Galuppi Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1
In the first of a series containing Galuppi’s 100+ piano sonatas, we present eight of these masterpieces. All music lovers should sample these seminal works, which made Galuppi one of the greatest composers of his day;all the more strange that he should have fallen into such obscurity.
Peter Seivewright has spent a good deal of time on a research mission to Venice and other European cities, retrieving the unpublished manuscript scores and preparing performing editions. One of the great revelations brought about by this work is that Galuppi, far from being a straightforward baroque composer writing for the traditional keyboard instruments (harpsichord and clavichord), which have been employed in all previous recordings, actually waited until the piano had been developed before creating most of his phenomenal output. Many of the original manuscripts are titled “Sonata for Pianoforte”, and much of the writing, making substantial use of the sustain pedal, simply do not work on the earlier instruments.
Track Listing
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Baldasarre Galuppi:
- Piano Sonata in A minor (1A) − I. Larghetto cantabile (2:52)
- Piano Sonata in A minor (1A) − II. Allegro vivace (2:02)
- Piano Sonata in C minor (1B) − I. Adagio molto (2:43)
- Piano Sonata in C minor (1B) − II. Allegro (2:22)
- Piano Sonata in B flat major (1C) − I. Andantino (4:52)
- Piano Sonata in B flat major (1C) − II. Allegro (2:40)
- Piano Sonata in C minor (1D) − I. Larghetto (3:04)
- Piano Sonata in C minor (1D) − II. Allegro (2:13)
- Piano Sonata in C minor (1D) − III. Allegro assai (1:50)
- Piano Sonata in A major (1E) − I. Andante (3:32)
- Piano Sonata in A major (1E) − II. Allegro (2:07)
- Piano Sonata in G minor (1F) − I. Largo (5:29)
- Piano Sonata in G minor (1F) − II. Allegro energico (2:15)
- Piano Sonata in G minor (1F) − III. Allegretto grazioso (4:30)
- Piano Sonata in E major (1G) − I. Allegro moderato (2:36)
- Piano Sonata in E major (1G) − II. Variazioni (4:11)
- Piano Sonata in F major (1H) − I. Andantino e con espressione (6:06)
- Piano Sonata in F major (1H) − II. Allegro assai (2:51)
Reviews
“This is a fascinating disc… [Galuppi’s] music is very tuneful, unpretentious and untrammelled by ‘early music fussiness’. They are far more appealing than Scarlatti sonatas. I have to commend the recording engineer who produces a close, intimate and crisp sound. Peter Seivewright gives us a splendid example as to how to play cantabile which all students and fellow pianists would do well to emulate. The ‘sleeve booklet’ gives an excellent introduction to the life and times of this gifted composer and whets our appetite for further helpings. Performances ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recording ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Highly recommended
” —David Wright
“A revelatory disc… Galuppi’s invention is rich and fresh, and Seivewright plays these wonderful pieces with a sense of delight in discovery. Highly recommended. Performance ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- Recording ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
” —Robert Cockroft
“Here’s a project that better-known pianists and bigger companies will be knocking themselves for not having thought of first, for this is the first volume of what will be 10, containing all 90 keyboard sonatas of Baldassare Galuppi (1706-85) Here we have eight, in A Minor, C Minor (two), B I Major, A Major, G […]
” —Martin Anderson
“Peter Seivewright plays with a caressing style which reminds me of Glenn Gould (a pianist whom I admire). He is also clearly a scholar and musical historian of merit as the essays provided by him in the record booklets demonstrate. The CDs are well presented and with excellent notes as indicated in the last paragraph. The one thing that is lacking are notes about the individual pieces. I enjoyed these two volumes and can recommend them to anyone looking for piano music away from the beaten track.
” —Arthur Baker
“movements are built often quite imaginatively and always resourcefully.. [Seivewright] is a sensitive artist and obviously enjoys this repertoire, and he communicates this enjoyment to us.
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