Murray Perahia Plays Handel and Scarlatti cover

Murray Perahia Plays Handel and Scarlatti

George Frideric Handel · 1997

68 min · 22 tracks · classical music

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Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental
78 /100
Alpine
Higher than 87% of albums we've rated

Strong Handel and Scarlatti writing gets lucid, controlled piano playing; the shift between them gives the program shape, though the performances remain within a familiar interpre…

What we noticed

  • The first 15 tracks stay with Handel: three suites and a Chaconne, with the suites’ dances and variation movements grouped together.
  • The final seven tracks switch to Scarlatti sonatas, replacing the longer suite sequences with compact, self-contained keyboard pieces.
  • Perahia plays the whole program solo on piano; the contrast comes from the change in forms and pacing, not from a change of instrument or ensemble.
Composition 25% of the score
8/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
8/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
7/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
6/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
7/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 3/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 Suite no. 5 in E major, HWV 430: I. Prelude 1:53
  • 2 Suite no. 5 in E major, HWV 430: II. Allemande 2:00
  • 3 Suite no. 5 in E major, HWV 430: III. Courante 1:30
  • 4 Suite no. 5 in E major, HWV 430: IV. Air with 5 variations 3:33
  • 5 Chaconne in G major, HWV 435 7:58
  • 6 Suite no. 3 in D minor, HWV 428: I. Prelude 1:05
  • 7 Suite no. 3 in D minor, HWV 428: II. Allegro (Fugue) 2:21
  • 8 Suite no. 3 in D minor, HWV 428: III. Allemande 2:04
  • 9 Suite no. 3 in D minor, HWV 428: IV. Courante 1:22
  • 10 Suite no. 3 in D minor, HWV 428: V. Air with 5 variations 3:43
  • 11 Suite no. 3 in D minor, HWV 428: VI. Presto 2:42
  • 12 Suite no. 2 in F major, HWV 427: I. Adagio 2:17
  • 13 Suite no. 2 in F major, HWV 427: II. Allegro 2:11
  • 14 Suite no. 2 in F major, HWV 427: III. Adagio 1:19
  • 15 Suite no. 2 in F major, HWV 427: IV. Allegro (Fugue) 2:19
  • 16 Sonata in D major, K 491 5:25
  • 17 Sonata in B minor, K 27 3:42
  • 18 Sonata in C-sharp minor, K 247 4:51
  • 19 Sonata in D major, K 29 4:34
  • 20 Sonata in A major, K 537 3:01
  • 21 Sonata in E major, K 206 5:52
  • 22 Sonata in A major, K 212 3:05

What to play next

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Reference: MusicBrainz