Domenico Scarlatti was born in Naples, Italy on October 26,
1685, the same years as Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Frideric Handel. His
father was Alessandro Scarlatti, a prominent musician and composer, and likely
was Domenico's first music teacher.
His early career was spent throughout Italy. He first
attained the position of a composer and organist at the royal chapel in Naples
in 1701. In 1704, his father sent him to Venice though no record of his
activities there remains. In 1709, he was employed in the service of the exiled
Polish queen Marie Casimire. By this time, Scarlatti had attained a reputation
as an exceptional harpsichordist. It is said that while in Rome, he and Handel
engaged in a competition of skill. Scarlatti was likely judged the better
harpsichordist, yet inferior to Handel on the organ. Since that time, Scarlatti
greatly admired Handel's skill on the organ.
After a trip to London in 1719 to direct one of his operas,
Scarlatti departed for Lisbon, Portugal where he taught music to Princess Maria
Magdalena Barbara. He remained in Lisbon until 1727 when he left for Rome to
marry Maria Caterina Gentili the following year. In 1729, he moved to Sevilla
and then a few years later, in 1733, to Madrid. There he became music master to
Maria Magdalena Barbara who had married into the Spanish royalty. It was during
his time in Madrid that he composed many of the piano sonatas for which he is
nearly exclusively known for today. Scarlatti died in Madrid on July 23, 1757.
Domenico Scarlatti
Biography
Domenico Scarlatti was born in Naples, Italy on October 26, 1685, the same years as Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Frideric Handel. His father was Alessandro Scarlatti, a prominent musician and composer, and likely was Domenico's first music teacher.His early career was spent throughout Italy. He first attained the position of a composer and organist at the royal chapel in Naples in 1701. In 1704, his father sent him to Venice though no record of his activities there remains. In 1709, he was employed in the service of the exiled Polish queen Marie Casimire. By this time, Scarlatti had attained a reputation as an exceptional harpsichordist. It is said that while in Rome, he and Handel engaged in a competition of skill. Scarlatti was likely judged the better harpsichordist, yet inferior to Handel on the organ. Since that time, Scarlatti greatly admired Handel's skill on the organ.
After a trip to London in 1719 to direct one of his operas, Scarlatti departed for Lisbon, Portugal where he taught music to Princess Maria Magdalena Barbara. He remained in Lisbon until 1727 when he left for Rome to marry Maria Caterina Gentili the following year. In 1729, he moved to Sevilla and then a few years later, in 1733, to Madrid. There he became music master to Maria Magdalena Barbara who had married into the Spanish royalty. It was during his time in Madrid that he composed many of the piano sonatas for which he is nearly exclusively known for today. Scarlatti died in Madrid on July 23, 1757.