Search - Antonio Soler, Joseph Petric :: Soler: Nine Sonatas

Like Scarlatti, Soler is known almost exclusively for his keyboard works. His sonatas were first published in England in 1796 by Lord Fitzwilliam. Soler's treatment of form and material indicate that the sonatas were born, as their internal drama suggests, of a need for powerful and intimate expression. This and Soler's practical experience as a performing musician may account for the synthesis of conventional musical forms and vernacular elements. While Soler's sonata output is but a quarter of Scarlatti's, they extended far beyond the single-movement and paired miniatures of his teacher. Soler preferred three- and four- movement sonatas wherein he created brilliant harmonies, highly inventive melodies and modulations combined with irregular phraseology using unmistakable Iberian elements such as the zapateado, bolero, polo and jota. While his keyboard sonatas are didactic in nature, they are neither academic nor serene, and have an air of freshness and spontaneity about them. This feeling of spontaneity in Soler's sonatas owes something to the art of improvisation and his experience in vocal composition.