Hi everyone.
Today we will work on another beautiful sonata
by Scarlatti.
The B minor.
I will play, explain and show you my perspective
on how to play and design this piece.
I haven’t been performing for about 4 months
due to pandemic.
2 weeks ago I gave my first post lockdown
recital in the Netherlands.
The B minor sonata was one of the pieces that
I performed and I thought why not making a
tutorial about it.
You can find the sheet music the description.
There is also my fingerings, it’s free.
I see online people are discussing what is
the right speed and why.
In my opinion, there is no correct answer,
especially when it's about Scarlatti.
His music offers to be free in many ways and
'the right speed' can show varies depending
on the mood, energy, place, or the instrument.
There are two great recordings on Youtube,
one by Arturo Michelangeli which is very quickly
played, and the other one is by Emil Gilels,
which is relatively slow.
Later on, you will see me playing in the optimum
tempo I imagine today.
For now, I will play mostly slower to make
it more to the point and clear.
Okay.
Let’s start with the beginning.
The first 3 bars has kind of, an intro feeling
for me.
Therefore, I like to feel a bit freer with
the timing here so I would gradually decrease
the tempo towards the end of the 3rd bar.
I also imagine it very soft and tender;
Make sure to expose the melody on the top,
and try playing the rest much softer;
In a way, I welcome the next section by slowing
down in the 3rd bar.
From this point I will play with more straight
timing to give it a nice flow;
Unlike many other sonatas by Scarlatti, in
this one, he uses the right hand quite often
as a secondary element.
In these 3 bars, I would play the right hand
much softer compared to the left.
Make sure you practise it slowly for some
time.
For me, it’s all about accuracy and precision
here.
I will play slowly first;
As you heard, I add a little bit spiciness
with each 16th note coming on the beat.
That makes it more melodic, and in this way,
it is more comfortable to shape the articulation;
Now let’s check the left hand.
Here I will play the first beat powerfully.
The second beat will be the softest one, for
two reasons, it is the weaker beat, plus it
is in the higher register.
We will hear it easily despite playing very
soft.
The 3rd beat I will play powerful again but
not as much as the first.
I think it is sort of a bridge towards the
next first beat.
So if I speak out these 3 beats in the same
way I want to play, it will sound like this;
1 , 2 , 3
1 , 2 , 3
1 , 2 , 3
And now let me play it with the left hand;
Now let’s put them together.
Try to be very gentle with the right hand,
with a clear articulation.
Also, try to expose the left hand, with a
clear contrast between the quarter notes;
That will be my general plan when I have to
play any similar texture later on.
Let’s move on to the next part.
Here in the first 3 bars, we have a polyphonic
texture with both hands.
We need to decide which layer to expose or
hide.
Let’s first take a look at the right hand.
As you see, the upper layer is a melodic line
which is developing;
So let’s try to play the upper layer stronger
and play very gently the bottom layer;
I would also increase the dynamics with each
bar, to develop this section towards bar number 10,
where I want to play with more powerful
sound;
As it has the transition role to the next
part where I want to play with forte dynamic;
Okay, let’s go for the left hand.
Here I want to expose the bottom layer, unlike
the right hand.
I like to keep distance between the bass and
the melody as it will sound way more broad
and expressive;
Before I go with both hands, I will tell you
this.
It isn’t necessarily comfortable to play
such a polyphonic section while equalising
4 different layers.
Please play with separate hands as many times
as you need.
You will feel the positive effect in your
control right away, and it will sound much better.
Alright, let’s play with both hands;
Alright, let’s move on to the next part.
Here we have the same texture repeating itself
for 6 times.
I like to divide them into 3 groups which
allows me to be versatile with dynamics.
I want to play the first motif powerfully,
the second one softer, and the third one even softer.
It might be more challenging but worth to
try;
Make sure to be very precise with the right
hand’s articulation when playing in different dynamics;
The easiest explanation of how to create contrast
in such a texture is, to decrease the range
of motion as you go softer.
We do the same movement, a little less each
time;
For the left hand, just as I mentioned before.
Let’s keep the dynamic plan as 1, 2 ,3,
1, 2, 3, ;
Of course here the real challenge is to do
it precisely in 3 different dynamics as we
need to play softer simultaneously with the
right hand;
As we end up playing very softly here, I want
to take advantage of it.
In the next part, I will bring out the beautiful
melody hidden in the right hand;
We don’t need much force to do that.
Just a little bit of help from the wrist should
do it.
Imagine, sitting and bouncing on the keys
with your wrist;
There will be 2 melodic lines creating a rich
texture when playing at the same time;
After that, we have a small transition again,
for two bars.
I want to play gently here.
Also, I will stretch the timing a little bit
in the last 2 beats;
In this way, I can take the attention to the
next section.
For me this transition means; I am about to
say something;
Next section is like a statement, and maybe
also the conclusion of everything I’ve played earlier.
I like to start confidently with open sound;
There is quarter notes on the right hand.
Obviously, we will need to hold them longer
but I want to draw your attention to something else.
To make them sound more meaningful, try to
find a musical connection between them.
Which you can do by thinking about the direction
when playing the 16th notes.
I like to play the upper layer a bit brighter,
with direction towards the quarter notes;
The bottom layer will be much softer, still
with direction;
Let’s put it together, imagine it as a dialogue
between layers;
I think it sounds quite melodic.
Now let’s play with the left hand;
Alright.
The next 3 bars I want to significantly increase
the dynamics to build it up towards the end
of this part;
I would say the first part has ended here
actually.
Therefore I slow down at the end of this section
to simulate the feeling of conclusion.
In the last 4 bars, Scarlatti uses very charming
texture which I want to play a bit freer.
Starting slowly and following with a dramatic
increase in speed.
For me, this passage is like a small treasure.
I think it should sound attractive and virtuosic;
As you heard I start slower;
increase the speed and slow down at the end;
Which makes it very clear this is sort of
the end, but also something new about to come.
Before I move on to the second half, I’d
like to say that my technical approach will
be completely the same as in the first half.
Now I will mostly
talk about the musical ideas, and then we will
move one to the pedalling.
In the second half, although the motifs, textures
and ideas are very familiar, I think there
is more of melancholy here.
We have the same tools but what we are about
to say is something different.
In the first 4 bars, Scarlatti signals that
the story will develop.
I will start very very softly at the beginning
and increase the dynamics with each bar.
Also, I will expose this small motive as it
is the main one in this sonata;
After that, we have one bar as a transition
to the next section.
Just like in the first half.
This time though, I will decrease the dynamics;
as it becomes serious here;
I want to make it sound distant and cold.
I will decrease the dynamics with each bar.
Like walking away;
Here let’s bring out the melodic line on
the right hand and let it resonate at the
same time with the left hand’s melody;
To me, it has the feeling of giving up and
surrender;
Exactly at this moment, when we are about
to give up, comes the next section.
All of a sudden one of the most touching moments
of this sonata arrives.
I want to do something special here.
Ideally, to make it sound different than any
part I've played before.
The same world, in different colours;
It's a fragile character, try being very gentle.
Like holding a little bird in your hand.
You wouldn't want to squeeze your hand;
Or imagine caressing someone, while sleeping.
You don’t want to wake them up;
Now we have a transition again.
After this very sentimental section, I want
to take the audience out of this dreamy world.
I will do an explosive crescendo, like a wake-up
call, and then play very powerful;
Then less powerful;
And then, very soft;
In the next section, I sense the feeling of
acceptance and giving in.
So I want to fade out quietly.
Try to start softly here, and gradually decrease
the intensity;
We end up in a very soft dynamic.
You know, when you want to say something important,
you could say it very quietly, to get full attention.
In the previous section that's exactly what
I did.
Now I imagine a shy character, saying something
hopeful and painful at the same time.
I will start as soft as I can, and build it
up gradually towards the last bars.
As you heard I slow down significantly in
the last bar, as this is pretty much the end.
Now, I am about to say the very last word
here.
The signature.
There are tears.
But still attractive.
I will start slower, increase the speed and
finish it slowly and decisively;
Alright, I tried to give you an idea on how
to find the musical message with a technical approach.
Before I play it through and put everything
I explained together, I want to give you a
few technical tips on the pedalling.
Of course, it would be very personal to decide
how to use the pedals here.
I will show you some options which you can
try right away.
There are two important factors we need to
be aware of when using the pedals.
The instrument, and the acoustic.
Today I am playing in a concert hall, I’ll
be a little generous with the pedals as the
acoustics allow that.
If you are playing in a smaller room, you
can try pressing the right pedal halfway.
It will reduce the amount of blur.
Just search and experiment with it.
Let’s start with the beginning.
I like to change the right pedal with every
beat here;
From here on I want to play with a dryer texture,
to be able to give it a rhythmical drive.
I will press the pedal very shortly with each
quarter note;
Now we have a polyphonic texture again.
I want everything to sound more connected
and longer, like a choir.
So I’ll go back to using the longer pedal.
Still changing with every beat of course;
Now, let’s focus on the next part.
As I said before, I want to change the dynamics
3 times by playing softer each time.
I recommend playing the 3rd one with the left
pedal.
It will help to play softer in a comfortable
way and the colour suits so well for this
particular passage.
We still keep changing the right pedal with
each beat;
At this point I’ll let go of the left pedal,
to bring out nicely the melody;
For this bridge, I like to let go of both
pedals, to create a very different texture
which we haven’t heard yet.
That will allow me to take it to another colour
world in the next part;
I like to play with an open sound here.
I'll be generous with the right pedal;
Now I want to let go of the pedal;
And here we are again.
The signature.
What I like to do here is a little unusual.
I press the right pedal fully from the beginning,
and gradually let it go.
It is a very nice effect I think;
This is generally how I implement the pedals
in this piece.
Feel free to search to find your way.
Most importantly, don’t let the harmonies
mix.
Also, don’t be completely depended on pedals.
You could create a huge atmosphere difference
in sound when you let them go.
Now I will play the whole sonata.
In the first half, I want to create an atmosphere
of regular life.
With small ups and downs, mainly in a positive
direction.
The second half is more complex.
There is melancholy and pain.
Before you play, Imagine a story or a person.
It will add honesty to your playing.
Let’s go for it;
That was all I wanted to tell.
If you want me to cover another sonata by
Scarlatti, let me know in the comments.
I hope you enjoyed it.
Later!
