Alessandro Scarlatti’s Sonate a quattro were published in 1725, the year of his death. With their specific marking ‘senza cembalo’ (without harpsichord), thesecompositions for two violins, viola and cello appear to be, in a sense, the first string quartets in the modern sense of the term. The programme is completed by a few sonatas by his brother Francesco, the ‘London Scarlatti’, and Alessandro’s son Domenico, who had so thoroughly absorbed the contrapuntal tradition instilledin him by his father that some of his sonatas can also be played in quartet formation.

• Sonata 1a A Quattro Senza Cembalo In Fa Minore
• Sonata 2nda A Quattro Senza Cembalo In Do Minore
• 9 Durezze E Ligature 2:32
• 10 Gagliarda Del Principe di Venosa 1:29
• Sonata 3a A Quattro Senza Cembalo In Sol Minore
• Sonata 4a A Quattro Senza Cembalo In Re Minore
• Sonata IX In Re Maggiore
• Sonate In la Minore
• 26 Sonate In la Minore: III. Largo E Coma Sta 1:07
• 27 Sonate In la Minore: IV. Baletto 1:50
• Sonata IV In Mi Minore
• 32 Sonata K. 87 In Si Minore 5:11