Customer Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful
Comment: I found a (Gramophone) recommendation for this disc in a book I have been reading. To be honest I was a little suspicious that this may just be a show piece for Pletnev, rather than a serious interpretation of Scarlatti's work which is fair enough but not what I usually look for. My suspicions were put to rest somewhat though when I found the recording thoroughly enjoyable. I can not say however that I feel transported to the Baroque era whilst listening. Not just by the fact that a piano is used but also by Pletnev's playing, which as one other reviewer pointed out has a somewhat romantic feel to it. However, this does not spoil my enjoyment of this beautiful music and recording.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent study music
Comment: I used this album as background music to study with throughout the dissertation phase of my MSc. It was brilliant and I am now fully converted to piano music from the baroque I used to listen to. It seems to be the combination of the composer and the technical skill of Pletnev, I am in awe of how he manages to play music which seems to require the use of at least three hands. You will not be dissapointed.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Scarlatti performers
Comment: Edward Greenfield, the critic, once said that the three best performers of Scarlatti on a piano were Horowitz, Pletnev, and Pogorelic. He was perfectly right. Pletnev is the only one who gives us a reasonable number of the sonatas. Gorgeous: though purists may sneer at it as being too 'romantic', I think they are wrong
Customer Rating:
Summary: Possibly the best introduction to Scarlatti (or Pletnev)
Comment: These performances have had both their admirers and dismissers. I am one of the admirers (along with the editors of Grammophone who have given very high praise to this disc - since their opinion seems to matter to some).Pletnev's selection, among more than 500, of sonatas does provide a wide range (historically and stylistically) of the keyboard work of Scarlatti - the two disc set includes, for example, both K1 and K520.
Most of the awe associated with Pletnev seems to have its source in his dazzling virtuosity. Therefore even those who might not have warmed to his interpretations of more recent composers (e.g., Beethoven, Chopin) might appreciate his approach to these works which, arguably, present more technical than interpretive difficulties. However, it should be added that certain idiosyncracies are not absent in Pletnev's interpretations of Scarlatti either, they add to, rather than distract from, the overall musical experience and since the occasional collector is unlikely to have multiple interpretations of piano (originally keyboard) works by Scarlatti (as opposed to those from Beethoven of Chopin) the idiosyncracies will not stand out as much.
Overall, a fine selection, budget-price, no problems with the recorded sound, Pletnev's apparent ease in delivery provide a fine introduction to either Scarlatti (and the 2-disc set also provides an apt opportunity if you want to hear what the talk on Pletnev is about).
Listening to this, one cannot help but wish for Pletnev to record more works from the baroque era.
