8
Sonatas for Guitarby Domenico Scarlatti Book/CD
8
Sonatas for Guitar8 Great Sonatas with Performance of all the Sonatas on CD by Allan Alexander, many which have not previously been transcribed. You can hear these transcriptions at Soundclick
Domenico Scarlatti has been a favorite subject for guitar transcriptions for the last half century. There are so many beautiful sonatas that he wrote, around 550 actually, and some of them lend themselves beautifully to the guitar. Many of course are too hard and don’t work on the guitar. I think you will find in this collection, a few pieces which are challenging, and then some which you will be able to play with a very reasonable amount of work. Here you will find a few sonatas you might already know, and also some that are new to the guitarist’s repertoire. The CD which accompanies the book will give you a sense of the pieces, and hearing them played will make them easier to learn. The music notation is clear and crisp. The pieces are thoughtfully and meticulously fingered for ease of playing. The beautiful drawing on the cover is done by Aleksandra Alexander
Also Available
The Balkan Book for Guitar Book/CD 
6/14/08
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1. Sonata Longo 168 - This is a lyrical sonata that I have not seen transcribed before. It doesn't present too many problems. The transition from Measure three to four is a little tricky, but with a little time it will smooth out.
2. Sonata Longo 352 - This is one of my favorite of all the Scarlatti Sonatas, and also the most difficult. I prefer the turn in the first measure to the simple ornament which is usually noted. There are some unusual fingerings here, but there is also a reason for every one of them. I ended up spending a lot of time on this one for the recording, and I also memorized it because I played it so much.
3. Sonata Longo 483 - Sonata 483 reminds be of a children's song. There are a few spots which are a little difficult, but most of it is pretty straightforward, and a Sonata that will be a hit with most audiences. In my opinion, not one to memorize. It's just too long and it's much easier read from the music.
4. Sonata Longo 217 - A fairly easy piece is always a pleasant change of pace after ones that take a lot of time to learn. There is not very many places which are be too challenging in this lovely piece.
5. Sonata Longo 423 - This is also one of my favorites, and has some reaches in it. If you have small hands and they are totally impossible and you have decided you can't afford a guitar that is made smaller, which is as it should be, try changing the octaves of some of the notes to make it easier.
6. Sonata Longo 83 - Domenico Scarlatti spent time in Spain, and that influence can be heard in this lovely lively piece. It's another of the harder ones, and it does take some time to get used to the different tuning of the fifth and sixth strings. Perhaps this is one to memorize since it's short. I ended up memorizing this one also for the recording.
7. Sontata Longo 36 - Here is another lovely sonata which I have not seen transcribed for the guitar. It should not pose too many problems for any intermediate player. This one was recorded on a guitar with a cedar top, all the rest were done with a spruce top guitar.
8. Sonata Minuet - This Sonata Minuet is very nice and would sound great coupled with any of the other shorter Sonatas in this collection. The forth line is the most complex in the piece, but it should come quickly.
The music notation is clear and crisp. The pieces are thoughtfully and meticulously fingered for ease of playing. This book will help you to learn the tunes quickly.
The CD, played by Allan Alexander, gives the musician the advantage of being able to hear how these songs can be played and will make the learning process easier. This is a high quality Digital recording (DDD). In addition to helping the player become familiar with the music, it will also be a source of listening pleasure.
This is a great collection of Sonatas. They lay well on the fingerboard. Some are a bit difficult, but some of them you should learn quickly if you are an intermediate guitarist. You won't be able to stop playing many of these pieces. They will keep you up late and you just might wake up with the melodies going through your mind. Play Gianna and I think you will be hooked. Learn Gabriella and you will be wanting to play more.