Keyboard Sonatas 96-98 - Classical Piano Music for Home & Concert

In the 1990's harpsichordist Gilbert Rowland recorded the complete keyboard sonatas of Padre Antonio Soler )1729 -- 1783) on Naxos. A few years later, in 2010, Naxos began another ambitious project in recording Soler's complete keyboard sonatas. The recordings in this cycle were on the piano with each volume to be performed by a different pianist -- the winner of the prestigious Maria Canals International Music Competition in Barcelona, Spain. I listened to several of the early CDs in the series and then, after missing several releases, have returned to Soler in this recording by a young Latvian pianist, Daumannts Liepinns, the 2019 winner of the Maria Canals Competition. Liepinns has won other competitions and was named by "Pianist" magazine in 2020 at the top of "four pianists to look out for". Liepinns currently is artist in residence at the Queen Elizabeth Music Chapel in Belgium and at the Ingesund Piano Center in Sweden.Padre Soler wrote music for the Spanish court. He wrote single-movement keyboard sonatas in a binary (two-part) form which show the influence of Domenico Scarlatti. Soler also wrote multi-movement keyboard sonatas which show the influence of the galant, early classical style of Vienna. Soler's roughly 150 keyboard sonatas were organized and published between 1957 and 1962 by Father Samuel Rubio. The musical world is in Rubio's debt. The Naxos series is following the order of the sonatas established by Father Rubio.Recorded in November, 2021 in Spain, this CD includes three extensive four movement sonatas, no. 96 in E-flat major, no. 97 in A major, and no 98 in B-flat major. They include movements such as allegros, andantes, minuets, and rondos found in classical works, such as the Haydn sonatas. The minuet movements combine two short minuets. There is a pastorale, light character to the works with a great deal of ornamentation. Sections of movements tend to be repeated. Hand crossings and runs help add to the virtuoso character of the movement. The first movement of the B-flat major sonata has a thicker texture than the other works on this CD.Liepinns performs this music with a light touch and with flair and panache. He makes the music engaging and stays within its boundaries, commendably so for a pianist with a large technique.The music is enjoyable, sparkling, and entertaining. I was glad to hear Soler's music in a Vienese style, but I much prefer his single-movement sonatas.Keith Anderson wrote brief liner notes on each of the three sonatas. This CD will appeal primarily to listeners who already love the music of Scarlatti and Soler and want to follow it through to an expanded style. I was happy to hear the music of Padre Soler again after a pause of a few years.Total Time: 71:23Robin Friedman