Great Music - La Folia 2

Today we’re continuing our exploration of how the early Spanish dance tune, La Folia, has been used by many of the illustrious composers of the Western world.  Today’s take on La Folia comes to us from the distinguished Italian composer, Alessandro Scarlatti.

 

Alessandro Scarlatti was born in Palermo in 1660.  He studied under Giacomo Carissimi, a prominent exponent of the Roman School of the early Baroque style.  When his first opera was performed in Rome (at the tender age of 19); he so impressed Queen Christina of Sweden (who was sojourning in Rome at the time) that she made him her Maestro di Cappella.  Five years later, he took a similar post in Naples.  Naples was to be Scarlatti’s base for the rest of his life, with extended stays in Venice, Florence and Rome.  Scarlatti produced a string of successful operas, as well as church and instrumental music.

Scarlatti was also an accomplished keyboardist.  His contribution to the Folia legacy is a set of harpsichord variations.  Enjoy!

 

Scarlatti was also the father of two composers; the illustrious Domenico Scarlatti, and the less-illustrious Pietro Scarlatti.

                                             Domenico                         Pietro

You may recall that earlier in the week, I posted a clip of Vladimir Horowitz playing Domenico Scarlatti’s Sonata in B Minor.  Here’s another clip of the great master, playing Scarlatti’s Sonata in E Major (again from his historic 1986 concert in Moscow.)

And to round out the family, here’s Pietro Scarlatti’s Toccata in G Minor.