Domenico Scarlatti

Its great for students to know the "famous" facts about Scarlatti.

Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)

• Composer Domenico Scarlatti was born in Italy in 1685, the same year as J.S. Bach and George F. Handel.

• Scarlatti composed more than 500 keyboard sonatas!

• Scarlatti wrote many of his sonatas for his harpsichord students. Today his sonatas are often performed on the piano.

• A story is told about Scarlatti’s cat stepping on several harpsichord keys, one by one. When Scarlatti heard his cat play these notes, he wrote “The Cat’s Fugue,” a piece for harpsichord in G minor.

To learn more, visit Alberti Publishing.

Illustration by Heidi Cabrera

Harpsichord

Most kids say, "harpsi-WHAT?" Alberti Publishing explains harpsichords this way:

• A “harpsichord” looks like a small piano. The first harpsichord was created more than 600 years ago.

• The black and white keys on a harpsichord are often the opposite from the modern piano.

• Pianos use a hammer to strike the strings but a harpsichord uses a plectrum to pluck the strings. When you play a harpsichord, it doesn’t matter how hard you press the key, the sound is not louder or softer—it’s always the same!


Want to see more? visit Alberti Publishing.

Illustration by Heidi Cabrera