Domenico Scarlatti (Paperback)

~ (Author) "In 1685 Naples was as populous, as noisy, and as dirty as it is now..." (more)
Key Phrases: closed sonata, closing tonality, tied trill, Alessandro Scarlatti, Maria Barbara, Maria Casimira (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Not only the best examination of the subject which has appeared up to the present time, it is the only one commensurate with [Scarlatti's] true artistic stature, and the significance of his music to his time and ours.
(The New York Times )

Review

[Ralph Kirkpatrick has brought the composer to life as a man and as an artist against an eighteenth-century background as vigorous and as detailed as a picture by Canaletto.
(Virgil Thomson )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press; Revised edition (December 1, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691027080
• ISBN-13: 978-0691027081
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #730,665 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Scarlatti Primer..Plus, March 1, 2002

By	Albert E. Everett (Little Rock, AR United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The first 7 chapters are historical narratives without unusual merit except as an intoduction to the real book which is about music. There is a chapter on harpsichords. Kirkpatrick was not the first thinker on Scarlatti as evidenced by the extensive bibliography and appendix

He did establish the K identification number system which has stood the test of time at least in this country.

His real contribution is in identifying Scarlatti as a real musician writing music of extraordinary merit. His chapter on Scarlatti's harmony is very difficult reading.

The last chapter on "Performance of the Scarlatti Sonatas" should be read again and again by every musical teacher and student (he talks about tempo, rhythm, phrasing, articulation and attitudes).

Of course, one must have the sheet music on hand to see what it's all about, and a mind-set ready to accept Scarlatti into the company of Chopin and Liszt as well as Granados and Albéniz.

Kirkpatrick talks a little about the influence of Iberian song and dance forms on the sonatas of Scarlatti; a few others have scattered hints on this subject. I think the world would welcome a full-blown research here as a fitting sequel to this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bedrock Scarlatti, May 14, 2005

By	Eloi "[e-mail]" (Ely, NV USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

Ralph Kirkpatrick's 1953 work remains THE book on Domenico Scarlatti and his keyboard sonatas. There have been no substantial revisions in the biography of DS since 1953. Georgio Pestelli and many others have questioned Kirkpatrick on chronology, but when it comes to analysis of individual sonatas, Kirkpatrick is strong. Kirkpatrick was not a musicologist, so his book is actually interesting to read!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must read!, April 9, 2007

By	Hippo - See all my reviews

This book is so crucial for any one playing Scarlatti sonatas.
There is so much detail, historical context, and yet the writing is such that even an amateur pianist like me can get a grasp on how to interpret the sonatas. There are some nice sections on how to approach them on the piano.

I wish I could find similar books for every other composer!