Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)
Complete Sonatas, Vol.2

Born in Naples on 26 October 1685, Domenico Scarlatti first studied with his father, Alessandro Scarlatti, an important figure in the establishment of the eighteenth-century school of Neapolitan opera. In 1701 Domenico was appointed organist and composer at the Royal Chapel in Naples, taking advantage of a leave of absence to visit Florence. His first operas were staged in Naples, but in 1705, on the insistence of his father, he moved to Venice, where his father, convinced of his son's remarkable talent, thought his gifts might find greater scope. There he is said to have studied with Francesco Gasparini, a highly respected composer and teacher. In 1709 he moved to Rome, where he joined the musical establishment of Queen Maria Casimira of Poland, composing, among other things, six operas for her private theatre. In 1713 he became maestro di cappella of the Basilica Giulia at St Pet