leadership lay an awakened popular enthusiasm under the influence of the four conservatories already mentioned (sec. 91), with possibly some stimulus from altered political conditions.
The Kingdom of Naples, founded in the 13th century, was ruled by
Spain throughout the 16th and 17th, often with much oppression. In
the War of the Spanish Succession, Naples passed over to Austria (1707),
and in 1735 regained its relative independence and its intellectual importance
under Charles I.
Although data as to Scarlatti's early training are meagre, it is
clear that he was thoroughly grounded in the harmonic and
contrapuntal learning of his age and was able to handle it in traditional
forms. His eminence, however, was due to his gifts as a
melodist and his instinct for the ordering of extended operatic
works so as to achieve a maximum of sustained interest. While
not himself the inventor of the main types of operatic procedure,
he is commonly regarded as the father of the completed opera
seria—certainly one of its earliest and most successful exponents.
He was influential, also, as a teacher and the stimulator
of other geniuses. Thus around him grew up a circle of gifted
artists, who together gave a memorable impetus to composition.
Though the salient feature of the opera at this stage was its
attention to affecting and distinctive melody, yet the structure
of melody was still so closely associated with polyphonic procedure
that broad musicianship was required at every point.
It is noticeable that almost all the Neapolitan opera-writers were
writers of noble church music as well, in styles that show their
descent from the masters of the preceding century.
Alessandro Scarlatti (d. 1725) was born in 1659 at Trapani (Sicily). He
is supposed to have studied at one of the schools at Naples and also under
Carissimi at Rome (before 1674). In 1680 he produced an opera at Rome
under the patronage of the well-known Christina, ex-queen of Sweden, whose
choirmaster he was till 1689. Soon after, he became choirmaster to the
Spanish Viceroy at Naples, but returned to Rome in 1703 to assist Foggia at
Sta. Maria Maggiore, succeeding him there in 1707. In 1709 he went again
to Naples, was visited there by Handel, was teacher at three of the conservatories
successively, and was for a short time royal choirmaster under the
new régime. It is not clear that he ever traveled, except to visit Venice in
1707, where he produced two operas. His musicianship was many-sided, for
he was eminent as singer, harpsichordist, teacher, conductor and composer in
every style then in use. His most famous pupils were his son Domenico
Scarlatti, Durante, Leo, Greco, Feo, Logroscino and Hasse. His handling
of the orchestra won the astonished praise of Corelli. His methods and style
