Domenico Scarlatti

Domenico Scarlatti
Domingo Antonio Velasco · Public domain · source
Name	Domenico Scarlatti
Caption	Portrait attributed to Domingos António de Sequeira
Birth date	26 October 1685
Birth place	Naples, Kingdom of Naples
Death date	23 July 1757
Death place	Madrid, Kingdom of Spain
Occupation	Composer, Harpsichordist
Notable works	555 Keyboard Sonatas
Spouse	Maria Catalina Gentili, Anastasia Maxarti Ximenes
Father	Alessandro Scarlatti

Domenico Scarlatti was an Italian composer and virtuoso harpsichordist whose career bridged the Baroque and Classical eras. Primarily celebrated for his 555 single-movement keyboard sonatas, he developed a highly idiosyncratic and technically demanding style that profoundly influenced the development of keyboard music. His long service at the royal courts of Portugal and Spain immersed him in Iberian musical traditions, which he masterfully synthesized with his Italian training.

Life and career

Born in Naples, he was the sixth child of famed composer Alessandro Scarlatti, who provided his early musical education. In 1701, he was appointed organist and composer at the Royal Chapel of Naples. Seeking broader opportunities, he traveled to Venice around 1705, where he likely met and engaged in a legendary keyboard contest with George Frideric Handel, arranged by Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni. After a period in Rome serving the exiled Polish queen Maria Casimira Sobieska and later as *maestro di cappella* at the Basilica of St. Peter's, his career took a decisive turn in 1719 when he moved to Lisbon to become the music master for King John V and teacher to the princess Maria Bárbara. When she married the future Ferdinand VI and moved to Madrid in 1729, Scarlatti followed, remaining in her service until his death, a period during which he composed the vast majority of his sonatas.

Musical style and influence

His compositional style is a unique fusion of his native Italian virtuosity, particularly from the Neapolitan School, and the folk rhythms and harmonies of Spanish and Portuguese traditions, including flamenco and fado. He frequently employed bold harmonic experiments, unexpected modulations, and rapid repeated notes, demanding unprecedented technical skill from the performer. This innovative approach served as a critical bridge between the contrapuntal complexity of the Baroque and the emergent galant style, directly influencing later composers like Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Muzio Clementi. His work anticipates the formal clarity and keyboard idiom of the Viennese Classical masters.

Keyboard sonatas

The bulk of his output consists of 555 single-movement keyboard sonatas, originally termed *essercizi* (exercises). Most were composed for his patron, Queen Maria Bárbara, and preserved in manuscript collections, notably the *Venice* and *Parma* manuscripts. These works are predominantly in binary form and explore an immense variety of affects, from fiery and percussive dances to lyrical and deeply expressive arias. Characteristic techniques include the rapid crossing of hands, wide leaps, and the imitation of guitar strumming and castanet rhythms. The modern cataloging system for these works was established by the harpsichordist Ralph Kirkpatrick, whose 1953 biography provided a foundational scholarly study.

Legacy and reception

Although his music was largely forgotten after his death, the 19th and 20th centuries saw a major revival, championed by pianists like Vladimir Horowitz and scholars such as Ralph Kirkpatrick. His sonatas are now considered cornerstone repertoire for both modern piano and historical instruments like the harpsichord and fortepiano. Annual festivals and competitions, such as those in Naples and Madrid, are dedicated to his work. His influence extends beyond classical music, with elements of his style discernible in the works of 20th-century composers like Igor Stravinsky and Francis Poulenc, cementing his status as a uniquely original voice in Western music.

Selected works

His vast output is dominated by the 555 keyboard sonatas (e.g., K. 1, K. 9 "Pastorale", K. 87, K. 380, K. 454). Beyond these, his other significant compositions include several operas such as *Narciso* and *Tetide in Sciro*, written during his Italian period. He also composed sacred vocal works, notably the *Stabat Mater* for ten voices and continuo, and the *Messa di Santa Cecilia*. A small number of secular cantatas and sinfonias round out his known oeuvre, showcasing the operatic flair of his early career before his focus turned exclusively to the keyboard.

Category:1685 births Category:1757 deaths Category:Italian composers Category:Baroque composers Category:Keyboardists