Playing Scarlatti

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How should triplets versus duplets be played in Scarlatti sonatas? Should the rhythm be broken (polyrhythm) or should the 3rd note of the triplet play with the 2nd note of the duplet? Thanks.

-- Bernard Stay (b.stay@zoo.co.uk), December 28, 2004

Answers

Hi, I don't know a whole lot about this, but in my experiences triplets have always been treated as polyrhythm. Scarlatti is from the Baroque era 1600-1750 I think, and 2 voices creating a multivoiced texture--counterpoint--was the big thing in that era.

-- Ann (la_ginn@yahoo.ca), January 20, 2005.

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