An original programme with which the Swiss pianist Olivier Cavé succeeds in summarizing two universes that might, however, a priori appear remote: Domenico Scarlatti vs. Joseph Haydn. In the same album, Olivier Cavé confronts two complementary visions of the keyboard. ‘With this project, I wanted to connect these two composers,’ he tells us, ‘for, when playing Haydn, I always had the feeling that he was familiar with Scarlatti’s music.’ For these two composers, the keyboard is the alphabet of a distinctive language; in a style both playful and mischievous, they composed with a bantering humour, unlimited amusement, unfailing virtuosity and a perfect sense of description.

Paradoxically, the two composers meet in their slow movements, of unparalleled simplicity and amazing naturalness that give this music, generations apart, very great lyrical depth. This recording shows to what degree the impact of Scarlatti’s music on Haydn’s keyboard compositions is undeniable. For this project, Olivier Cavé has relied on the learned advice of the American musicologist Elaine Sisman.