The chief Italian keyboard composer of the eighteenth century, and one of the most original geniuses in the history of music, was Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757). Son of the famous Alessandro Scarlatti, born in the same year as Bach and Handel, Domenico Scarlatti produced no works of lasting importance before his first collection of harpsichord sonatas which was published in 1738. In 1720 or 1721 Scarlatti left Italy to enter the service of the King of Portugal. When his pupil the Infanta of Portugal was married to Prince Ferdinand of Spain in 1729, Scarlatti followed her to Madrid, where he remained for the rest of his life in the service of the Spanish courts and where he composed most of his 550 sonatas.
David Clark Little was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA. He began organ and piano lessons at an early age. After receiving a BS in chemistry from the Pennsylvania State University in 1974, he decided to begin a career in music: first with studies in America, at the West Chester State University, PA, and from 1977 in the Netherlands, at the conservatories of Hilversum, Amsterdam, and Utrecht. He studied harpsichord with Anita Mello, Alan Curtis, Thérèse de Goede, Anneke Uittenbosch, and Gustav Leonhardt, and organ with Keith Chapman, Dorothy Flexner, Anita Mello, and Jan Raas. In 1983 he received his harpsichord diploma. He studied composition with Larry Nelson, Tristan Keuris, Ton de Leeuw, and Ton Bruynèl. In addition, he followed workshops in Darmstadt and Amsterdam, and master classes with John Cage. In 1988, at the end of these studies, he received the Certificate for Electronic Composition. He has been a finalist and prize-winner in several composition competitions, including in the USA, Germany, the Netherlands, France and Greece. He has been given commissions for compositional work and several grants to perform his work abroad and to attend festivals and workshops in Germany, Holland, and the Soviet Union. Since 1975 he has been active as a performer, publicist, lecturer, church organist/choir director, and teacher. Currently he teaches organ, harpsichord & piano privately, and at the Settlement School in Philadelphia, PA, and is Organist/Choir Director of the First Presbyterian Church of Willow Grove, PA. Running a private studio, he produces CDs with the Adnarim label. Among these are his own compositions, his performances of harpsichord Sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti; and his own arrangement of the Goldberg Variations by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Harpsichord: Klinkhamer/Little, 1985. Tuning: 415 hz, Vallotti temperament. Recorded 1997-1998 ADNARIM Studio. Cover: Fire in Evening, Paul Klee. Photo credit: Steve McCurry.
Read more...