Credits:

Jean Rondeau

Description:

Jean Rondeau's fourth album for Erato features a selection of the great legacy of Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757), whose 333rd birthday will be celebrated in 2018, from the 555 sonatas he composed over the years for the royal family of Madrid. These short sonatas, one per piece, are composed in strictly defined sections, unlike the dominant, complex, and pluralistic forms of sonata form that dominated the Classical and post-Romantic periods. The music ranges from the court to the common people, from serenity to violent tragic misadventures, and expresses them with great intensity. Moments of meditative melancholy overwhelm even operatic passion,' said keyboardist Ralph Kirkpatrick (1911-1984), who was also a Scarlatti scholar. Not only do the tremendous hand-crossings and ultra-fast passages demand a high level of skill from the player, but it is also important to understand each piece and express its musical narrative. In the repertoire of harpsichord works, it is about unraveling the language of the past, understanding previous events and performance techniques. It is not about finding something new. The term "historical performance" is merely verbal; I am thinking of integrity with the music of the past. My purpose in performing here is to tell the story of the music for those who listen to the album from beginning to end.The artist must consider how to tell a story with music and how to arouse people's curiosity. By questioning the music and pursuing it with the utmost sincerity, it becomes art," said Jean Rondeau. Rondeau takes a philosophical approach to interpretation and performance, as in the above words. As for his career, he also plays jazz and composes for film. As well as his performances, this album tells the story of Jean Rondeau as one album presented together with a letter to Princess Maria Barbara, to whom Jean Rondeau is said to have become D. Scarlatti and to have dedicated it, not only in the selection of songs but also in the order of songs. The music expressed here is a stimulating, rich, and intense art form that completely internalizes the music and leaves no room for miscalculation in terms of interpretative compatibility. Warner Music Japan

Tracklisting:

1.Sonata K. 208 (L.238/P315) in A major - Adagio e cantabile
2.Sonata K. 175 (L429/P136) in A minor - Allegro
3.Sonata K. 69 (L382/P42) in F minor
4.Sonata K. 141 (L422/P271) in D minor - Allegro
5.Sonata K. 213 (L108/P288) in D minor - Andante
6.Sonata K. 216 (L273/P320) in E major - Allegro
7.Sonata K. 162 (L21/P162) in E major - Andante - Allegro
8.Sonata K. 132 (L457/P295) in C major - Cantabile
9.Interlude
10.Sonata K.6 (L479/P62) in F major - Allegro
11.Sonata K.180 (L272/P192) in G major - Allegro vivo
12.Sonata K.30 (L499/P86) in G minor - Fuga (Moderato)
13.Sonata K.119 (L415/P217) in D major - Allegro
14.Sonata K.199 (147/P124) in C major - Andante moderato
15.Sonata K.460 (L234/P378) in C major - Allegro
16.Sonata K.481 (L187/P504) in F minor - Andante e Cantabile