The miraculous year of 1685 for music – Bach, Händel and Scarlatti
- Milton Ribeiro
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Bach, Handel, and Scarlatti were all born in 1685. Handel on February 23, Bach on March 21, and Scarlatti on October 26.
They are three giants, and the mere fact that they were born in the same year is coincidence enough. It would have been nice if Rameau (1683) and Vivaldi (1678) had waited. Well, but that might have changed the course of music history quite a bit, as Bach was heavily influenced by the Prete Rosso (Red Priest).
Similarities and Differences
Let’s look for more common ground between our great trio of composers. The 1685 trio were central figures of the Baroque period, contributing significantly to the history and repertoire of musical art and my favorite musical period, the Baroque. Each in their own way and according to the environment in which they lived, the three shaped the aesthetic and musical techniques of the time.
Bach became known both for his sacred works and for his instrumental music, including what we might call conceptual pieces. Handel also composed instrumental music, but he was much more renowned for his operas and oratorios, while Scarlatti was a pioneer of the keyboard sonata, especially for the harpsichord. Due to his job obligations, he wrote more than 500 sonatas for harpsichord.
Another common point between them is the Italian influence. The Neapolitan Scarlatti, of course, wasn’t immune to this and incorporated the Italian style into his works.
The highly studious Bach studied and adapted Italian techniques, especially from Vivaldi, in his compositions. Handel, like Bach, was German, but spent much of his career in Italy and England, absorbing and transforming the Italian style in his operas and oratorios. In fact, Handel's Italian Cantatas, written in his youth in Italy, are magnificent!
But there’s more. Bach, Handel, and Scarlatti were all virtuoso keyboard players. Bach was highly respected as an organist and harpsichordist, Handel excelled as a harpsichordist, and Scarlatti was one of the greatest virtuosos of the instrument in his time. Their works for keyboard remain pillars of the repertoire today.
Apparently, the three never met in person, but there are several legends and perhaps even a real attempt to meet. The main legend: Handel and Scarlatti allegedly competed in a harpsichord “duel” in Rome, where the crowd declared Scarlatti superior on the harpsichord and Handel on the organ. Was it a real or staged draw? While they were dueling, Bach was probably drinking beer or arguing with his employers, but he was an admirer of Handel, and it is said that they tried to contact each other, unsuccessfully.
As mentioned, the three composers worked in both sacred and secular music. Bach is known for both his sacred and secular works. Handel balanced operas and oratorios, mainly in the realm of vocal music. Scarlatti, on the other hand, focused much more on instrumental music, but he also composed some sacred vocal works.
Another coincidence is that all three died within a relatively short time frame: Scarlatti in 1757, Handel in 1759, and Bach in 1750. We could say that the Baroque period ends with their deaths.
The last coincidence is sad and excludes Scarlatti. Bach and Handel, when elderly, began suffering from cataracts and were operated on by John Taylor (1703–1770). Well, this charlatan British doctor—who was a self-promoter—blinded both Bach and Handel, among many others. Taylor was a notorious fraud. Both composers had vision problems, but after Taylor’s “surgeries,” they were irreparably blinded. Taylor is infamous. Look him up.
On which day was Bach actually born?
But today is Bach's birthday. And I ask: was Bach born on March 21 or 31, 1685? On the 21st. Shall we talk about 1582? That year, the Gregorian calendar was introduced in some European countries, but not everywhere. Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Poland, the most Catholic countries, accepted the change dictated by the Church, but the rest did not. It was only later that all the other countries adopted it. The March 21, 1685, in Germany was not the same March 21, 1685, in Italy, Spain, and so on. There was a 10-day difference. The day Bach was born was “called” March 21 in Germany, where they were still using the Julian calendar. But Bach was born on March 31, according to the calendar we all use today, the Gregorian. What matters? Well, according to historians, what matters is what is written in the church where Johann Sebastian Bach was registered. March 21 is what counts. Ask Francisco Marshall, and he will confirm this.
Similarly, it is often said that Shakespeare and Cervantes died on the exact same day, April 23, 1616. Strictly speaking, this is not true. Their deaths were separated by 10 days. Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616 (Julian), which today would be equivalent to May 3 (Gregorian). Cervantes died on the 23rd in the Gregorian calendar. But historians say that what matters is what is written, so they both died on April 23, but with a 10-day difference. So, they died on the same day, but not at the same time... Go figure!
What is certain is that we can celebrate Bach's birthday (or birthdays) with (lots of) beer. He loved it, and it was also a matter of safety and health. It is said that he produced it in industrial quantities at his own home.
Three Masterpieces by Bach, Händel, and Scarlatti
Let’s quickly talk about the repertoire of the Masters of the Baroque concert, organized by the Bach Society Brasil, on Saturday (03/22/2025), at 8 PM, at Casa da Ospa in Porto Alegre.
Tickets available here
The concert begins with two Sonatas by Scarlatti, K. 141 and K. 87. Sonata K. 141 features a curious percussive writing and passages in “repeats” that suggest the Spanish guitar, an instrument ubiquitous at the court of Madrid, where the composer spent much of his life. Sonata K. 87, in B minor, has an introspective and lyrical character, contrasting with the brilliant technique that characterizes many of the composer’s other sonatas.
Next, we will have Bach’s Cantata BWV 4, Christ lag in Todes Banden (“Christ lay in the bonds of death”), one of Johann Sebastian Bach’s most important and revered works. It is based on a Lutheran hymn written by Luther, who in turn was inspired by the medieval hymn Victimae paschali laudes. It is believed that Bach composed this cantata around 1707 during his time in Mühlhausen, although it may have been revised later. It is one of his earliest surviving cantatas. The cantata was written for Easter, reflecting the central theme of Christ's resurrection and victory over death. The text is a paraphrase of Luther’s hymn, which in turn is rooted in the liturgical tradition of Easter. It explores themes such as sin, death, and redemption through Christ.
The oratorio La Resurrezione (The Resurrection) by George Frideric Handel is a Baroque masterpiece and one of the composer’s first major works. Composed in 1708 during Handel’s time in Rome, the oratorio tells the story of Christ's resurrection, based on biblical texts and liturgical traditions. Handel composed La Resurrezione when he was only 23 years old. He was in Rome, where operas had been banned by the Pope, but oratorios and other forms of sacred music were allowed. The work was commissioned by Marquis Francesco Ruspoli, an Italian nobleman and patron of the arts. The first performance took place on Easter Sunday, April 8, 1708, at the Palazzo Bonelli in Rome.
Milton Ribeiro Cultural journalist and bookseller, he is the owner of Livraria Bamboletras.
More about the writer: https://miltonribeiro.ars.blog.br/about/
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