Baldassare Galuppi, 25 Harpsichord Sonatas

Baldassare GALUPPI (1706-178)]

Manuscript Sonatas for Harpsichord
 

cd1 Sonatas 1-6  

cd2 Sonatas 7-11

cd3 Sonatas 12-16

cd4 Sonatas 17-25

Ilario Gregoletto,

Dual-Manuel 'Pierre Donzelague' harpsichord,

copied by Malcolm Rose

review by Jed Distler

ClassicsToday.com, September 2013

Between 1990 and 2000 Ilario Gregoletto recorded four CDs

of harpsichord sonatas by Baldassare Galuppi (1706-85) for

the small Italian label Rivoalto. Newton Classics now reissues

the discs together as a budget-priced set.

The booklet notes are not completely clear in regard to the

sonatas’ numbering, apart from mention of cataloging systems

by Hedda Illy and Fausto Torrefranca.

In any event, all but one of these 25 sonatas follow a

three-movement scheme, and each is marvelously varied in mood

and texture. Among memorable moments are the No. 2 first movement’s

momentary major to minor key shifts, the No. 6 first movement’s

asymmetrical phrase structure, the No. 14 Allegro finale’s bravura

scales and broken octaves, and No. 16’s dramatic silences and

petulant outbursts of chords. There’s a natural ebb and flow to

Gregoletto’s agogic stresses and tempo fluctuations that prevents

the composer’s frequent “sewing machine” Alberti basses from even

the slightest lurching. Furthermore, his excellent legato technique

imparts a genuinely vocal feeling to the melody lines; listen,

for example to No. 9’s first-movement main theme with its

premonitions of Mozart. Gregoletto’s tasteful changes of registration

beautifully show off his instrument’s true colors (he plays a Malcolm Rose

replica of a dual-manual Pierre Donzelague model), abetted by intimate,

crystal-clear sonics. A most attractive release, highly recommended.