Discography
Giustini: 12 Sonatas Op.1
Giustini: 12 Sonatas Op.1
CD 1: Sonatas op. 1 Nr. 1-4
CD 2: Sonatas op. 1 Nr. 5-8
CD 3: Sonatas op. 1 Nr. 9-12
Lodovico Giustini (1685-1743), organist of the Congregazione dello Spirito Santo in Pistoia, published in Florence in 1732 this historic collection of 12 sonatas, the first ever written specifically for piano. The work anticipates other compositions for the instrument by about 30 years and represents a bridge between late Baroque and early Classicism.
The sonatas, structured as church sonatas with 4-5 movements each, alternate fast and slow sections. Following the Scarlatti tradition, movements in binary form predominate, with dances and contrapuntal elements. The work already shows traces of the emerging Galante style, replacing the dense Baroque textures with a more melodic and natural approach. Giustini takes full advantage of the technical innovations of the fortepiano, especially the dynamic contrasts.
Paolo Zentilin offers an interpretation on a modern Fazioli piano that respects the Baroque sensibility while utilising the resources of the contemporary instrument. His playing combines passion and control, with particular attention to articulation ‘as on a historical instrument’. He exploits a wide sound palette and pedals, always maintaining expressive authenticity in both the most delicate passages and the most complex counterpoint.
This new recording for Brilliant Classics (which had already released Andrea Coen's version in 2010) confirms the label's commitment to historically significant but rarely recorded works.