Scarlatti: Concerti & Sinfonie

Alessandro Scarlatti (Composer), Domenico Scarlatti (Composer), Fabio Biondi (Conductor), Europa Galante (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Europa Galante
• Conductor: Fabio Biondi
• Composer: Alessandro Scarlatti, Domenico Scarlatti
• Audio CD (May 7, 2002)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B00005RFSC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #58,076 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #12 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Symphonies > Baroque

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dark Baroque Chef d' oeuvre, June 23, 2003

By 

Francois Beaudoin (Quebec, Canada (where we speak french)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scarlatti: Concerti & Sinfonie (Audio CD)

This album contains three very short sinfonie of Domenico Scarlatti (the son and rival of the father)which are very exciting. The Sinfonia in G major as example, contains writing that is more excitable and virtuosic.

There is six concertis grossis of Allesandro (the father). Alessandro Scarlatti's Concertis grossi seem to a singularly small extend to be concertante. Only the two major-key concertos (Nos 3 and 6) offer the soloists any real chance to shine, and of these, although in the pastoral Third concerto the first violin seems to be featured, in the last movement of the sixth each of the solo voices has its equal right to a little moment of glory.

I owned this Cd for about six months and I never listened to it...since a week!!! I was first unable to endure the darkness suffering of Allessandro Concertis. It seems to me that I was listening to a dark legacy of one of the king of Baroque era. So I hide it in a wardrobe.

A week ago, I listened to one of these masterpieces at the radio, A bell rang !!! What was wrong vith me with this sublime recording ?

Too much darkness? Or a litte lazinnes from myself ?

Europa Galante plays like they never played before. In fact Biondi the virtuoso is conducting his band like a great chief, without egotism. He lets them played like a real ensemble.

Sublime Success !!!

The sound offers great clearness (Diapason d'or of 2002)

So be more patient than me. At first, listen to the major-key concertis. After, be prepare to explore the huge, the mysterious gravity and the beauty of Alessandro feeling.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EYE OPENING, February 6, 2006

By 

GEORGE RANNIE "GWRJWMCL" (DENVER, COLORADO United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scarlatti: Concerti & Sinfonie (Audio CD)

When I listen to instrumental Baroque music I, of course, go to J.S. Bach then to Tomoso Albinoni and to Antonio Vivaldi not thinking of Alessandro Scarlatti or his son Domenico for instrumental (as in string ensembles) Baroque music. I primarily think of Alessandro for vocal works and Domenico for keyboard works. This recording has certainly opened my eyes to the fact there was far more to the Scarlattis than my preconceived ideas.

Alessandro's Concerti Grossi are indeed rather somber being written mainly in minor keys and consisting of at least two slow movements. I do have a propensity for the love of works in minor keys and for movements marked "Grave", "Adagio" and/or "Largo"; therefore, I enjoyed his Concertos. (After all, there are dance movements that although they would not make one "twirl the floor" they are very graceful.) The programming on this disc is great because the aforesaid somber works by Alessandro are lightened by the Sinfonias of his son Domenico whose works are mainly in major keys and are more lively!

Fabio Biondi and the original instrumental group Europa Galante play wonderfully plus the sound of the recording is full, lush and warm.

In closing, I will still stick to Tomoso Albinoni and to Antonio Vivaldi to start my day. However, this recording of Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti is a fine way to end my day. The music is indeed beautiful!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music to get your teeth into.., August 3, 2006

By 

John Willoughby "Zebrafish Mutant" (Amherst, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scarlatti: Concerti & Sinfonie (Audio CD)

This disc is a little imposing at first, but familiarity is rewarded with this program of superb early baroque music that has a great variety of pieces.

One of the reviewers below finds it depressing. I can understand how the slow dense shifting chords in several of the pieces could evoke that feeling, but for me they seem to express some deeply felt and complex inner peace, especially as they are interspersed with some light and elegant passages, especially some that feature lute or plucked violin(?).

I guess that this isn't perhaps the easiest Biondi disc to listen to for some people (I would advise listening to a few tracks first), but Europa Gallante give a wonderful compact performance.