23.11.1993

Early Music

Andrea Marcon's programme note refers to these pieces as «intended to surprise and move the listeners and to grip his imagination». They most certainly do. This CD should bring Alessandro Scarlatti's generally overlooked keyboard works to a much wider audience. The centerpiece is the massive (24min) Toccata per cembalo - the other works are for organ, and played with spirit and verve on the lovely sounding Pescetti organ of 1732 in San Giacomo di Polcenigo - with a wonderfully buzzy reed heard in the first piece. Interpretation and performance are first rate, with some beautifully articulated passagework. Marcn quotes Casini's advice to performer «to lend the voice of the heart to his instrument, either trough a gentle, eitheral touch or through the powerful force of passion». This range of keyboard touch is well demonstrated by Marcon, and is particularly effective where he leans towards the gentle: the force of Marcon's more powerful passions occasionally lead to over-abrupt release of chords which, on the keen and silvery voicing of Italian organs, can leave an unsavoury hiccup or anguished yelp from the pipes. A fascinating repertoire and an exciting player. Buy it.