D Scarlatti

Violin and Keyboard Sonatas arranged for Mandolin

Anna Schivazappa (mandolin); Pizzicar Galante; Fabio Antonio Falcone (harpsichord)

Arcana A115 60:12 mins

Of Domenico Scarlatti’s 500odd harpsichord sonatas, a fair number were clearly written as pieces for a melody instrument and continuo; and an 18th-century French manuscript version of one piece suggests as a possible protagonist the mandolin, a popular instrument at the time. Mandolinist Anna Schivazappa, playing a selection of instruments in different tunings, justifies the proposition with neat and nimble, strongly rhythmic playing. But her continuo colleagues of Pizzicar Galante – viola da gamba, theorbo or guitar, harpsichord – when deployed at full strength create a congested, buzzy texture. Only when the accompaniment is thinned down does the slender voice of the mandolin engage most effectively with Scarlatti’s ornate solo lines.

The varied selection of pieces here – mostly in sequences forming three- or four-movement sonatas, but also including a single concertolike movement and a set of variations over a recurring bass line – casts an interesting light on Scarlatti’s compositional range. From the general music-lover’s point of view, though, and especially for fans of the mandolin, it also contributes to a pleasant hour’s re-creation of musicmaking in an elegant Parisian salon. Anthony Burton

PERFORMANCE ★★★

RECORDING ★★★★