With Volume 16, Duanduan Hao becomes the first pianist to appear twice in Naxos’ ongoing Scarlatti sonata cycle. I enjoyed much of his work in Volume 14, and it seems that the young artist’s style is evolving positively, for the most part. In the opening A major K. 280 sonata, for example, Hao leans into the second theme’s chords in order to bring out the clashing dissonances, and he also articulates the C major K. 133’s embellishments with stunning focus. Hao shapes the modest little B-flat K. 440 Menuet simply and tastefully, although I still prefer Wanda Landowska’s freer, jazzier phrasing.
If Scott Ross brings more urgency and biting accentuation to the D major K. 511, Hao’s relatively restrained interpretation still is a plausible alternative. Yet the F minor K. 467 seems a trifle square, and grows thicker as it progresses; no match for Christian Zacharias’ crisper animation and rounder sonority. Similarly, Hao’s proficient literalsm in the G major K. 280 pales next to Horowitz’s imaginative tonal shadings, sultry characterization, and incisive rhythm.
Was the pause between phrases at 2:23 in the F major K. 541 deliberately drawn out, or is it an editing miscalculation? But the motoric D major K. 336 stands out for Hao’s well-calibrated balances and dynamic organization. Now that Hao gets a second crack at a Naxos Scarlatti volume, I hope that pianists responsible for some of the series’ finest installments such as Konstantin Scherbakov and Orion Weiss will also be invited back.
