An international traveler and master of the harpsichord, Domenico Scarlatti’s contributions to the keyboard are monumental and ably bridge the gap between the Baroque and Classical periods. 

The sixth child of Alessandro Scarlatti and Antonia Anzaloni, Domenico Scarlatti was destined to be a musician from birth. His father, uncle Francesco, and brother Pietro were all composers and young Domenico’s musical talents soon led him in this direction. By the age of fifteen, he was appointed organist and composer of Cappella Reale in Naples. Even with such early success, there existed considerable tension between Domenico and his father, an authoritarian figure who set out to micro-manage his son’s early musical career. 

Scarlatti eventually settled in Venice, where he became well known for his astounding virtuosity on the harpsichord. A testament to this fact lies in a youthful harpsichord duel with Handel that was perceived a draw. Moving to Rome, Scarlatti worked for Maria Casimira, the exiled queen of Poland, before departing to the Cappella Guila in 1714. There, he concentrated on composing sacred works, the most memorable of these being his Stabat Mater for 10 voices. It was here that Scarlatti made an important connection with Marquis de Fontes, the Portuguese ambassador, that would dramatically alter the course of his life.

In 1719, Scarlatti accepted a position at the royal chapel of João V in Lisbon. A rather unconventional move for a composer not native to the Iberian Peninsula, Scarlatti soon settled into court life as a performer, composer, and educator. Among his pupils were noted keyboardist Carlos Seixas and Maria Barbaras, the future queen of Spain. Scarlatti flourish in his new environment and its influence is also evident in the numerous harpsichord works composed during this period. For the next seven years, he remained in the king’s service, occasionally returning to Rome for a variety of reasons, one of these being his marriage to Maria Catalina in 1728.

Following the marriage of Maria Barbara to Ferdinando in 1729, Scarlatti accompanied his regal pupil to Spain. He became an integral musical member of a Spanish royal court that also included the famed castrato Farinelli. The court’s rotating movements throughout Spain also exposed Scarlatti to various Spanish folk music, which he incorporated into his own works. In 1738, the publication of his 30 Essercizi, a series of harpsichord works, brought Scarlatti recognition and fame throughout Europe. Allowed to focus on this instrument throughout his Iberian experience, he wrote over 550 sonatas that artfully combined the advances of the Baroque period and foresaw many of the coming Classical developments. 

Scarlatti’s later years were marked by their quietude and productivity. He concerned himself primarily with the collection and assemblage of various manuscripts, while maintaining his performance appearances at the court. A religious introspection also denotes this period, seen in the vocal works Missa quattuor vocum and his Salve Regina for soprano, strings, and continuo. A respected performer and composer, Scarlatti died on 23 July 1757 in Madrid at the age of 71.

Scarlatti Biography - from the Baroque Music page.