Antonio Soler is best known for his many keyboard sonatas. His training as a church musician and a post as organist at the royal palace and monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial brought him into contact with musicians such as Domenico Scarlatti from the court of Philip II. With the Op.4 Sonatas the influence of Scarlatti mixes with new styles emerging from Vienna. Soler’s Classical forms include lively dances to go along with elegant delicacy, solemnity and drama – all enhanced by his characteristic sparkling ornamentation and virtuoso technique.

Aside from the famous Fandango, Antonio Soler’s music has tended to be underrated, with composers such as Scarlatti, C.P.E. Bach, Haydn and Mozart putting him somewhat in their shadow. Our extensive and ongoing recordings of Soler’s sonatas played on modern instruments is, however, going from strength to strength, and this is the 10th release in a collection presenting these sonatas in numeric order, as well as showcasing young and extremely talented artists with each album.

This recording is young Russian pianist Evgeny Konnov’s Naxos debut. Konnov has appeared in prestigious venues throughout Europe, as well as in South Africa, Japan and Morocco, and among numerous awards he has been a winner of the Maria Canals International Music Competition in Barcelona, Spain (2018). In the 2020–21 season he was Artist in Residence at the Staatstheater Augsburg.