dune contrainte crant leffet thtral.
Kk. 205 : isole, cette sonate nest pas sans parent avec Kk. 211
(notes rptes) ou Kk. 214 (syncopes) ; la forme libre associe des
fragments binaires (C) et ternaires (12/8).
De Kk. 189 Kk. 198 par exemple, Venise ne suggre que trois
couples, laissant quatre sonates isoles, qui sont pourtant associes
dans Parme :
Kk. 190 forme dans Parme un triptyque en si bmol majeur avec
Kk. 189 et Kk. 202.
Kk. 191 de mme, un triptyque en r avec Kk. 213 et Kk. 214.
Kk. 196 une paire avec Kk. 210 en sol majeur ; Kk. 198 une paire
avec Kk. 203 en si mineur.
Kk. 206Kk. 207 : illustrent ce propos ; les surprises sont tout aussi
inattendues que les contrastes sont forts. La grande veine mlodique
sassocie une virtuosit ruisselante.
Kk. 208Kk. 209 : autre merveille. Sil fallait ne garder quune
sonate, je choisirais celle-ci Kk. 208 ; dautant que la sonate suivante
qui lui est accouple, avec son allgre balancement de jota, est un
remde infaillible la mlancolie de la premire.
Kk. 210 : Cette petite sonate monothmatique doit tre sans doute
associe avec Kk. 196 ; les deux pices en tous cas se suivent dans le
manuscrit de Parme.
Kk. 211Kk. 212 : Incroyable contraste, aprs Kk. 211, sinueuse et
pleine de charme, pimente de lcho dune mandoline, Kk. 212
prsente un dveloppement hroque, des enchanements qui font
penser Beethoven ! La surprise de ce dveloppement est dautant
plus forte quelle saccompagne dun changement de tonalit la
double barre.
Kk. 198 : Toccata isole, crite deux parties (plus une pdale dans
le dveloppement et des accords aux cadences conclusives). Le style
rigoureux de cette pice lapparente aux sonates Kk. 70, 71 et 72,
son plan tonal est peu dvelopp, ses cadences trs sonores.
Kk. 199Kk. 200 : Ces deux sonates montrent comment Scarlatti
saffranchit des contraintes de la forme binaire traditionnelle. De
forme ouverte lune et lautre, Kk. 199 est concentre : la seconde
partie ne reprend que deux des trois squences prcdemment
entendues dans la premire partie. En revanche Kk. 200 est libre : le
dbut de chaque partie est diffrent, tout en restant dans le mme
esprit. On retrouve cette forme libre dans Kk. 201.
Kk. 202 : Scarlatti nous propose ici une autre forme originale,
organise partir de trois squences diffrentes (Cf. incipit) A 3/8B
6/8C 3/8. Les parties extrmes (A et C) ont une parent vidente :
elles encadrent une longue squence au rythme de sicilienne qui
module constamment. Par le jeu des reprises, lexcution fait
entendre A/A/B/C/B/C.
CD 13
Les sonates, qui au catalogue de Kirkpatrick portent les numros 202
205, ne figurent dans aucun des manuscrits de la collection de
Venise. La source en est donc le manuscrit de Parme o elles sont
copies dans le quatrime volume dat de 1752. Kk. 203 forme une
couple avec Kk. 198 : elles se suivent dans Parme avec les No 20
et 21 ; les sonates suivantes Kk. 22 et 23 forment galement une
couple, mais curieusement une fois nest pas coutume
Kirkpatrick les associe en leur affectant les No 204a et 204b dans
son catalogue. La premire a une forme complexe o alternent
plusieurs tempi (C 3/8, 6/8), le majeur et le mineur ; la seconde en
revanche est une sorte de menuet volubile bti sur une cellule
rythmique unique.
CD 14
Kk. 217Kk. 218 : Si la plupart des ouvertures des sonates sont
crites en imitation, rares sont celles qui sont aussi ornes que celles
de Kk. 217 ; au contraire, la suite de la crux est massive, orchestrale :
par le jeu des croisements de mains, cest tout le clavier qui est
sollicit. Contraste galement : Kk. 218 termine cette couple par un
perpetuum mobile particulirement volubile.
Kk. 219Kk. 220Kk. 221Kk. 222 : Mme systme de contraste
entre lcriture orchestrale des premires sonates de ces deux couples
et les formules volubiles des dernires. Du point de vue tonal
lorganisation de ces quatre sonates est particulirement riche :
mlange de majeur et mineur, nombreuses sries de modulations
abruptes au ton entier suprieur. Le dcor tonal des sonates change
plusieurs reprises ; larmature de Kk. 220 est modifie cinq fois.
33
pas crits leur juste valeur. Dans le mme contexte, Kk. 92 avait
une notation plus prcise.
Kk. 239 : Fait entendre avec insistance une cellule rythmique
(motif repris 78 fois !) qui voque sans peine les danses populaires
espagnoles : cest en effet le rythme dune sguedille svillane.
Kk. 240Kk. 241 : La premire est une des plus longues sonates de
Scarlatti. La prsentation du thme espagnol qui est au cur de cette
pice est soigneusement prpare par une srie de courtes squences
qui apparaissent avec une symtrie parfaite dans les deux parties, tour
tour en imitation, propulses par des formules rythmiques solides,
ou encore animes par des marches harmoniques qui progressent par
tons entiers. Elle forme une couple avec Kk. 241, gigue au
mouvement continu de croches.
Dans les deux couples formes par Kk. 223Kk. 224Kk. 225Kk.
226, se juxtaposent des squences polyphoniques (celles de Kk. 224
ont dj t entendues dans Kk. 150), des squences rythmiques
marques de contretemps et de syncopes, des squences virtuoses
(accords briss, arpges divers) : on est bloui par la libert
dassociation dont fait preuve Scarlatti. noter les conclusions de
Kk. 226 : une inhabituelle diffrence les caractrise, la fin de la
sonate se termine sur une strette nerveuse.
CD 16
Kk. 244Kk. 245 : Couple dans la tonalit inhabituelle de si majeur.
Seules quatre sonates ont ainsi cinq dises larmature ; cest
loccasion pour Scarlatti de parcourir tout lunivers tonal, notamment
dans Kk. 244, sonate par ailleurs marque par la signature
CD 15
On prend conscience de lvolution de lcriture de Scarlatti en
comparant lenvironnement de certaines squences identiquement
reprises dans des sonates spares au catalogue de Kirkpatrick. Il en
est ainsi par exemple de lenchanement des gammes de Kk. 229
(CD 14), limage de celui de Kk. 43 ou dans le jeu des
notes alternes de Kk. 230 limage de Kk. 29. Ces dtails sont
incorpors dans des sonates sinon plus riches du moins plus
quilibres et plus abouties.
Kk. 231 fait entendre avec insistance une cellule rythmique rpte
soixante fois :
Kk. 234 : Toute la sonate est btie sur de courtes squences qui se
rpondent en imitation, les post-crux introduisent nanmoins un
thme en contretemps.
Kk. 238 : Derrire ces rythmes qui voquent les pices la franaise,
Kirkpatrick nous rvle quen ralit se cacherait une chanson
folklorique de lEstremadure. On notera que suivant les habitudes de
lpoque pour ce type de rythmes, les silences et les leves ne sont
34
CD 17
Kk. 258 : Cette sonate forme avec Kk. 53 lune des rares couples
nexistant que dans le manuscrit de Parme. Sagit-il dune ngligence
du copiste ? De la difficult quil avait rencontre pour runir les
uvres (parses ?) de Scarlatti ? Dix annes sparent Kk. 258 de
Kk. 53 dans les copies manuscrites de Venise.
Kk. 265 : est un rondo. Trois couplets 6/8 suivent un court refrain
binaire. La dernire reprise est suivie dune coda dveloppant
le refrain.
CD 18
Avec la sonate Kk. 268 commence dans lintgrale de Scott Ross,
une nouvelle srie denregistrements cette fois raliss sur un
clavecin de William Dowd.
Kk. 283Kk. 284 : Le prlude que reprsente Kk. 283 reprend les
motifs rythmiques sur lesquels tait base la sonate Kk. 270. Sa
facture est nanmoins plus varie du fait des motifs en triolets des
conclusions et des modulations de la seconde partie. Kk. 284 est un
alerte rondo dont le refrain est prsent alternativement en majeur
et en mineur sur la basse de sol, une octave de sol rpte une
chaque mesure sonne comme une pdale ou un bourdon de vielle,
les couplets ont une coupe par quatre. Ces lments imposent un
caractre de danse populaire cette superbe pice.
Kk. 268Kk. 269 : Scarlatti semble exprimenter dans Kk. 268 les
diffrentes directions que peut prendre une modulation. plusieurs
reprises, partant dune tonalit donne quil affirme trois fois par
la formule :
Kk. 303 est ainsi en quelque sorte mise en mouvement par la cellule
rythmique :
Des deux petites sonates Kk. 304 et Kk. 305, on peut aussi retenir
la cellule rythmique finale de Kk. 305 :
CD 19
Kk. 289Kk. 290Kk. 291Kk. 292 : Ces quatre sonates forment
aussi bien deux couples quune petite suite. Chacune delles est mise
en mouvement par une cellule rythmique que lon trouve tout au
long de la sonate. Cette cellule est prsente ds louverture (pour
Kk. 290 o il faut attendre quelques mesures avant de lentendre). Il
faut reconnatre une conomie de moyens dans ces pices, mais leur
simplicit na dgale que la parfaite matrise de leur criture.
Kk. 293 : est une toccata dont les motifs sont le plus souvent repris
en imitation. Il se forme ainsi un systme polyphonique trois voix,
quelque peu laborieux, qui procde souvent par marches
harmoniques.
Kk. 294Kk. 295 : Des gammes brises, quelque peu rptitives,
alternent avec de courtes squences polyphoniques. Le plan tonal de
Kk. 294 oscille entre majeur et mineur, on a parfois le sentiment
dune improvisation. Kk. 295 reprend les motifs de Kk. 284 : ce qui
tait refrain, marqu par des pdales en bourdon, termine luvre,
ce qui tait couplet se retrouve au dbut de chacune des deux
parties. Des squences modulantes isoles de points dorgue,
donnent en plus un caractre dclamatoire cette courte pice.
Kk. 308, Kk. 309, Kk. 310, Kk. 311 : forment par exemple deux
couples de sonates crites de bout en bout deux voix ; elles ont le
charme des pices faciles la basse est le plus souvent constitue de
noires ou de blanches.
dans Kk. 313 se rpartissent aux deux mains et leur excution est
dautant plus dlicate que les terminaisons de ces agrgats seffectuent
sur une note loigne.
Les notes rptes de Kk. 298 font chanter une mandoline, sans
doute plus napolitaine quespagnole.
CD 21
Quel tait en 1750 le temprament utilis par Scarlatti ? Les claviers
de la Cour dEspagne taient-ils ingalement accords ? Les
tonalits lointaines, charges de dises et de bmols, se
trouvaient-elles dfavorises ? Toujours est-il que les armatures de fa
dise, si, r bmol sont rarement employes par Scarlatti bien quelles
incitent la virtuosit. Il nexiste dans ces tonalits que trois couples
de sonates (quelques pices modulent dans ces tonalits rputes
difficiles), mais elles sen chappent rapidement en glissant du mode
majeur au mode mineur.
CD 20
Kk. 302 : Lun des rares Andante ternaires du catalogue de
Kirkpatrick. Cette sonate sorganise autour dune continuit de
triolets, il en rsulte une fluidit que Scarlatti interrompt
brutalement la fin de chaque partie par une cascade darpges, de
gammes torrentielles.
Bien des sonates sont crites partir dune petite cellule, prise et
reprise indfiniment par Scarlatti. Cest le plus souvent une ide
rythmique, parfois une arabesque mlodique et par le jeu des
rptitions, des modulations, voire des transformations, son rle
devient moteur, crant le mouvement.
Kk. 318Kk. 319 sont les deux seules sonates crites en fa dise
majeur. Pour assurer cette tonalit si peu usite lpoque,
Scarlatti, en guise douverture, parcourt dune gamme ltendue du
clavier : de haut en bas (Kk. 318) et de bas en haut (Kk. 319) ; mais
cest moins la facilit digitale de cette tonalit qui lintresse que
ltendue des modulations quil peut raliser. De fa dise jusquen ut,
36
qui reviennent huit fois comme une percussion. Dans Kk. 261 cest
lironique motif aigu
Kk. 326Kk. 327 : Dans cette couple, Kk. 326 a des allures de
toccata et Kk. 327 de danse ancienne. Les modulations de Kk. 326
suivent souvent le cycle des quintes et tiennent plus lcole
allemande quaux habitudes de Scarlatti. La coupe rgulire de Kk.
327 et le motif de cinq croches, plus de cent fois rpt sous des
formes diverses lui confrent un caractre chorgraphique.
Kk. 341, Kk. 342, Kk. 343, Kk. 344 : Quatre sonates en la dont
seule la premire est en mineur. Scarlatti nous propose-t-il deux
couples ? ou un triptyque de trois sonates en majeur et une pice
isole ? Je penche pour la premire des hypothses, non seulement
parce que nous sommes environns de couples qui se succdent
de plus en plus rgulirement, mais parce que les deux sonates
Kk. 343Kk. 344 forment ensemble de merveilleux contrastes
dcriture et de mouvement qui marquent cette notion de couple.
Kk. 331Kk. 332 : Avec ces deux sonates, Scarlatti nous mnage
quelques-unes des surprises dont il a le secret. Cest, dans la
premire, les sauts rpts de trois notes qui comme des pizzicati ou
une percussion, marquent, tantt la main droite, tantt la main
gauche, les premiers temps de la plupart des mesures, dans la
suivante, cadences, unissons, modulations et arpges donnent une
impression orchestrale trs particulire.
Kk. 333 : totalement diffrentes, les deux parties de cette sonate
contrastes par leur tempi, leur mesure et leur caractre, forment
une sorte de couple contracte dont Scarlatti naurait ralis que
deux moitis.
Kk. 334 : Autre sonate isole dans cette srie de couples, cest une
sorte de bulera dont le dessin rgulier des croches est relanc par
quelques syncopes. Ds la fin de louverture, la basse, qui pourrait
tre chiffre, marque chaque temps dune seule note.
Les sept couples qui viennent ensuite associent des sonates aux
mouvements rapides.
Kk. 352Kk. 353 : Une grande puret de forme rapproche ces deux
sonates aux lments simples et nerveux. noter les signatures :
Kk. 372Kk. 373 : Orchestrale, Kk. 372 lest tout autant, avec de
riches harmonies. Les contrastes de registres sont rpartis tout au
long de la sonate. Kk. 373 qui porte lindication Presto e fugato. De
fait part les marches harmoniques par ton entier dans les deux
zones modulantes, tous les motifs sont repris en imitation loctave.
CD 23
Kk. 356Kk. 357 : Ces deux pices sont intressantes plus dun
titre. Dun point de vue pratique, ce sont les premires recourir aux
notes les plus aigus du clavier (Cf. introduction au catalogue
raisonn). Lune et lautre ncessitent le sol, les sonates qui suivent
iront couramment au-del du r qui termine la plupart des clavecins.
Linstrument auquel Scarlatti les destinait, tait vraisemblablement ce
clavecin espagnol cinq octaves dont il nexiste plus que des
descriptions. Certaines pinettes avaient galement cet ambitus. Do
lindication complmentaire prcdant ces ambitus exceptionnels.
Kk. 374 : Il est curieux de rapprocher Kk. 279 et Kk. 285 de Kk.
374. Ces trois sonates sont mues par le mme motif rythmique
Kk. 378Kk. 379 : Les trois notes qui ouvrent Kk. 378 forment une
cellule rythmique qui animera toute luvre. De part et dautre de
la crux, ces croches joueront un rle symtrique
Kk. 382Kk. 383 : Le plus souvent crites deux voix, ces sonates
pleines de vie ont en commun davoir de courtes squences
polyphoniques trois voix, compltement dsarticules par une
superposition de rythmes. La polyrythmie qui en rsulte fait
littralement tourbillonner ces pices.
Kk. 370Kk. 371 : Orchestrale, Kk. 370 lest aussi, mais derrire les
tutti, cest une mandoline qui apparat, grenant ses notes rptes.
Kk. 371, sans moduler dune faon systmatique, joue avec
lenharmonie de si bmol (dominante de la sonate) et de fa dise
majeur. noter galement les deux divisions de la mesure 3/8.
CD 24
Les 183 dernires sonates de lintgrale de Scott Ross, ont t
enregistres sur un clavecin construit par Anthony Sidey.
Kk. 389, Kk. 391, Kk. 393 (CD 25) sont en effet semblables dans
leur esprit et leur caractre de danse. La mention Minuet ne figure
toutefois que pour Kk. 393 dans les deux sources principales ;
Kk. 391 ntant appel Minuet que dans le Manuscrit de Parme.
38
CD 25
Kk. 394Kk. 395 : Aprs un dbut dune grande conomie de
moyens, Kk. 394 explose : une cascade darpges digne des grands
concertos classiques, prcde une squence o le chant tendu dune
mlope espagnole est soutenu par un enchanement de quintes
parallles. Kk. 395 prsente galement un dveloppement dune rare
intensit : le chant syncop est soutenu par des accords ostinato qui
progressivement glissent vers le grave du clavier. Une des rares
sonates o les post-crux modulent.
Kk. 416 : est une belle toccata, brillante, dveloppe, qui peut
parfaitement servir de prlude la longue fugue Kk. 417. Cette
fugue est la dernire que nous rencontrerons dans luvre de
Scarlatti. Son thme en valeurs longues est svre ; elle se termine par
une srie damplifications.
Kk. 398Kk. 399 : LAndante qui ouvre cette couple de sonates est
charg deffets sonores : sur quatre octaves, tous les do sont sollicits,
puis tous les sol aprs la double barre. Un rythme de canarie relance
la basse. Kk. 399 oppose plusieurs reprises les diffrentes divisions
de sa mesure 3/8.
Kk. 420Kk. 421 : Ces deux sonates ont les formes les plus simples
qui soient : A.B./A.B. Dans chacune delles, A et B, qui ont
sensiblement la mme dure, sont spars par un point dorgue.
Dans Kk. 421, le mouvement perptuel cr par le droulement des
doubles croches, domine toute la sonate. En revanche, les deux
squences de Kk. 420 sont extraordinairement contrastes ; elles
prsentent sparment les lments des saetas : le rythme, affirm ds
la premire mesure, et lincantation mlodique.
Kk. 405 : est lune de ces pices dansantes 6/8 qui parsment
luvre de Scarlatti, sans quon puisse toujours reprer si la gigue
lemporte sur la tarentelle, ou si la bulera espagnole nen est pas en
dfinitive la source dinspiration. crite plusieurs voix, elle module
constamment.
Kk. 425 : est btie sur deux cellules galement caractristiques aux
rythmes contradictoires.
Kk. 408Kk. 409 : LAndante qui prlude cette couple enchane des
squences binaires et ternaires en croches ; son court dveloppement
cre une tension du fait des mouvements contraires de ces motifs.
Kk. 409 propose au dbut de la deuxime partie un long
dveloppement dont la couleur se modifie toutes les quatre mesures
par de lgers dplacements chromatiques.
CD 27
Kk. 428Kk. 429 Contraste galement dans ces deux sonates : Kk.
428, mue par un motif donn la fin de louverture, est tout
austrit, avec ses pdales graves et ses rptitions obstines ; Kk. 429
a le charme des barcaroles italiennes : arabesques de la basse,
oscillations sinueuses des motifs polyphoniques et longues gammes
conclusives, qui crent un de ces climats lyriques dont Scarlatti a
le secret.
CD 26
Kk. 410Kk. 411 : Les oppositions de hauteurs le mme motif
tant rpt des octaves diffrentes du clavier rendent Kk. 410,
et de nombreuses sonates de cette priode, particulirement
39
dans Kk. 446 par le tempo, les modulations, les grands sauts de
laccompagnement.
Kk. 430 : est une petite pice isole Non presto ma a tempo di ballo
dont le balancement est marqu par les deux doubles croches
entendues ds le premier temps et par deux basses fortement
soulignes qui ponctuent la pre-crux.
CD 28
Kk. 449Kk. 450 : Autre couple, forme de deux pices aux tempi
rapides. Des sixtes brises accentuent le caractre virtuose de Kk.
449. Kk. 450 est un tango dont le rythme impos
ds louverture sera maintenu sans relche. Constamment quatre
parties (parfois cinq), son criture est particulirement dense
et sonore.
Kk. 431, Kk. 432, Kk. 433 : Cest dans les pices de cette dernire
priode du catalogue de Kirkpatrick que saffirment les groupements
des pices en triptyque. Ces trois sonates au tempo rapide ont des
formes de plus en plus complexes. Kk. 431 est une des sonates
les plus simples et les plus courtes qui soient ; Kk. 432 est une toccata
qui offre un droulement aux basses quelque peu laborieuses ;
Kk. 433, enfin, est une gigue riche dlments thmatiques
contrasts : en plus des thmes 6/8, les squences polyphoniques
alternent avec des squences virtuoses.
Kk. 451 : est une des rares sonates isoles de ces derniers volumes.
Elle termine le Xe volume de Venise et le XIIe, volume de Parme,
dats de 1755. Kirkpatrick pense que leur composition prcde de
peu leur copie dans ces manuscrits. En 1755, Scarlatti na plus que
deux ans vivre. Il a presque soixante-dix ans, Bach venait de
mourir, Mozart allait natre.
Kk. 435, Kk. 436, Kk. 437 : Ce deuxime triptyque associe des
pices qui ont un caractre orchestral. crite en imitation, Kk. 435
a un caractre svre, par le jeu doctaves et de sixtes parallles, elle
prend la fin une singulire intensit sonore. Kk. 436 est frmissante
daccents de mandoline et de castagnettes ; Kk. 437 voque
galement une fanfare populaire avec ses tambours et ses trompettes.
Kk. 452Kk. 453 : Ces deux pices figurent parmi les soixante
sonates copies dans le deuxime volume du manuscrit de Munster.
En revanche, elles ne figurent ni dans Parme ni dans Venise. Cest
lunique couple de pices forme de deux mouvements lents.
40
dj entendue dans maintes sonates. noter : dans Kk. 465, les notes
rptes dune pdale insistante (basses des zones tonales de chaque
partie), ainsi que le signal :
CD 29
Kk. 468Kk. 469 : Le thme de louverture, avec de lgres
variations, forme lessentiel du matriel sonore de chaque partie de
Kk. 468 jusqu la crux. Les formules conclusives prsentent des
notes alternes dont la graphie incite une articulation diffrente des
exemples dj entendus (Cf. Kk. 418, 230, 104, 84 ). Kk. 469
droule une succession de motifs en croches qui tablit au dbut de
la seconde partie un dveloppement statique (Cf. Kk. 438).
CD 30
Kk. 485, Kk. 486, Kk. 487 : Cest lavant-dernier triptyque du
catalogue de Kirkpatrick. Il offre maintes difficults techniques telles
que : gammes rapides comme des fuses (conclusion de Kk. 485 et
de Kk. 487), dplacements doctaves allant progressivement de la
tierce la douzime (Kk. 487), sixtes et octaves parallles dans les
post-crux en mineur de Kk. 485, trilles de louverture de Kk. 487 o
Scarlatti impose lexcution des doubles notes par une seule main
(Cf. Kk. 189 et Kk. 501). noter que Kk. 485 exige un clavecin de
plus de cinq octaves allant du fa grave au sol aigu. Cest lambitus le
plus large de toutes les sonates de Scarlatti.
Kk. 488 Kk. 489 : Nombreuses sont les sonates de Scarlatti qui,
la double barre, sortent du cadre traditionnel de la modulation la
dominante. Ces surprises sont de plus en plus nombreuses dans les
dernires sonates. Dans cette couple, si la premire partie se termine
bien la dominante, le dbut de la seconde en revanche surprend
par sa tonalit inhabituelle : une tierce en-dessous de la dominante
dans Kk. 488, un ton au-dessous dans Kk. 489.
Kk. 472Kk. 473 : Dune criture simple, Kk. 472 prsente une de
ces squences polyphoniques (ici deux voix) dsarticules par la
superposition de rythmes dcals aux deux mains. Une disposition
analogue avait t donne dans Kk. 267 et surtout Kk. 254. Comme
dans de nombreuses sonates, le rythme de saeta avec la pulsion de
ses deux croches entendue ds la deuxime mesure, met en
mouvement toute la pice jusquau formules conclusives de chacune
des deux parties.
Kk. 490, Kk. 491, Kk. 492 : Somptueux triptyque qui groupe trois
des plus belles sonates de luvre de Scarlatti. Souvent dramatiques,
avec des accords chargs dacciaccatura, toutes trois font un large appel
aux rythmes des danses espagnoles : saeta dans Kk. 490
Kk. 495, Kk. 496, Kk. 497, Kk. 498 : Si le contraste des
mouvements et des styles caractrise le plus souvent le couplage de
deux sonates, certaines pices peuvent avoir une parent rythmique
ou thmatique. Lemploi des triolets de croches unifie par exemple
la couple que forment Kk. 495 et Kk. 496. Il y a de mme une
parent dans les motifs en croches de Kk. 497 et Kk. 498 (cellule de
six croches pour Kk. 497, cellule de cinq croches pour Kk. 498).
Kk. 499Kk. 500 : Faut-il voir dans la mlope centrale de Kk. 499
un cho du cante hondo espagnol ? Le chant est intense, soutenu
daccords ostinato ; les nombreuses guirlandes darpges qui
41
CD 31
Kk. 501Kk. 502 : La construction simple de Kk. 501 (qui serait
concentre si ce ntait la squence ajoute mesure 80), la fluidit de
son criture marque de trilles et de triolets, contraste avec la
complexit de Kk. 502. On y trouve une recherche inhabituelle des
notes ingales ; cest lun des rares exemples o Scarlatti indique des
silences points.
CD 32
Les quatre sonates suivantes, qui deux deux forment des couples,
semblent plus ou moins consacres au travail dune difficult
technique. On pense aux tudes de Debussy :
Kk. 520 pourrait sintituler tude pour les tierces : elle marque
en croches les deux post-crux ;
Kk. 521 serait alors une tude pour les agrments : elle
prsente une varit de mordants dacciaccature et dagrgats ; noter
les ruptures de rythme dans les formules conclusives ;
Kk. 522 pour les octaves briss;
Kk. 523 pour les degrs (les sonorits?) opposs : les sauts par
mouvements contraires sont particulirement dlicats tout au long
de cette pice.
Kk. 505Kk. 506 : Entre Kk. 505, toccata lcriture svre, et Kk.
506, toute de rythmes espagnols et de virtuosit, le contraste est
dautant plus frappant que les formes sont simples et lcriture
dpouille (le plus souvent deux et trois voix).
Kk. 513 : Parmi les sonates les plus clbres de Scarlatti, Kk. 513,
maintes fois enregistre, est indique Pastorale. Cest une pice en
deux mouvements enchans dont les rythmes de sicilienne
voquent sans doute davantage lItalie du Sud que lEspagne ou le
Portugal. Le Presto final 3/8 est une toccata virtuose.
Ici se terminent les volumes dats de 1756 dans la collection de
Venise et de Parme. Les volumes suivants sont dats de 1757, lanne
de la mort du compositeur.
que Scarlatti utilise dans les divers registres dune sonate relativement
polyphonique. Kk. 553 est plus riche de diverses squences qui
sonnent comme des rminiscences : la signature rythmique :
CD 34
Kk. 81 : Cette sonate et les pices qui portent les numros Kk. 88
91, forment un ensemble spcial dans luvre de Scarlatti. Ce sont
en effet des sonates en plusieurs mouvements enchans dont
lcriture est rduite une basse chiffre et un dessus.
Manifestement leur interprtation au seul clavecin nest pas
entirement satisfaisante. Dans son intgrale, Scott Ross les joue
acccompagn dun ensemble de musiciens.
Kk. 546, Kk. 547 : Couple opposant une pice cantabile et une belle
toccata dont il faut noter la similitude des conclusions avec Kk. 545.
Kk. 548Kk. 549 : Une sonate rythme prcde dans cette couple
la pice aux allures de toccata qui gnralement sert de prlude. Les
ides musicales nombreuses sont rptes avec insistance ; lessentiel
de larchitecture repose sur la varit des modulations et des
transpositions. noter lindpendance des doigts quimposent les
trilles de Kk. 549 comme du reste les accords avec trilles centraux de
Kk. 541.
Kk. 552Kk. 553 : Un seul motif thmatique anime Kk. 552, motif
simple
43
publies par la veuve Boivin, qui ne figurent pas dans les sources
dites principales ; on peut avoir des doutes sur leur authenticit.
Cembalo expresso : lexpression cembalo expresso est place en
sous-titre de la sonate Kk. 356, sans que lon sache trs bien ce quelle
signifie. Kirkpatrick se borne constater que la sonate ayant des aigus
montant jusquau sol, il ne peut sagir dune indication concernant le
forte-piano. Il y avait des forte-pianos la Cour dEspagne, mais leur
clavier ne dpassait pas le mi. Prenant en compte lexceptionnelle
graphie de cette sonate qui, comme la suivante Kk. 357, est crite sur
quatre portes afin de faire ressortir les diffrents plans sonores,
Kenneth Gilbert souligne que cette disposition, qui inciterait jouer
sur les deux claviers dun clavecin, est contradictoire avec la structure
des instruments allant jusquau sol. Les clavecins espagnols rpertoris
lors des inventaires de la Cour nont en effet quun seul clavier.
Devant ce curieux petit problme, Kenneth Gilbert, plus rcemment,
met lide que cette sonate, la premire dune longue srie de pices
dont plusieurs dpasseront lambitus habituel, tait justement
marque per cembalo expresso pour bien marquer sa dvolution un
instrument agrandi, largi, tendu. Les franais diraient raval,
pourquoi ne pourrait-on pas parler de clavecin exprim comme on
dit aujourdhui exprimer le jus dun citron ou encore le suc de sa
pense (K. Gilbert au Colloque de Nice).
Repres
Acciaccatura : Du verbe italien acciaccare : craser, aplatir, est sorti
le nom dun ornement que lon trouve dans la musique pour
clavecin du XVIIIe sicle. Cette acciaccatura fut largement utilise
par Scarlatti dans ses sonates. Dans certains accompagnements, il en
fit un procd renforant la sonorit (basses de Kk. 141, cadences de
Kk. 208, modulations de Kk. 490) ; dans de nombreuses lignes
mlodiques il lutilise pour accentuer le discours musical (ex Kk.
132, ). La thorie de lacciaccatura apparat dans les crits de
Francesco Gasparini qui fut lun des matres de Scarlatti, mais il est
clair que Scarlatti a exploit ce procd bien au-del de la thorie de
son matre. (Cf. LArmonico pratico al cembalo, Venise 1708).
Ambitus : Malgr quelques exceptions, les ambitus des sonates de
Scarlatti se regroupent en trois catgories :
les pices qui portent les numros de Kk. 1 Kk. 100 sont crites
pour un clavier dont la note la plus leve est un do (la note la plus
grave, un sol, nintervient que deux fois).
les pices qui portent les numros de Kk. 101 Kk. 364 sont
crites pour un clavier dont la note la plus leve est un r (la note
la plus grave est un sol).
Enfin, bon nombre de pices qui portent les numros de Kk. 365
Kk. 555 sont crites pour un clavier dont la note la plus leve est
un sol (la note la plus grave, fa, nintervient que quatre fois).
Il ny a gure que six sonates qui chappent cette rgle, elles
rvlent une erreur dinstrumentation, de numro, de copie ou plus
simplement jettent un doute sur lauthenticit des pices
correspondantes. Les sonates Kk. 43, 70 et 94 ncessitant un r aigu
sapparentent plutt des pices au-del de Kk. 100.
*
*
*
*
Antony Sidey (sonates Kk. 94 Kk. 188, et Kk. 356 Kk. 555),
William Dowd Von Nagel (sonates Kk. 268 Kk. 355),
Willard Martin (sonates Kk. 1 Kk. 30, Kk. 189 Kk. 267),
David Ley (sonates Kk. 81, Kk. 88 Kk. 91).
excuter ses uvres devant eux ? Par ailleurs, ltude des collections
de Venise et de Parme rvlent suffisamment de diffrences pour
quon puisse imaginer que ces deux manuscrits ne soient que des
copies dune autre source. (Cf. Colloque de Nice 1985 et Jol
Sheveloff : lhypothse dune troisime source).
Menuet : Une dizaine de menuets parsment luvre de Scarlatti,
du moins cest le titre que portent les copies manuscrites de ces
sonates. Cest moins larchitecture des pices que leur esprit qui
justifie cette appellation. Les chorgraphes baroques seraient sans
doute surpris par ces pices o alternent souvent un nombre pair et
impair de mesures. Si Kk. 440 est relativement semblable au Modle
habituel du menuet par la symtrie de sa construction, la plupart des
pices marques Minuet sont dune construction asymtrique et
ingale. Seuls lunit du thme, la mesure ternaire et le caractre
dansant de ces pices justifient leur titre.
Mode : Le passage du mineur au majeur ou linverse semble
tre chez Scarlatti un procd de composition qui varie davantage la
tonalit gnrale que le caractre du discours musical. Dans de
nombreuses sonates, on passe de lun lautre sans changer
dambiance. Qui plus est, trois sonates (Kk. 444, 510 et 519)
commencent en mineur et terminent en majeur, rendant ainsi plus
homogne les couples quelles forment avec Kk. 443, 509 et 518,
toutes trois crites en majeur. Il faut nanmoins remarquer une
certaine rpartition des modes au fil du catalogue de Kirkpatrick : la
majorit des cent premiers numros est forme de sonates en
mineur, mais cette proportion change radicalement par la suite. Des
vingt-cinq premires sonates didactiques qui commencent les
premiers volumes de Parme et de Venise (Kk. 148 et suivantes),
vingt-trois sont en majeur. Quant aux trois cents dernires sonates,
il y en a moins de soixante en mineur. Le mode majeur est associ
aux dises ; le mode mineur aux bmols. Les sonates majeures avec
des bmols la clef sont deux fois moins nombreuses que les sonates
ayant des dises. Linverse est vrai pour les sonates en mineur.
Bibliographie de base
Ralph Kirkpatrick: Domenico Scarlatti, premire dition en 1953,
Princeton University Press Traduction franaise en 1982 aux
ditions J.C. Latts.
Jol Sheveloff: The keyboard music of Domenico Scarlatti, 1970, Ann Arbor
University, Michigan USA.
Kenneth Gilbert: Prface de ldition intgrale en onze volumes de luvre
pour clavier de Domenico Scarlatti Heugel, Paris 1983.
Actes du Colloque International: Domenico Scarlatti, organis par la
Socit de Musique Ancienne de Nice, 1985.
Roberto Pagano: Scarlatti, Alessandro e Domenico, due vite in una
Arnaldo Mondadori Ed., 1985.
Gnrique
Silence, moteur, Scarlatti premire !
Ctait le samedi 16 juin 1984. Scott Ross commenait
lenregistrement intgral des 555 sonates de Scarlatti.
La production a ncessit 98 sances denregistrement ; la dernire
eu lieu le 10 septembre de lanne suivante, aprs quelques huit
mille prises.