The Baroque sonata

'the most virtuosic harpsichordist in history'

errrm. . . how do we know this?

Hi,

Granted, there are likely players today who have equal or greater technical mastery, considering the advances of technical expectations since Scarlatti's time. And admittedly, no one has heard every single harpsichordist in history. But Scarlatti's music tells us in no uncertain terms that he was by far the most virtuosic in his writing for his or any other time. We assume he could play his sonatas perfectly.

Bear in mind that "virtuosic" is an approach, not only a physical characteristic. No one to my knowledge has approached composition for the harpsichord in such a manner, so continuously, since Scarlatti. Surely not the likes of Vincent Persichetti or even Poulenc.

And no classicist outdid him, during the harpsichord's last period. His sonatas are often written almost as etudes, with athleticism a primary concern, while maintaining a solid structure and intellectual control. Bach, for example, may have difficult passages, and some of his preludes in the WTC are etude-like. But he never utilised the keyboard(s) as extensively as Scarlatti. Ditto for Handel, whose "Harmonious Blacksmith" variations (a form which normally showcases virtuosity) are quite simple to perform.

We also have ear-witness accounts of his playing, including an alleged victory over Handel in a harpsichord duel (Handel is said to have won in the organ-playing contest).

Scarlatti, like Chopin, set new boundaries in keyboard technique, and he must have been an incredible technician (as well as his long-time pupil Maria Barbara, if she could handle his works!). Do Kirkpatrick, Landowska, Valenti, Leonhardt, Pinnock, etc. play as well as Scarlatti? Probably. But none of them deserves to be called the most virtuosic, in the wider sense, as they are only players.