The preface to Scarlatti's 'Esercizi per il gravicembalo' (his first published sonatas) ends with the words 'Vivi felice' ('Live happily'), setting the stage for his lively music.
Composition History
The great majority of Scarlatti's 555 keyboard sonatas were written for his gifted pupil, patron, and friend, Princess Maria Barbara of Portugal, who became the Queen of Spain.
Composer Biography
Domenico Scarlatti, nicknamed 'Mimo', was born in Naples in 1685, the same year as Bach and Handel, into a family of musicians.
Critical Reception
Brahms, the famous 19th-century composer, owned seven volumes containing 308 of Scarlatti's sonatas in manuscript copies.
Historical Context
Many records from Scarlatti's time as Kapellmeister for João V of Portugal were lost in the great Lisbon earthquake and tsunami of 1755.
Composition History
None of Scarlatti's sonatas exist in his own handwriting; they were all passed down through manuscripts copied by others, thanks to the castrato Farinelli.
Composition History
Most of Scarlatti's sonatas were written after he had reached the age of fifty, which is exceptional for composers of his era.
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