SCARLATTI

SCARLATTI. — A family of musicians who came to Rome from Sicily (although probably of Tuscan origin), which produced no fewer than 9 musicians; only the works of 4 of them, however, have been preserved.

The first was ALESSANDRO, b. in Palermo on 6 May 1660, d. in Naples on 22 October 1725. Having moved to Rome with his parents, he established himself there with two theatrical works that made him famous and procured for him the protection of Queen M. Cristina of Sweden; but he then devoted himself to composing religious music, including the Messa Clementina and 6 other masses found in the collection of the Cappella Giulia in the Vatican Libr.; Messa festiva a 4 voci piena con organo; Messa a 3 concertata « Veni sponsa Christi »; Messa a 8 concertata (senza Benedictus); Messa a 8 concertata; Messa pastorale a 4 voci concertata in fa; Messa pastorale a 8 voci con soli, in re and the motet Caro mea a 3 voci, signed and dated 31 December 1707, perhaps an autograph. After subsequently attempting, without success, to settle in Venice and Urbino, he returned in 1708 to Naples, where he remained, apart from a brief stay in Rome, until his death.

DOMENICO, son of Alessandro, b. in Naples on 26 October 1685, d. in Madrid on 23 July 1757. At the age of 16 he was already organist and composer of the Cappella reale, and soon, under his father’s guidance, began a career as a harpsichord concert performer at the Grand Ducal Court of Tuscany. In Venice he met Händel, with whom he formed a profound friendship, and in 1708 went with him to Rome, where, in the Palazzo of Cardinal Ottoboni, the contest supposedly took place that Händel won on the organ and S. on the harpsichord. In 1715 he became maestro of the Cappella Giulia in S. Pietro and then devoted himself to writing sacred music, of which 2 Miserere a 4 voci (autograph) remain in the Cappella’s Archive, one in G minor and the other in E minor. In August 1719 he went to Portugal, where he was entrusted with directing the royal chapel of Lisbon and with the musical education of the royal princess Barbara, to whom he dedicated a collection of sonatas for harpsichord, giving it the modest title of Esercizi. In 1728 he followed her to Madrid, where he died. Among his sacred compositions, mention should be made of what was perhaps his last work, a Salve Regina for voice, strings and organ, preserved in Naples. Other religious works of his are two cantatas, the Stabat Mater for 10 voices, now preserved in Bologna (Liceo musicale), the oratorio La conversione di Clodoveo, composed ca. 1709, and the cantata Applausi devoti al nome di Maria S.ma, from around 1752.

Other notable musicians of the family were Domenico’s elder brother, PIETRO, who was organist of the Cappella reale of Naples for more than 40 years, and GIUSEPPE, his son.