Domenico Scarlatti: Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol. 8 Christoph Ullrich

• Domenico Scarlatti (1685 - 1757): Keyboard Sonata in B-Flat Major:
• 1Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in B-Flat Major, Kk. 26604:25
• 2Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in B-Flat Major, Kk. 26703:20
• Keyboard Sonata in A Major:
• 3Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in A Major, Kk. 26804:38
• 4Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in A Major, Kk. 26903:14
• Keyboard Sonata in C Major:
• 5Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in C Major, Kk. 27008:02
• 6Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in C Major, Kk. 27103:06
• Keyboard Sonata in B-Flat Major:
• 7Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in B-Flat Major, Kk. 27203:47
• 8Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in B-Flat Major, Kk. 27304:27
• Keyboard Sonata in F Major:
• 9Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in F Major, Kk. 27402:59
• 10Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in F Major, Kk. 27503:30
• 11Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in F Major, Kk. 27602:57
• Keyboard Sonata in D Major:
• 12Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in D Major, Kk. 27703:48
• 13Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in D Major, Kk. 27802:38
• Keyboard Sonata in A Major:
• 14Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in A Major, Kk. 27906:06
• 15Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in A Major, Kk. 28002:56
• Keyboard Sonata in D Major:
• 16Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in D Major, Kk. 28104:04
• 17Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in D Major, Kk. 28206:07
• Keyboard Sonata in G Major:
• 18Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in G Major, Kk. 28304:22
• 19Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in G Major, Kk. 28402:17
• Keyboard Sonata in A Major:
• 20Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in A Major, Kk. 28503:41
• 21Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in A Major, Kk. 286 (Version for Piano)02:48
• Keyboard Sonata in D Major:
• 22Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in D Major, Kk. 28701:58
• 23Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in D Major, Kk. 28802:01
• Keyboard Sonata in G Major:
• 24Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in G Major, Kk.28902:16
• 25Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in G Major, Kk. 29003:23
• Keyboard Sonata in E Minor:
• 26Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in E Minor, Kk. 29106:38
• 27Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in E Minor, Kk. 29203:11
• Keyboard Sonata in B Minor:
• 28Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in B Minor, Kk. 29304:39
• Keyboard Sonata in D Minor:
• 29Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in D Minor, Kk. 29404:56
• 30Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata in D Minor, Kk. 29503:27
• Total Runtime01:55:41

Info for Domenico Scarlatti: Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol. 8

Sometimes time flies by. For example, when something stimulating is constantly happening, as here with the new volume No. 8 of the complete recording of all 555 sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti. And this is not because of the two organ sonatas, which are actually played on an organ, nor because of the acoustics at the new recording venue Marienmünster.

These stimuli are once again provided exclusively by Christoph Ullrich, who knows how to shape Scarlatti's little gems, which seem to have been written for him, with such never-ending imagination, exuberant ideas, nuances that always seem spontaneous but are nevertheless carefully woven, that two hours pass by like two shooting stars.

"Yes, Domenico's organ sonatas. Every Scarlatti connoisseur knows that they exist but generally doesn't know them as they are seldom played.

When they are, it's more often than not on the piano, where their real effect is lacking.I myself only studied them in more detail for the first time whilst I was preparing to record this volume and now I would advise any pianist or harpsichordist who wants to engage with Scarlatti to take a closer look at these small pieces! Only and exclusively here did Scarlatti in the whole of his sonata cosmos give a precise indication as to how he envisageddealing with dynamics. Like the Italian Concerto by Johann Sebastian Bach (whose manuscript is unique amongst Bach's keyboard works for includingindications of piano and forte in other words, changes of manual), Scarlatti's organ sonatas are written for a two-manual instrument. The lower manual (the Great Organ) sounds stronger, the upper manual (the Choir or similar) is softer, notwithstanding the fact that contrasting timbral mixtures of the stops were and are common. In the original Venetian copy, there are precise indications of the change between the manuals, represented in the musical text by almost modern-looking hands, which point respectively upwards or downwards with the index finger..."

Ullrich's search for a vital and unconventional confrontation with the public has led him to the development of new forms of programmes. These include the very thematically rich musicalliterary programmes with the Ensemble Bona-Nox, the concepts for children's concerts within the framework of the Ohrwurm-Projekt (Catchy Tune Project) with their proximity to music theatre, and his concert idea "Alchemy of Sound." Born in Gottingen, Ullrich studied with Leon ard Hokanson in Frankfurt, Claude Frank in the USA and Rudolf Buchbinder in Basel. He has a multi-facetted repertoire comprising all epochs and styles since Bach. Concert tours as a soloist, chamber musician and vocal accompanist have taken him to many European countries, South and North America, Asia and many international Festivals. Alongside concert recordings for radio and television, Ullrich has participated in several TV productions as a pianist, e. g. in the film "Klavier/komplex" and the documentation about the American composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk "Death in Rio." His CD recordings include piano works of W.A. Mozart and Franz Schubert, the musicalliterary programmes ("Water","Fire", "Air", "Night", "Head of Janus" and "Dream Fever"), the complete works for violoncello and piano of Friedrich Kiel with the cellist Hans Zentgraf and the Winterreise of Franz Schubert with Matthias Horn on the Spektral label. Christoph Ullrich is the Artistic Director of the "Taschen-Oper-Companie" (Pocket Opera Company) and co-founder of the "OhrwurmProjekt" that combines concerts for children at elementary schools with teaching concepts for concert preparation.

"As expected, Ullrich shapes the sonatas with his usual care, working out the many refinements in detail and giving each sonata its own colour, ..." (FONO FORUM)

Christoph Ullrich, piano

Christoph Ullrich
The pianist Christoph Ullrich is always on the lookout for a lively and unconventional engagement with the audience. This leads to interesting and contrasting solo and chamber music programs, but also to the development of new program forms. The thematically very dense musical-literary programs with the BonaNox ensemble, the music theater-related concepts for children's concerts as part of laterna musica and his concert idea "Alchemy of Sound" stand for this.

Born in Göttingen, Ullrich studied with Leonard Hokanson, Claude Frank and Rudolf Buchbinder. He has lived in Frankfurt am Main since he was 8 years old.

Ullrich's multifaceted repertoire includes more than 400 works of all eras and styles since Bach.

Concert tours as a soloist, chamber musician and accompanist have taken him to many European countries, to South and North America, Asia and to international festivals such as the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, the Rheingau Music Festival, the Beethoven Festival Bonn, the Ludwigsburg Castle Festival, the Bach Week in Ansbach, the Bach Festival in Leipzig, the Schubertiade in Feldkirch, the Heidelberg Spring, the Mozart Festival in Würzburg, the Schwetzingen Mozart Festival, the Cambridge Music Festival, the Lower Saxony Music Days, the Brandenburg Summer Concerts and the North Hesse Music Summer. He performed with major orchestras.

In addition to recording concerts for radio and television, Ullrich has played the pianist in several TV productions.

His CD recordings include piano works by Bach, Mozart and Schubert, musical and literary programs - The Four Elements ("Water", "Fire", "Air", "Earth"), "Night", "Janus Head" and "Dream Fever" – the complete works for cello and piano by Friedrich Kiel with cellist Hans Zentgraf and Franz Schubert’s Winterreise with baritone Matthias Horn.

Since 2011, Ullrich has been recording all of Domenico Scarlatti's 555 sonatas on CD together with the Tacet label. For the first time, the series will be heard in groups of 30 sonatas in the order Scarlatti intended. 228 sonatas have been recorded up to April 2018.

"Christoph Ullrich presents Schubert's piano sonatas in significant and impressively vivid interpretations." Joachim Kaiser

“Everything that is known, everything that has been learned appears purified in Ullrich's awakening of the French Suites and removed from any pianistic showmanship. He circles around, touches Bach's piano works in two senses of the word – definitely in the person of a seeing, feeling, yes, always amazed rebirth helper, who this music set in motion early on.” Peter Cossé

About the Scarlatti sonatas: “You always have the feeling that Ullrich himself is curious about the secrets of the next sonata. Unlike Horowitz, who eavesdropped on the inner eccentricity of the pieces, or Christian Zacharias, who liberated them from the air of being merely glamorous, Ullrich waits for the moment when the music begins to soar: as if it were one and double, Goethe's Gingko-Biloba -Sheet right away.” Mirko Weber, Die Zeit

“Ullrich's readings offer nothing short of a celebration of nuance and subtlety. His art with an affinity for detail knows hundreds of shades, his pianistic potential knows no bounds. Against this background, “Volume 2″ of the Scarlatti project stands for more than just Scarlatti exegesis: it is a homage to the modern concert grand piano and its possibilities.” Martin Hoffmeister, mdr culture

Booklet for Domenico Scarlatti: Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol. 8