Soler Ross

The genius harpsichordist Scott Ross remains famous for his comprehensive Bach and Scarlatti recordings, but he explored a wider range of Baroque music, for instance Antonio Soler who had supposedly studied with Scarlatti and whose lively sonatas bear witness to the richness of the keyboard Spanish school and the intensity of musical life at the Spanish court.

The genius harpsichordist Scott Ross remains famous for his comprehensive Bach and Scarlatti recordings, but he explored a wider range of Baroque music, for instance Antonio Soler who had supposedly studied with Scarlatti and whose lively sonatas bear witness to the richness of the keyboard Spanish school and the intensity of musical life at the Spanish court.

Scott Ross was an American harpsichordist who was both popular and renowned for his brilliant technique and insightful interpretations. He recorded the complete works of Scarlatti, Rameau, and Couperin, three composers, along with J.S. Bach, whose music he became identified with over his brief career. Ross was also a highly respected harpsichord teacher in Canada and France.

Like Angela Hewitt, Andrea Bacchetti has carved something of a reputation for performing Bach on the piano, but whereas Hewitt’s Baroque ‘byways’ have headed to France for Couperin and Rameau, Bacchetti has returned to his Italian roots and now adds Domenico Scarlatti to sonata discs of Galuppi and Marcello. Not for him, however, an essay in cherry-picking some of the Neapolitan’s tastiest morsels. In collaboration with Mario Marcarini, Bacchetti has created new editions of Scarlatti’s works from manuscripts housed in Venice.

British harpsichordist Gilbert Rowland, who has recorded well-received versions of works by Soler and Scarlatti, here turns his attention to Handel's suites for harpsichord. These works have been historically neglected, apparently for the mere reason that they are not like Bach's partitas. Published mostly in 1720 and 1733 but dating in some cases from the earliest years of Handel's career, they are brilliant works that effectively fuse the decoration-encrusted French style with joyous Italianate lightness. They can be approached in several different ways. Rowland steers away from tempo variations, offering crisp readings that tend to drive directly forward through a phrase and then pause slightly at its end.