Sudbin's romantic Scarlatti sonatas

Yevgeny Sudbin's exuberant romantic approach to Domenico Scarlatti's Keyboard Sonatas is formidable but not to everyone's taste

Composer: D Scarlatti
Repertoire: Keyboard Sonatas
Artists: Yevgeny Sudbin (piano)
Rating: 3/5 
Genre: Instrumental
Label: BIS-CD-1508

The latest addition to the list of pianists tackling the quirky keyboard sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti is 24-year-old Yevgeny Sudbin. He has a formidable technique, copes with the runs and leaps beautifully, and has fun with Scarlatti’s playful, improvisatory style. But there’s a lack of clarity in his handling of the ornamentation, and his romantic approach – plenty of pedal, thick textures, added low-notes and over-emphatic gestures – won’t be to everyone’s taste.