Mark Slater wrote:
>
> >Say what you will, but Scarlatti needs the biggest
> >keyboard you can find , and that means a big French
> >Double, with 2 keyboards please.

The compass needed for Scarlatti varies. And the word 'needed' can be
interpreted loosely. While we're at it, why 2 keyboards? Exhibit:
Brahms Intermezzo, opus 118 no. 6 in e-flat minor. Measures 25 and 26.
Does anybody deny that this was written for a single manual instrument? It
needs to be played by someone who does quite a bit of practicing, and
knows how to play intertwining lines so that they sound distinct. Putting
it on two manuals to make it easier would just encourage incompetents to
think they were good enough to play it.

Judy (who thinks Holy Week and tax week should never ever be allowed to
coincide, and also thinks gang wars should not break out in the
neighborhood of her church the week before she leads the music at a
sunrise service in the parking lot. Don't let me take it out on you guys
too much...)