Origins & Early Life

Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti (26 October 1685 – 23 July 1757) was an Italian composer. He is classified primarily as a Baroque composer chronologically, although his music was influential in the development of the Classical style. Like his famous father Alessandro Scarlatti, he composed in a variety of musical forms, although today he is known mainly for his 555 keyboard sonatas. He spent much of his life in the service of the Portuguese and Spanish royal families.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Scarlatti was born in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, then belonging to the Spanish Empire. He was born in 1685, the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel. He was the sixth of ten children of the composer and teacher Alessandro Scarlatti. His older brother Pietro Filippo was also a musician. It is possible, but not certain, that his mother, Antonia Anzalone of Rome, was a distant relation of the Anzalone family of musicians of Naples.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Scarlatti first studied music under his father. Although his early musical education is unclear, he may have studied under Gaetano Greco, Francesco Gasparini, and Bernardo Pasquini. Scarlatti was appointed as a composer and organist at the...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Charles II of England — Contemporary (Died in 1685) (1685): The Stuart monarch who oversaw the Restoration of the English monarchy.
• George Berkeley — Contemporary (Born in 1685) (1685): Founder of immaterialism and a key figure in 18th-century empiricism.
• George Frideric Handel — Contemporary (Born in 1685) (1685): Master of the Baroque era, renowned for operas and oratorios.
• 7th Dalai Lama — Contemporary (Died in 1757) (1757): Spiritual leader of Tibet, recognized as the 7th Dalai Lama from 1720 to 1757.
• George Vancouver — Contemporary (Born in 1757) (1757): Royal Navy officer and renowned explorer who charted vast regions of the Pacific Northwest.
• Marquis de Lafayette — Contemporary (Born in 1757) (1757): French hero of the American and French Revolutions, celebrated globally.
• Abby Aldrich Rockefeller — Shared historical date (10-26 · Born) (1874): American socialite and influential philanthropist, key patron of modern art.
• Akashi Motojiro — Shared historical date (10-26 · Died) (1919): General in the Imperial Japanese Army and Governor-General of Taiwan.
• Alison Krauss — Shared historical date (07-23 · Born) (1971): Esteemed American bluegrass singer and musician known for her vibrant career.
• Amy Winehouse — Shared historical date (07-23 · Died) (2011): Iconic British soul artist blending jazz, R&B, and retro sounds.
• 1685 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1685
• October 26 (10-26) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 26
• 1757 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1757
• July 23 (07-23) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on July 23