Domenico Scarlatti is one of the few composers from the

age of Bach and Handel, whose year of birth he shared,

to have enjoyed continuous fame and the presence of his

keyboard music in the general repertoire since his lifetime.

Though Scarlatti wrote over 500 sonatas for keyboard

there is a wide variety in these works. Some are deeply

serious others are light and almost humorous. Some

sound like courtly dances others like street songs. This

ability to cover a wide range of styles and moods is one

of the hallmarks of Scarlatti's work. Asako Ogawa has

chosen a varied and uplifting collection for this present

album, presented in superb sound.