Galuppi: Manuscript Sonatas for Harpsichord – Newton Classics 4CD Set

• UPC: 8718247711123
• MPN: 8802112
• Brand Name: Newton Classics

Overview

This 4CD collection from Newton Classics presents the complete Manuscript Sonatas for Harpsichord by Baldassare Galuppi (1706–1785), performed with refined mastery by Italian harpsichordist Ilario Gregoletto. Recorded over a decade of artistic dedication (1990–2000), these twenty-five sonatas are performed on a dual-manual “Pierre Donzelague” harpsichord, faithfully copied by Malcolm Rose and tuned to 415 Hz for authentic 18th-century resonance.

This monumental recording—totaling nearly four hours—offers a rare opportunity to experience Galuppi’s elegance, wit, and melodic inventiveness, bridging the Baroque and Classical worlds.    

Though Baldassare Galuppi may not be a household name, he was in fact one of the most successful composers of his day. Arguably more popular than his fellow Venetian, Antonio Vivaldi, he wrote music that appealed to contemporary taste and which touched on a range of genres - including comic opera, which he was instrumental in developing. There are approximately 130 surviving keyboard works by Galuppi, and the 25 detailed in this excellent recording come from a range of anthologies of the period.

Product Features

• Format: 4CD Box Set
• Sound: DDD Stereo
• Total Duration: 239′23

•  Recording Location: Centro Studi Claviere, Vittorio Veneto, Treviso (Italy)

• Recording Dates:

  • CD1 – 10 June 1990
  • CD2 – 10 July 1996
  • CD3 – 15–16 June 1998
  • CD4 – 7–10 April 2000
• Instrument: Dual-manual Pierre Donzelague harpsichord (copy by Malcolm Rose, 415 Hz)
• Performer: Ilario Gregoletto, harpsichord
• Producer: Robert de Pieri
• Balance Engineer: P. Correr
• Genre: Classical
• Style: Baroque–Classical Keyboard Sonatas
• Label: Newton Classics B.V. (2012)
• Manufactured: The Netherlands

Interesting Facts

• Rediscovery of a Forgotten Master: Baldassare Galuppi, known as “Il Buranello,” was one of Venice’s most influential 18th-century composers, bridging Baroque counterpoint with early Classical clarity. His sonatas influenced later composers like C.P.E. Bach and Haydn.

• Historic Instrument Authenticity: The recordings feature a meticulous copy of an 18th-century Donzelague harpsichord by Malcolm Rose—offering the crystalline timbre and delicate dynamic range true to Galuppi’s era.

• Scholarly Excellence: Pianist and musicologist Ilario Gregoletto brings both technical precision and scholarly insight, interpreting each sonata with stylistic authenticity rooted in historical performance practice.

• Long-Term Artistic Vision: Spanning ten years of recording sessions, this collection reflects Gregoletto’s life-long devotion to Galuppi’s harpsichord repertoire—a benchmark in Baroque revivalism.

Track Listing

CD 1 (57:12) Sonatas Nos. 1–6

CD 2 (60:54) Sonatas Nos. 7–11

CD 3 (56:45) Sonatas Nos. 12–16

CD 4 (64:32) Sonatas Nos. 17–25

Publishers

Newton Classics B.V. © 2012 Recorded under license from Rivinato Productions Art Direction & Design: Jan Martin Wilschut (BND Amsterdam / Hotsprings) Cover Image Courtesy of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam LC 24605

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