Pianist Gabriele Leporatti - Domenico Scarlatti's sonatas - CD Review, October 31st, 2023

This album was recorded in July 2021 at Sendesaal in Bremen by Gabriele Leporatti, an exceptional Italian pianist with remarkable participation on stages across Europe, the USA and China, who has been acclaimed by international critics for his depth and sensitivity. He's released five albums so far, which show his drive for the romantic and modern repertoire. His most recent CD, released this year on February 1st by Etera Classics, is the first one dedicated by Gabriele Scarlatti to the baroque creation, specifically to Domenico Scarlatti's sonatas, who was one of the most influential Italian musicians from the first part of the 18th century, known in music history for his more than 500 sonatas written for harpsichord. 12 of these are included on Gabriel Leporatti's CD, who chose to play them on piano in order to give them a greater variety in terms of timbre and expressiveness.

In the presentation of this album, pianist Gabriele Leporatti says: "Like a real genius, Domenico Scarlatti saw ahead of his time. The way in which he wrote the sonatas for solo harpsichord, in an age where this instrument was mostly used for continuous bass, shows his intuition for the harpsichord's uncharted possibilities and the need to go beyond its stylistic borders… Scarlatti created an entire world through these miniatures, moving from tragedy to light comedy, as if they were theater plays. There is incredible energy, shiny vitality and elegant fervor in the splendid sonatas, and depth in the slow ones composed by Dominico Scarlatti.

Gabriele Leporatti studied piano together with Maria Tipo, Fabio Bidini and Joaquin Achucarro, and in recent years he has had a rich concert activity on stages such as Wigmore Hall in London, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Radio Hall in Hanvora. He also has a beautiful career as a professor, with exceptional classes held in well-known international institutions, and he is often invited to be part of the jury in music competitions. He teaches at the Anton Rubinstein Music Academy in Dusseldorf. In 2015, the Italian pianist founded Etera Classics, a record house whose goal is to promote young, talented musicians. It is under this umbrella that Gabriele Leporatti recorded his last three albums, with the most recent one dedicated to Domenico Scarlatti's sonatas. The pianist gives these enchanting baroque miniatures a coherent rendition by seldom usage of the pedal, the rhythmical accuracy, a limited variety of lively nuances and a sort of clarity of the sonority, thus showing Domenico Scarlatti's intense ornamental melody and surprising harmonious modulation.