Humberto de Oliveira's booklet notes for this terrific release by Brazilian-Swiss harpsichordist Nicolau de Figueiredo ask a question that may have occurred to keyboard music fans who've gone beyond Domenico Scarlatti and listened to the keyboard sonatas of Padre Antonio Soler, from the next Spanish generation. What of that "Padre"? If he was a cleric, why was he writing secular instrumental music, based on popular dance models? The answer turns out to be both less and more freighted with significance than it might seem. ...
Read More
Humberto de Oliveira's booklet notes for this terrific release by Brazilian-Swiss harpsichordist Nicolau de Figueiredo ask a question that may have occurred to keyboard music fans who've gone beyond Domenico Scarlatti and listened to the keyboard sonatas of Padre Antonio Soler, from the next Spanish generation. What of that "Padre"? If he was a cleric, why was he writing secular instrumental music, based on popular dance models? The answer turns out to be both less and more freighted with significance than it might seem. Less so because Soler was a member of the Spanish court, living and working (and dying) at El Escorial, Spain's unique combination of monastery and royal residence. He wrote keyboard music because he was expected to do so. But that is not to say that religious people did not worry about Soler's music. It touched off quite a debate, and Oliveira entertainingly recounts this little-known chapter of music history. At issue was not just the vigorous dance quality of Soler's sonatas, which...
Read Less
Add this copy of Harpsichord Sonatas & Fandango to cart. $24.53, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Passacaille.
