Scarlatti

Scarlatti, name of 2 Italian composers of the baroque period. Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725) was a leading musical scholar, teacher, and composer of hundreds of church masses, cantatas, and oratorios, as well as more than 100 operas. Although few of his works are now performed, he is important for innovations in harmony, thematic development, and the use of instruments. His son Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757) also composed operas and church music but is known for his many brilliant sonatas for harpsichord. An influence upon Franz Joseph Haydn and W.A. Mozart, he is still widely played.

See also: Baroque.