Sonata in D Major (K96)

Sonata in D Major (K96)

Sonata in D Major (L96): liberal vs. conservative viewpoints

Scarlatti was one of the most renowned composers of the time. His music helped to define the baroque style and influenced many composers after him. Domenico Scarlatti was born in Naples, Italy in 1685 and died in Madrid, Spain in 1757. Scarlatti is believed to be a pupil of his father, who was also a well-known baroque composer. Scarlatti often found himself playing for royalty throughout his life.

One of the most significant events in Scarlatti's life was when Handel's patron, Cardinal Ottoboni, arranged a friendly duel between Scarlatti and Handel. The contest ended in a tie, with Handel being named the best organist and Scarlatti being named the best harpsichordist (Kennedy and Courne). This famous showdown furthered Scarlatti's career and he worked in Rome for some time after that.

Scarlatti followed Princess Maria Barbara to Spain, where she married the Crown Price in 1729. Scarlatti stayed in Spain the rest of his life, becoming Maria Barbara's maestro de camera when she became queen (Kennedy and Courne). During his career, Scarlatti introduced many new techniques including rapid repetitions, double-note passages, and playing with crossed hands (Kennedy and Courne). These new additions changed baroque music and influenced the direction that it would take. Scarlatti influenced other composers, making these techniques the signature of Scarlatti's influence on music of the time.

Throughout Scarlatti's career, he wrote 550 single movement sonatas (Kennedy and Courne). He also wrote 14 operas, masses, 12 concert grossi, cantatas, 17 sinfonias and other pieces as well (Kennedy and Courne). This makes him one of the most prolific composers of the time and explains how his works came to define baroque music.

Historical Context of the Piece

Although Scarlatti wrote many larger pieces, such as operas and cantatas, it was his numerous sonatas for which he was most famous. The following will compare and contrast two different renditions of Sonata in D major, K96 (L465). The recording is a video recording of Cziffra and his piano rendition. The second is by Fabio Bidini. Sonata K96 is one of the most recorded pieces by modern performers.

Sonata in D Major (K96) has a regal feel surrounding it. Many have chosen to record this piece on piano. Scarlatti's work also lends itself guitar, as it was originally written for harpsichord, a plucked instrument (Wolfe). Various renditions of the piece bring out different qualities that are inherent in Scarlatti's work. For instance, piano renditions tend to focus more on the rhythmic elements of the piece, whereas string instruments tend to focus on the more expressive ornamentation of the piece.

One of the great debates among baroque musicians is whether the works of great composers of the period, such as Handel, Bach and Scarlatti are best played on piano, or if they must be played on the harpsichord to retain key elements (Koster, p. 575). Queen Maria of Barbara owned a harpsichord with numerous stops controlled by petals, which would have been played by Scarlatti (Koster, p. 580).

By examining the instruments that Scarlatti would have had frequent contact with, one can gain a better appreciation for the original feel of the compositions. This was an unusual harpsichord for the period, but there is no indication that this was her favorite. She also owned five other harpsichords with only two stops (Koster, p. 580). However, the piano was just beginning to gain popularity and harpsichords were still the instrument of choice. Therefore, performers should keep this in mind and attempt to preserve the feel of the harpsichord.

Performance Critique

Scarlatti is considered the first real advocate of the piano. He frequently promoted Cristofori's original pianos (Koster, p. 581). Both the original pianos and the harpsichord were in wide use throughout Spain during Scarlatti's time. There was no evidence that he preferred one over the other (Koster, p. 581). Harpsichords displayed regional differences in mechanical design, giving each region a unique sound (Koster, p. 585). The Portuguese harpsichords with a large scale available from GG to g appear to be the most suitable for Scarlatti's work, therefore may represent Scarlatti's preferred instrument (Koster, p. 603).

In order to resolve the question of which instrument is best for the performance of Scarlatti's work, there is no single answer that will be all encompassing. One must examine the range and style of each particular piece in order to determine the correct answer. One cannot generalize about preferences, as Scarlatti composed under different circumstances and for different reasons. One can only determine the best performance mode by examining the range of the piece, as well as the style of the piece. Many performers tend to prefer the piano for performance of Sonata K96. It is not know if this is merely for convenience, or if it is in consideration of the score itself.

The two renditions of K96 chosen for this analysis demonstrate the range of versatility and amount of disagreement that exists between stylistic choices. The performances of Cziffra and Bidini are diametric opposites, as far as rhythmic interpretation is concerned. Bidini takes much more freedom, inserting tempo changes where none is indicated in the score. Cziffra's performance is much livelier, giving the piece a bouncy feel. Bidini slows the pace, to enhance the more lyrical portions of the score. The score indicates that the piece should be played Allegrisimo. Binding's performance is much slower, but not so much as to be technically incorrect.

Bidini's attack on the staccato notes is much less aggressive than Cziffra's. Strict adherence to rhythm is a driving force in Cziffra's performance, giving it a more harpsichordic feel. Rhythm drives the piece forward and acts as a unifying force throughout this performance. During the repetitive notes in bars 19-24, Cziffra emphasizes the base notes played by the left hand. During Cziffra's performance, the notes in the bass and treble clefs are given equal weight, emphasizing rhythm over melody.

Cziffra paid closer attention to dynamics, sticking more closely to what is written. Bidini nearly misses the pianissimo in the 11th bar. This dynamic change emphasizes the staccato rhythmic chords that follow in bars 19-24. Neither of the performers realized the full potential of this dynamic change, but it was at least present in Cziffra's performance.

Many of the generalizations and observations about the opening first page of the score are consistent throughout the rest of the performances by both pianists. One could call Cziffra's performance a more technically correct rendition that follows the score more technically correct as to what was written. This performance could be compared to a more conservative viewpoint on the piece. Cziffra's performance reminds the listener of a harpsichord at times, with its even tempo and quick staccato notes. Rhythm is more prominent than melody in this performance.

Bidini's rendition could be considered a more liberal approach to interpretation. It is very modern in its use of stops. Cziffra only used the pedal to emphasize and lengthen tremolos. Cziffra's conservative use of the pedal gives the piece much more clarity. At times, Bidini's performance sounds muddy, as he seldom uses the pedal for a stop. One might also note that Bidini virtually ignored the cross-hand technique that was a signature of Scarlatti's work.