Page 92 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

90

DO NOT EXPECT ANY

PROFOUND INTENTION,

BUT RATHER AN INGENIOUS

JESTING WITH ART

SONATA IN D MINOR, K. 9 “PASTORALE” (1738),
DOMENICO SCARLATTI

he Italian virtuoso originality of their content belies
IN CONTEXT harpsichord player and their seemingly mundane and
T composer Domenico practical purpose.
FOCUS Scarlatti published his first edition A contemporary of both J.S.
Italian Baroque sonata
of Essercizi per gravicembalo Bach and George Frideric Handel,
BEFORE (“Exercises for Harpsichord”) in 1738. Scarlatti’s dazzling skills on the
1701 Baroque composer As the title of the collection suggests,
Arcangelo Corelli publishes the 30 sonatas were intended to A family poses with their harpsichord
his Violin Sonatas, Op. 5— be études (studies) for students in a 1739 work by Cornelis Troost. The
an early example of solo of the harpsichord—although by instrument’s popularity would soon
instrumental writing. Scarlatti’s own admission, the wane in favor of the piano.
1709 Antonio Vivaldi
publishes Twelve Sonatas for
Violin and Basso Continuo,
Op. 2, again showcasing
the virtuosic abilities of a
solo instrument.
AFTER
1784 Mozart publishes Piano
Sonata No. 1, K279, following
in Scarlatti’s footsteps with his
focus on solo keyboard writing.
1795 Beethoven publishes
Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 2,
continuing Scarlatti’s
experimentation with
the genre.

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