• Name: Alessandro Scarlatti
• Birthday: 05/02/1660
• Birth Place: Palermo, Italy
• Died: 10/24/1725
• Place of Death: Naples, Italy
• Period: Baroque
• Genre: Classical

Title	Release
Elitropio d'amor, chamber cantata for soprano or mezzo-soprano & continuo	1962
(2) Gli equivoci in amore, o vero La Rosaura, opera ("La Rosalba")	1962
(2) Serafini al nostro canto, cantata for 3 voices & instruments WA	2004
A battaglia, pensieri, chamber cantata for soprano, alto, 2 violins, cello, double bass, trumpet, mandola & continuo WA	1996
(2) Abramo, il tuo sembiante, cantata for soloists, chorus, 2 oboes, strings & continuo	1992
(4) Ad te Domine levavi, motet for chorus	1992
(4) Agar et Ishmaele esiliati, oratorio for soloists, strings & continuo ("Il sacrificio di Abramo")	1992
(4) Ammore brutto figlio de pottana, chamber cantata for tenor & continuo	1990
(3) Andate, o miei sospiri, chamber cantata for soprano & continuo No. 1 in G minor	1989
Ardo, è ver, per te d'amore, chamber cantata for soprano, flute & continuo (incomplete)
(5) Arie (7) con tromba sola, for voice, trumpet & continuo
Arpeggio, Fuga, and Corrente, for keyboard (Naples Conservatory MS 71)	2005
(2) Arsi un tempo e l'ardore, madrigal for 5 voices	1986
Audi filia, et inclina aurem, gradual for chorus, oboe, 2 violins, viola & organ WA	2004
Augellin vago e canoro, chamber cantata for soprano, 2 flutes & continuo	1998
Beata mater, motet for 4 voices	2002
(7) Bella madre dei fiori, chamber cantata for soprano, 2 violins & continuo (doubtful)	2000
Bella quanto crudel spietata Irene, chamber cantata for soprano & continuo	2004
(11) Cain overo Il primo omicidio, oratorio, for soloists, strings & continuo
(2) Carlo re d'Allemagna, opera (with intermezzo "Paladrana e Zamberlucco")	2004
(5) Cleopatra, mia reina, chamber cantata for soprano, alto & continuo ("Marc'Antonio e Cleopatra")	1992
(5) Clori e Mirtillo, chamber cantata for soprano, alto & continuo	1992
(3) Clori mia, Clori bella, ah non più, chamber cantata, for soprano, flute & continuo
(3) Clori vezzosa e bella, chamber cantata for alto & continuo
Clori, Dorino e Amore, serenata for 3 voices, chorus & instruments WA	2001
(5) Con Voce Festiva, for voice, trumpet & continuo (Arie con tromba sola No. 3)	1990
(3) Concerti grossi (6) ("VI Concertos in Seven Parts")	1994
(2) Concerti sacri, motets for 1-4 voices, Op. 2	1995
(9) Concerto grosso No. 1 in F minor
(3) Concerto grosso No. 2 in C minor	1978
(6) Concerto grosso No. 3 in F major	1978
(2) Concerto grosso No. 4 in G minor	2000
(3) Concerto grosso No. 5 in D minor	2000
(2) Concerto grosso No. 6 in E major	1988
Cor di Bruto, e che risolvi?, chamber cantata for bass & continuo	2006
(3) Cor mio, deh non languire, madrigal for 5 voices	1986
(5) Correa nel seno amato, chamber cantata for soprano, 2 violins & continuo	2000
(2) Cupido e Onestà: Il trionfo dell'Onestà, serenata for 2 sopranos & instruments	1996
Dall'oscura magion dell'arsa Dite, chamber cantata for soprano, 2 violins & continuo ("L'Orfeo")	2004
Davidis pugna et victoria, oratorio for soloists, double chorus, strings & continuo	2000
De tenebroso lacu, motet for alto, 2 violins, viola & continuo	1993
Deh torna, amico sonno, chamber cantata for soprano & continuo ("Il Sonno")	1992
Del lagrimoso lido, chamber cantata for soprano & continuo ("Euridice dall'Inferno")	2006
Diana ed Endimione, serenata for soprano, alto & instruments	1989
(2) Dimmi crudel, e quando, chamber cantata for soprano, alto & continuo (doubtful)	1990
Dixit Dominus (No. 1) (Psalm 109), for chorus & organ	2000
(2) Dixit Dominus (No. 4), motet for soloists, chorus, 3 violins & continuo WA	1987
Domine refugium factus es nobis, gradual for chorus	1973
(2) Domine vivifica me, motet for chorus
(4) E pur vuole il cielo e amore, chamber cantata for soprano, alto & continuo	1995

Alessandro Scarlatti was among the most important Italian composers of opera from the late baroque period. He is credited with establishing the Neapolitan school of opera in the eighteenth century, rapidly improving the predominantly provincial state of music in Naples into a sophisticated and enduring tradition. He composed over 600 cantatas, more than 100 operas, many oratorios, serenatas, sonatas, and other instrumental pieces. Oddly, his historical position declined after his death and his reputation was not rehabilitated until the early twentieth century. His importance in music is further bolstered by the fact he was the father of Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757), who in the keyboard realm was among the most individual and influential composers of his day. Another son, Pietro, also became a composer of some distinction.

Virtually nothing is known of Alessandro Scarlatti's early musical education, though he likely became a choirboy at a local church and may have studied the rudiments with the choirmaster. At the age of 12 he was sent off to a relative in Rome. He may have studied with Carissimi there until 1674, when the older composer died.

In April 1678, Scarlatti married Antonia Anzalone, who would bear him ten children, though only half would survive to adulthood. Around this time the composer became the maestro di cappella for Queen Christina of Sweden, an arts patron who had founded two academies at her palace in Rome. He served in this post until 1684, when he departed for Naples. By this time he had scored a great success in Rome with his first opera, Gli equivoci nel sembiante (1679), and with subsequent ones, along with many cantatas and oratorios.

At Naples, he was appointed maestro di cappella at the Viceregal Chapel, under the Viceroy of Naples, Marquis del Carpio. By the 1690s, Scarlatti was writing operas and serenatas at a prolific pace, owing mainly to the requirements of his position. One of his most successful large works during this decade was his opera Il Pirro e Demetrio, which was performed throughout Italy and elsewhere in Europe to critical and public acclaim.

Scarlatti took a leave of absence in June 1702, and traveled to Florence with his son, Domenico, who now exhibited his own musical talents. The elder Scarlatti had hoped for a post with Prince Ferdinando de Medici, but could not obtain one, though he would write much music for him in the coming years, including four operas. In 1703, he took on music directorship at St. Maria Maggiore in Rome, but was unhappy in the post from the first, since the Pope had forbidden theatrical performances there, thus frustrating the creative urges of any composer of opera and especially of one so prolific.

In 1707, Scarlatti was promoted to maestro di cappella at St. Maria Maggiore, but a year later, following financial difficulties, he returned to Naples to serve in his former post. He would spend another 10 years there, remaining highly productive throughout, turning out many operas, including Giunio Bruto (1710) and the highly successful Il Tigrane (1715). From 1718 to 1722 Scarlatti was on leave, mostly in Rome, where his operas could now be staged. After his return to Naples in 1722, his output declined, while his financial hardships increased. He died in 1725, leaving his family in debt and ignored by those who had owed him salary. ~ Robert Cummings, All Music Guide