SCARLATTI. - A family of musicians that came to Rome from Sicily (though probably of Tuscan origin), which produced as many as 9 musicians; the works of only 4 of them, however, have been preserved.
The first is ALESSANDRO, b. in Palermo on 6 May 1660, d. in Naples on 22 Oct. 1725. Having moved to Rome with his parents, he made his name there with two theatrical works that rendered him famous and procured for him the protection of Queen Christina of Sweden; but afterwards he devoted himself to composing sacred music, among which the Messa Clementina and 6 other masses that are found in the holdings of the Cappella Giulia at the Vatican Library; Messa festiva a 4 voci piena con organo; Messa a 3 concertata « Veni sponsa Christi »; Messa a 8 concertata (without Benedictus); Messa a 8 concertata; Messa pastorale a 4 voci concertata in F; Messa pastorale a 8 voci con soli, in D and the motet Caro mea a 3 voci, signed and dated 31 Dec. 1707, perhaps a holograph. After having subsequently tried in vain to establish himself in Venice and in Urbino, he returned in 1708 to Naples, where he remained, except for a brief stay in Rome, until his death.
Bibliography2 works
DOMENICO, son of Alessandro, b. in Naples on 26 Oct. 1685, d. in Madrid on 23 July 1757. At 16 he was already organist and composer of the Royal Chapel, and very soon he began, under his father's guidance, a career as a harpsichord concert performer at the Grand Ducal Court of Tuscany. In Venice he met Handel, with whom he formed a deep friendship, and in 1708 he went to Rome, where, in the palace of Cardinal Ottoboni, the contest was supposedly held that was won by Handel at the organ and by S. at the harpsichord. In 1715 he became master of the Cappella Giulia in St. Peter's and then devoted himself to writing sacred music, of which 2 Miserere a 4 voci (holograph) survive in the Archive of the Chapel, one in G minor and the other in E minor. In Aug. 1719 he went to Portugal, where he was entrusted with the direction of the Royal Chapel of Lisbon and with the musical education of the royal princess Barbara, to whom he dedicated a collection of harpsichord sonatas, 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, which is preserved
in Naples. Other religious works of his are two cantatas, the
Stabat Mater a 10 voci, 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 around 1752.
Other notable musicians of the family are Domenico's
elder brother, PIETRO, who was for more than 40 years
organist of the Royal Chapel of Naples, and GIUSEPPE, his
son.
Bibliography7 works
Luisa Cervelli