Biography
Estimates place the total output of this Italian composer at roughly 3,400 works. Vocal compositions formed the bulk of his catalog, though he did produce instrumental pieces such as sonatas. Opera, cantata, and oratorio represented his primary vocal genres. Drama, strong melodic construction, close alignment of text and music, along with a refined sensitivity to instrumental color, mark the strongest examples of his writing. Contact in Rome with Corelli, Handel, the Scarlattis, and Pasquini may have led to mutual influence between them. His proficiency on the viol, cello, and keyboard likely contributed to these stylistic traits. Only in 1716 did he secure a permanent court position, joining the Viennese court of Charles III and remaining there for the rest of his life.