Page 93 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

BAROQUE 1600–1750 91

See also: Pièces de clavecin 82–83 ■ Musique de table 106 ■ Clementi’s Piano
Sonata in F-sharp minor, Op. 25, No. 5 132–133 ■ “Eroica” Symphony 138–141

their sonatas tended to consist
of three to four movements of
contrasting moods. However,
Scarlatti’s sonatas for the solo
harpsichord—at that point, a
For bold playing of the relatively neglected instrument—
harpsichord … [s]how yourself typically follow a two-part, single-
more human than critical, and movement structure, often pivoting
thus increase your own around a central “crux,” or pause,
pleasure. … LIVE HAPPILY. and tending to be of shorter
Domenico Scarlatti proportions, lasting only around Domenico Scarlatti
three to four minutes in total.
The son of the prolific
The Pastorale opera composer, Alessandro
Although he was influenced by Scarlatti, Domenico Scarlatti
the sarabandes and courantes was born in Naples in 1685.
(both courtly dances) of his A talented musician himself,
keyboard were legendary, his contemporaries, Scarlatti’s music he followed his father into a
dancing fingers described by one of this era is unique in its use of musical career of wide-ranging
astonished British observer as folk idioms taken from his Iberian commissions and royal
resembling “a thousand devils.” surroundings. The Sonata K9 in patronage. At 16 he became
Scarlatti allegedly once had a D minor is nicknamed the Pastorale composer and organist to the
public contest of keyboard skills (Pastoral). This is in part due to the royal chapel in Naples before
with Handel, a musical duel that, deceptive simplicity of its melody going on to serve the exiled
Polish queen, Maria Casimira,
by all accounts, ended in a draw. but also owing to the traditional in Rome. He later became
Scarlatti put his talents to use at music it evoked, including elements maestro di cappella (music
the highest level of royal service, of Spanish folk dance music such director) at St. Peter’s.
tutoring Maria Barbara when she as the strumming, percussive In 1721, Scarlatti joined
was both princess of Portugal and effects of Spanish guitar. This the Portuguese court in
later queen of Spain. It was her addition of country stylings to the Lisbon, where he gave music
aptitude for the instrument and her formal courtly influences was to lessons to Princess Maria
continuous employment of Scarlatti continue to define Scarlatti’s music. Barbara. When the princess
that provided the conditions for his He broke down the expectations of married Fernando VI of Spain,
groundbreaking Essercizi. Baroque chamber music convention, she summoned Scarlatti to
experimenting with dissonance be her music tutor. He served
Scarlatti’s sonata style and syncopation in his later sonatas. the queen until his death in
The term “sonata” derives from the It is such playful “jesting with Madrid in 1757. Scarlatti is
Italian verb suonare, meaning “to art” that places Scarlatti as a mainly known for his 555
keyboard sonatas, although
sound,” and generally denotes solo master of both Baroque music he also produced a huge
instrumental music—that is, music and the evolving classical style. quantity of chamber and
which is “sounded” as opposed Scarlatti helped pave the way sacred vocal music.
to sung (or “cantata”). In the early for the still more radical sonata
18th century, Italian composers experiments of Mozart and
such as Arcangelo Corelli, Antonio Beethoven that followed and that Other key works
Vivaldi, and Tomaso Albinoni further emphasized the importance 1724 Stabat Mater for
had written widely for solo of freestyle, expressive melody lines 10 voices
instruments—the violin being a over the more formal structure of 1757 Salve Regina
particularly popular choice—but Baroque music. ■

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