Domenico Scarlatti

1685 - 1757

Please do share both this article and the website/Substack with friends and family.

Scarlatti is not the best known composer of his era and where he is remembered it is usually for his harpsichord pieces.

However he wrote a number of strident masses and religious works which are often overlooked.

With a generous dose of brass instruments his masses are never dull, often theatrical and if not overtly religious in tone, striking nevertheless.

From the city of Naples, which produced a number of prominent composers in this era (we have already covered Porpora), he mixed with the great and good of the music world. It is said he competed head to head with Handel on the organ, influenced Mozart and knew Farinelli, the castrato whose singing lit up Porpora's operas.

He travelled extensively during his career and died in Madrid.