SCARLATTI, ALESSANDRO, a musician of great eminence, b. at Trapani in Sicily iu 1659. Ile is said to have studied under Carissimi; if so, it must have been when very young. In 1680 visited Home, and composed his first opera, L'onesa nete amore, first performed at the court of queen Christina of Sweden. His opera Pornpeo was performed at Naples in 1684. In 1693 he composed the oratorio, 1 Dolori di Maria sempre Vergine, and the opera Teodora, in which orchestral accompaniments were first introduced to the recitatives, and a separate design given to the accompaniments to the • airs. In the eight years, during part of which time he held the office of maestro di capella at Naples, he produced various operas, the most remarkable being I,aodicea e Berenice, composed in 1701. Between 1703-9 he held the situation of maestro di capella at St. Maria Maggiore at Home; he then returned to Naples; and in 1715 produced I l Tigrane. Alessandro Searlatti died in 1721. His musical works com
prise 117 operas, several oratorios, and a great deal of church music, besides various madrigals and other chamber music. He was the founder of the Neapolitan school, in which were trained most of the great musicians of last century, and whose influence can be traced in the works of almost every composer who has flourished since. His invention was rich and bold, his learning great, and his style pure. His modulations, often nnexpeeted. are never harsh, and never difficult for the voice. His son, DOMEN ICO (born 1085, died 1757), was the first harpsichord player of his day. Among his com positions are a number of sonatas, remarkable for invention, graceful melody, and skill inl construction. Domenico Scarlatti had a son, GIUSEPPE (born 1718, died 1796), who was also known as an eminent musician.