Works for Harpsichord or Fortepiano

The six Works (Obras) for Harpsichord or Fortepiano of Sebastián de Albero (1722-1756), along with his 30 Sonatas, complete this edition of the known works of Albero, who worked for the Spanish court in Madrid with Italian-born Domenico Scarlatti, fellow-Spaniard Antonio Soler, and other composers and musicians of Spain and Italy. Each of the Obras contains an unmeasured, improvisatory Recercata with exotic modulations and melodic fantasy; an extended Fuga combining counterpoint with Iberian-influenced passages; and a Sonata reminiscent of the 30 Sonatas, but often larger and bolder in scope. The Obras is noteworthy for its unusual structure, interesting mixture of styles, harmonic ingenuity, and ambitious dimensions, and is a fine example of keyboard works from this lively period in mid-18th century Spain. Newly edited from the manuscript source, this edition is clearly typeset and formatted for optimal reading, with a biographical and editorial introduction in English, Spanish, French, and German.