Score !

Last night I received my 34-disc set of Domenico Scarlatti’s complete keyboard sonatas played by Scott Ross on the harpsichord on Erato. I managed to sit through about two-and-a-half dozen of the sonatas, enjoying some utterly delightful music. A few of the works I’ve heard thus far strike me as magnificent (sonatas 8, 16, and 33) and I no doubt will discover many more gems as I wind through all 555 sonatas. It will take me weeks, of course, but I’m up to the challenge!

I can say immediately to all of you who may believe the harpsichord a worthless or unenjoyable instrument that these recordings (there are some snipet collections, I believe) reveal the harpsichord as more dynamic and colorful than one imagines at first. I shall report back more fully on the joys that I uncover once I have listened to all of the discs.

And the cost of this indulgence? About $144, inclusive of shipping. If you are interested at all in getting this set as well, hurry to www.broinc.com and do an advanced search for “Scarlatti Ross” (looking for all words), and you should see the set still there. But hurry. My local CD shop appears to have also bought a set that they are now selling for $300. Be warned, however, you may find too many cheap options to just buy this set.