Scarlatti, (Pietro) Alessandro (Gaspae)

Scarlatti, (Pietro) Alessandro (Gaspare) , important Italian composer, father of (Giuseppe) Domenico Scarlatti and grandfather of Giuseppe Scarlatti; b. Palermo, May 2, 1660; d. Naples, Oct. 22, 1725. Nothing is known concerning his musical training. When he was 12, he went with his 2 sisters to Rome, where he found patrons who enabled him to pursue a career in music. His first known opera, Gli equivoci nel sembiante, was performed there in 1679. By 1680 he was maestro di cappella to Queen Christina of Sweden, whose palace in Rome served as an important center for the arts. He also found patrons in 2 cardinals, Benedetto Pamphili and Pietro Ottoboni, and served as maestro di cappella at S. Gerolamo della Carità. From 1684 to 1702 he was maestro di cappella to the Viceroy at Naples. During these years he composed prolifically, bringing out numerous operas and oratorios. In addition, he served as director of the Teatro San Bartolomeo, where he conducted many of his works. His fame as a composer for the theater soon spread, and many of his works were performed in the leading music centers of Italy; one of his most popular operas, Il Pino e Demetrio (Naples, Jan. 28, 1694), was even performed in London. His only confirmed teaching position dates from this period, when he served for 2 months in the spring of 1689 as a faculty member of the Cons. di Santa Maria di Loreto. Tiring of his exhaustive labors, he was granted a leave of absence and set out for Florence in June 1702; Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici had been one of his patrons for some years in Florence, and Scarlatti hoped he could find permanent employment there. When this did not materialize, he settled in Rome and became asst. maestro di cappella at S. Maria Maggiore in 1703; he was promoted to maestro di cappella in 1707. One of his finest operas, Il Mitridate Eupatore, was performed in Venice in 1707. Since the Roman theaters had been closed from 1700, he devoted much of his time to composing serenatas, cantatas, and oratorios. In late 1708 he was again appointed maestro di cappella to the Viceroy at Naples. His most celebrated opera from these years, Il Tigrane, was given in Naples on Feb. 16, 1715. His only full-fledged comic opera, Il trionfo dell’onore, was performed in Naples on Nov. 26, 1718. Scarlatti’s interest in purely instrumental music dates from this period, and he composed a number of conservative orch. and chamber music pieces. Having again obtained a leave of absence from his duties, he went to Rome to oversee the premiere of his opera Telemaco (1718). His last known opera, La Griselda, was given there in Jan. 1721. From 1722 until his death he lived in retirement in Naples, producing only a handful of works. Scarlatti was the foremost Neapolitan composer of the late Baroque era in Italy. A complete edition of his operas began to appear in the Harvard Publications in Music series in 1974. An edition of his oratorios commenced publication in Rome in 1964.

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera (all are drammas and were first perf. in Naples unless otherwise given): Gli equivoci nel sembiante (first perf. publicly, Rome, Feb. 5, 1679; later perf. as L’errore innocente, Bologna, 1679, and as L’amor non vuole inganni, Linz, Carnival 1681); L’honestà negli amori (Rome, Feb. 6, 1680); Tutto il mal non vien per nuocere, commedia (Rome, 1681; later perf. as Dal male il bene, Naples, 1687); Il Pompeo (Rome, Jan. 25, 1683); La Guerriera costante (Rome, Carnival 1683); L’Aldimiro o vero Favor per favore (Nov. 6, 1683); La Psiche o vero Amore innamorato (Dee. 21, 1683); Olimpia vendicata (Dee. 23, 1685); La Rosmene o vero L’infedeltà fedele, melodramma (Rome, Carnival 1686); Clearco in Negroponte (Dee. 21, 1686); La Santa Dinna, commedia (Rome, Carnival 1687; only Act 3 by Scarlatti); Il Flavio (Nov. 14?, 1688); L’Anacreonte tiranno, melodramma (Feb. 9, 1689); L’Amazzone corsara [guerriera] o vero L’Alvilda (Nov. 6, 1689); La Statira (Rome, Jan. 5, 1690); Gli equivoci in amore o vero La Rosaura, melodramma (Rome, Dee. 1690); L’humanità nelle fiere o vero 11 Lucullo (Feb. 25, 1691); La Teodora Augusta (Nov. 6, 1692); Gerone tiranno di Siracusa (Dee. 22, 1692); L’Amante doppio o vero II Ceccobimbi, melodramma (Aprii 1693); Il Pino e Demetrio (Jan. 28, 1694; later perf. as La forza della fedeltà, Florence, 1712); Il Bassiano o vero II maggior impossibile, melodramma (1694); La santa Genuinda, o vero L’innocenza difesa dall’inganno, dramma sacro (Rome, 1694; only Act 2 by Scarlatti); Le nozze con l’inimico o vero L’Analinda, melodramma (1695; later perf. as VAnalinda overo Le nozze col nemico, Florence, Carnival 1702); Nerone fatto Cesare, melodramma (Nov. 6, 1695); Massimo Puppieno, melodramma (Dee. 26, 1695); Penelope la casta (Feb. 23?, 1696); La Didone delirante, opera drammatica (May 28, 1696); Comodo Antonino (Nov. 18, 1696); L’Emireno o vero Il consiglio dell’ombra, opera drammatica (Feb. 2, 1697); La caduta de’ Decemviri (Dee. 15, 1697); La Donna ancora e fedele (1698); Il Prigioniero fortunato (Dee. 14, 1698); Gli’inganni felici (Nov. 6, 1699; later perf. as L’Agarista ovvero Gl’inganni felici, with the intermezzo Brenna e Tisbe, Florence, Carnival 1706); L’Eraclea (Jan. 30, 1700); Odoardo, with the intermezzo Adolfo e Lesbina (May 5, 1700); Dafni, favola boschereccia (Aug. 5, 1700; later perf. as L’amore non viene dal caso, Jesi, Carnival 1715); Laodicea e Berenice (Aprii 1701); 17 pastorle] di Corinto, favola boschereccia (Aug. 5, 1701); Tito Sempronio Gracco, with the intermezzo Bireno e Dorilla (Carnival? 1702); Tiberio imperatore d’Oriente (May 8, 1702); Il Flavio Cuniberto (Pratolino, Sept. 1702); Arminia (Pra-tolino, Sept. 1703); Turno Ariano (Pratolino, Sept. 1704); Lucio Manlio l’imperioso (Pratolino, Sept. 1705); Il gran Tamerlano (Pratolino, Sept. 1706); Il Mitridate Eupatore, tragedia (Venice, Carnival 1707); Il trionfo della libertà, tragedia (Venice, Carnival 1707); Il Teodosio Qan. 27, 1709); L’amor volubile e tiranno (May 25, 1709; later perf. as La Dorisbe o L’amor volubile e tiranno, Rome, Carnival 1711, and as La Dorisbe, Genoa, 1713); La Principessa fedele (Feb. 8, 1710); La fede riconosciuta, dramma pastorale (Oct. 14, 1710); Giunio Bruto o vero La caduta dei Tarquini (1711; not perf.; only Act 3 by Scarlatti); II Ciro (Rome, Carnival 1712); Scipione nelle Spagne, with the intermezzo Pericca e Marrone (Jan. 21, 1714); L’amor generoso, with the intermezzo Despina e Niso (Oct. 1, 1714); Il Tigrane o vero L’eguai impegno d’amore e di fede (Feb. 16, 1715); Carlo re d’Allemagna 0an. 30, 1716); La virtù trionfante dell’odio e dell’amore (May 3, 1716); Telemaco (Rome, Carnival 1718); Il trion fo dell’onore, commedia (Nov. 26, 1718); Il Cambise (Feb. 4, 1719); Marco Attilio Regolo, with the intermezzo Leonzio e Eurilla (Rome, Carnival 1719); La Griselda (Rome, Jan. 1721). Several operas attributed to him are now considered doubtful. serenatasi Diana ed Endimione (c. 1680–85); Serenata in honor of James II of England (Rome, 1688); Il genio di Partenope, la gloria del Sebeto, il piacere di Mergellina (Naples, Jan. 1696); Venere, Adone e Amore (Naples, July 15, 1696); Il trionfo delle stagioni (Naples, July 26, 1696); Venere ed Amore (c. 1695–1700); Clori, Lidia e Filli (e. 1700); Clori, Dorino e Amore (Naples, May 2, 1702); Venere e Adone: Il giardino d’amore (e. 1702–5); Endimione e Cintia (Rome, 1705); Amore e Virtù ossia Il trionfo della virtù (Rome, 1706); Clori e Zeffiro (Rome, 1706?); Fileno, Niso e Doralbo: Serenata a Filli (Rome, 1706?); Sole, Urania e Clio: Le Muse Urania e Clio lodano le bellezze di Filli (Rome, 1706?); Venere, Amore e Ragione: II ballo delle ninfe: Venere, havendo perso Amore, lo ritrova fra le ninfe e i pastori dei Sette Colli (Rome, 1706); Cupido e Onestà: II trionfo dell’Onestà (Rome, Sept. 1709); Le glorie della Bellezza del Corpo e dell’Anima (Naples, Aug. 28, 1709); Pace, Amore e Provvidenza (Naples, Nov. 4, 1711); Il genio austriaco (Naples, June 21, 1712); Il genio austriaco: Zefiro, Flora, il Sole, Partenope e il Sebeto (Naples, Aug. 28, 1713); Serenata in honor of the Vicereine, Donna Barbara d’Erbenstein (Naples, Dec. 4, 1715); La gloria di Primavera: Primavera, Estate, Autunno, Inverno e Giove (Vienna, Aprii 1716?); Partenope, Teti, Nettuno, Proteo e Glauco (Naples, 1716); Filli, Clori e Tirsi (Naples, 1718?); La virtù negli amori: La Notte, il Sole, Lanso, Lisa, Toante e Agave (Rome, Nov. 16, 1721); Erminia, Tancredi, Polidoro e Pastore (Naples, June 13, 1723); Diana, Amore, Venere (undated). oratorios and other sacred: Oratorio (Rome, Feb. 24, 1679); Oratorio (Rome, April 12, 1680); Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi secundum Joannem (c. 1680); Oratorio (Rome, Feb. 20, 1682); Agar et Ismaele esiliati (Rome, 1683); Il trionfo della gratia (Rome, 1685); Il martirio di S. Teodosia (Modena, 1685); I dolori di Maria sempre vergine (Naples, 1693); La Giuditta (Naples, 1693); Samson vindi-catus (Rome, March 25, 1695); Cantata…per la notte di Natale (Rome, Dee. 24, 1695); Il martirio di S. Orsola (e. 1695–1700); Davidis pugna et victoria (Rome, March 5, 1700); La Giuditta (1700); L’assunzione della Beata Vergine Maria (Rome, 1703); S. Michaelis Arcangelis cum Lucifer pugna et victoria (Rome, Aprii 3, 1705); S. Casimiro, re di Polonia (Florence, 1705); S. Maria Maddalena de’ pazzi (Rome, 1705); S. Filippo Neri (Rome, 1705); Qual di lieti concenti (Rome, 1705?); Il Sedecia, re di Gerusalemme (Urbino, 1705?); Àbramo il tuo sembiante, Christmas cantata (Rome, Dee. 24, 1705); Il trionfo della Ss. Vergine assunta in cielo (Florence, 1706); S. Francesco di Paolo (Urbino, 1706); Humanità e Lucifero (1706?); Il martirio di S. Susanna (Florence, 1706); Akène, ove per queste, Christmas cantata (Rome, Dee. 24, 1706); Cain overo Il primo omicidio (Venice, Lent 1707); Il giardino di rose: La Ss. Vergine del Rosario (Rome, Aprii 24, 1707); Il martirio di S. Cecilia (Rome, Lent 1708); La Ss. Annunziata (Rome, March 25, 1708); Oratorio per la Passione di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo (Rome, Aprii 4, 1708); La vittoria della fede (Rome, Sept. 12, 1708); Il trionfo del valore (Naples, March 19, 1709); La Ss. Trinità (Naples, May 1715); La Vergine addolorata (Rome, 1717); La gloriosa gara tra la Santità e la Sapienza (Rome, June 13, 1720). other: Over 600 cantatas, a number of masses and mass movements, motets, and madrigals; instrumental music, including 12 sinfonie di concerto grosso, toccatas for Keyboard, sonatas, suites, etc.

Bibliography

E. Dent, A. S.: His Life and Works (London, 1905; second ed., rev., 1960, by F. Walker); C. van den Borren, A. S. et l’esthétique de l’opéra napolitain (Brussels and Paris, 1921); P. Struver, Die Cantata da camera A. S.s (diss., Univ. of Munich, 1923); U. Prota-Giurleo, A. S. “il Palermitano” (Naples, 1926); A. Lorenz, A. S.s Jugendoper (Augsburg, 1927); O. Tilby, La Famiglia S.: Nuove ricerche e documenti (Rome, 1947); P. Taylor Lee, The Keyboard Style of A. S. (diss., Yale Univ., 1959); M. Fabbri, A. S. e il Principe Ferdinande de’ Medici (Florence, 1961); E. Hanley, A. S.’s Cantate da Camera: A Bibliographical Study (diss., Yale Univ., 1963); O. Henry, The Doctrine of Affections in Selected Solo Cantatas of A. S. (diss., Ohio State Univ., 1963); C. Morey, The Late Operas of A. S. (diss., Ind. Univ., 1965); D. Poultney, The Oratorios of A. S.: Their Lineage, Milieu, and Style (diss., Univ. of Mich., 1968); P. Brandvik, Selected Motets of A. S. (diss., Univ. of 111., 1969); J. Shaffer, The Cantus Firmus in A. S.’s Motets (diss., George Peabody Coll. of Teachers, 1970); P. Piersall, The Bass Cantatas of A. S. (diss., Univ. of Ore., 1971); R. Pagano, L. Bianchi, and G. Rostirolla, A. S. (Turin, 1972); M. Inkeles, A Study, Realization, and Performance of Unpublished Cantatas for Soprano and Basso Continuo ca. 1690–1706 of A. S. (diss., Columbia Univ. Teachers Coll., 1977); D. Grout, A. S.: An Introduction to His Operas (Berkeley, 1979); W. Osthoff and J. Ruile-Dronke, eds., Colloquium A. S. (Tutzing, 1979); W. Holmes, La Statira by Pietro Ottoboni and A. S.: The Textual Sources, with a Documentary Postscript (N.Y., 1983); F. D’Accone, The History of a Baroque Opera: A. S.’s “Gli equivoci nel sembiante” (N.Y, 1985); R. Pagano, S.: A. e Domenico: Due vite in una (Milan, 1985); U. Schachet-Pape, Das Messenschaffen von A. S. (Frankfurt am Main and N.Y., 1993); C. Vidali, A. and D. S.: A Guide to Research (N.Y., 1993); M. Lutolf, ed., A. S. und seine Zeit (Bern, 1995).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire