Scarlatti Sonata K96: Conservative vs. Liberal Interpretations
This paper examines Domenico Scarlatti's Sonata in D Major (K96/L465) through a comparative analysis of two contrasting piano performances: one by György Cziffra and one by Fabio Bidini. After providing biographical context for Scarlatti and situating the sonata within the broader debate over historically informed performance practice, the paper evaluates both renditions on the basis of rhythm, dynamics, ornamentation, pedaling, and fidelity to the score. Cziffra's approach is characterized as conservative and historically grounded, while Bidini's is described as liberal and expressively modern. The paper concludes that Cziffra's performance more faithfully preserves the harpsichordic character and unifying rhythmic drive that define Scarlatti's baroque style.
- Domenico Scarlatti: Biographical Background: Life, career, and musical legacy of Scarlatti
- Historical Context of Sonata K96: Overview of K96 and its performance history
- The Instrument Debate: Harpsichord vs. Piano: Scholarly debate on historically appropriate instruments
- Performance Critique: Cziffra and Bidini Compared: Bar-level comparison of rhythm, dynamics, and technique
- Conservative vs. Liberal Interpretive Approaches: Framing each pianist's interpretive philosophy
- Conclusion: Cziffra judged more historically faithful overall
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper organizes its argument clearly by moving from biography to historical context to instrument debate before arriving at the performance critique, giving readers the background they need to evaluate the analysis.
- The use of specific bar references (e.g., bars 19–24, the pianissimo in bar 11) grounds the critique in the score itself, lending credibility to the evaluative claims.
- The "conservative vs. liberal" framing provides a memorable conceptual scaffold that makes the comparison of two performances easy to follow and intellectually engaging.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates comparative analysis applied to musical performance. Rather than evaluating each recording in isolation, it systematically contrasts Cziffra and Bidini across shared criteria — rhythm, dynamics, pedaling, staccato attack, and cross-hand technique — and uses those comparisons to support a historically grounded evaluative conclusion. This technique is strengthened by citation of scholarly sources (Koster's article on Iberian harpsichord making) alongside primary source listening.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a biographical overview of Scarlatti, then situates Sonata K96 in its historical and instrumental context. A dedicated section addresses the harpsichord-versus-piano debate using musicological scholarship. The core performance critique then compares the two recordings across multiple musical parameters. A synthesizing section frames the contrast as conservative versus liberal interpretation before a brief conclusion delivers a clear evaluative judgment.
Domenico Scarlatti: Biographical Background
Domenico Scarlatti was one of the most renowned composers of his era. His music helped define the baroque style and influenced many composers who followed him. Born in Naples, Italy in 1685 and dying in Madrid, Spain in 1757, Scarlatti is believed to have studied under his father, who was himself a well-known baroque composer. Throughout his life, Scarlatti frequently performed for royalty.
One of the most significant events in Scarlatti's career occurred 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 the best harpsichordist (Kennedy and Courne). This famous showdown advanced Scarlatti's career, and he worked in Rome for some time thereafter.
Scarlatti followed Princess Maria Barbara to Spain, where she married the Crown Prince in 1729. He remained in Spain for the rest of his life, becoming Maria Barbara's maestro de cámara when she became queen (Kennedy and Courne). During his career, Scarlatti introduced many innovative techniques, including rapid note repetitions, double-note passages, and playing with crossed hands (Kennedy and Courne). These innovations changed baroque music and shaped the direction it would take. They became the signature hallmarks of Scarlatti's influence on the music of his time.
Throughout his career, Scarlatti composed 550 single-movement sonatas (Kennedy and Courne). He also wrote 14 operas, masses, 12 concerti grossi, cantatas, 17 sinfonias, and other works (Kennedy and Courne). This output makes him one of the most prolific composers of his era and explains how his works came to define baroque music.
Historical Context of Sonata K96
Although Scarlatti wrote many large-scale works, such as operas and cantatas, it was his numerous sonatas for which he was most famous. The following analysis compares and contrasts two different renditions of Sonata in D Major, K96 (L465). The first recording is a video of György Cziffra performing his piano rendition; the second is by Fabio Bidini. Sonata K96 is one of the most frequently recorded of Scarlatti's pieces by modern performers.
Sonata in D Major (K96) carries a distinctly regal feel. Many performers have chosen to record it on piano. Scarlatti's writing also lends itself to guitar, since the piece was originally composed for harpsichord — a plucked instrument — making the guitar a natural analogue (Wolfe). Different renditions bring out different qualities inherent in Scarlatti's work. Piano renditions, for instance, tend to emphasize the rhythmic elements of the piece, whereas string instruments tend to foreground the more expressive ornamentation.
The Instrument Debate: Harpsichord vs. Piano
One of the great debates among baroque musicians concerns whether the works of major composers of the period — such as Handel, Bach, and Scarlatti — are best performed on piano, or whether they must be played on the harpsichord to retain essential elements of their character (Koster, p. 575). Queen Maria Barbara owned a harpsichord with numerous stops controlled by pedals, an instrument that would have been played regularly by Scarlatti (Koster, p. 580).
Examining the instruments that Scarlatti would have encountered frequently provides a better appreciation for the original feel of his compositions. This was an unusual harpsichord for the period, though there is no indication it was her favorite instrument. She also owned five other harpsichords with only two stops (Koster, p. 580). The piano was just beginning to gain popularity during this period, and the harpsichord remained the instrument of choice. Performers should therefore keep this context in mind and endeavor to preserve the feel of the harpsichord.
Scarlatti is considered the first real champion of the piano, and he frequently promoted Cristofori's original pianos (Koster, p. 581). Both early pianos and harpsichords were in wide use throughout Spain during Scarlatti's time, and there is no evidence that he definitively preferred one over the other (Koster, p. 581). Harpsichords also displayed notable regional differences in mechanical design, giving each regional tradition a distinctive sound (Koster, p. 585). Portuguese harpsichords, with a large compass running from GG to g³, appear to be the most suitable for Scarlatti's work and may represent his preferred instrument (Koster, p. 603).
No single answer exists to resolve which instrument is best suited for performing Scarlatti's work. One must examine the range and style of each particular piece in order to arrive at the most appropriate conclusion. It is impossible to generalize, since Scarlatti composed under different circumstances and for different purposes. Many performers tend to prefer the piano for Sonata K96, though it is unclear whether this choice reflects convenience or careful consideration of the score.
Conclusion
The question remains as to which rendition is more accurate. Although Bidini's performance is more melodic and expressive, it is difficult to forget that one is listening to a modern concert grand. Cziffra's performance sustains the continuous, unifying rhythm that was a hallmark of Scarlatti's work. His attack and approach to pedaling are far more reminiscent of a harpsichord — or one of the early fortepianos available to Scarlatti — than Bidini's. From a historical standpoint, Cziffra's performance appears to be the more accurate of the two, even if it may not be as immediately appealing to the modern ear.
Cziffra's conservative approach to interpretation offers a timeless window into history. While Bidini's approach may be more attractive to contemporary audiences, it lacks the historical grounding of Cziffra's rendition. When one considers the importance of Scarlatti's work as a defining force of baroque music, it is essential to preserve the historical context of the compositions. In this respect, Cziffra's rendition is the preferred performance of the two.
Works Cited
Kennedy, M. and Courne, J. "Domenico Scarlatti." Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music, 4th Edition. Oxford University Press, 1996. Accessed May 18, 2008.
Koster, J. "Towards an Optimal Instrument: Domenico Scarlatti and the New Wave of Iberian Harpsichord Making." Early Music, Vol. 35, No. 4, November 2007, pp. 575–603.
Wolfe, W. A Masterclass with John Williams at the University of Arizona. October 30, 2002. http://www.guitarramagazine.com/WilliamsMasterClass. Accessed May 18, 2008.
Recordings
Cziffra. Scarlatti Sonata K96 in D Major — La Chasse. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdN95IQ83d8. Accessed May 18, 2008.
Fabio Bidini Plays Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata K.96. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBgI5bLNF5Q. Accessed May 18, 2008.
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