Alberti, Domenico

About 1717-1740

Italian composer and pianist, also singer and performer on the harpsichord. He was a pupil of Lotti and Biffi. He set to music the Endymion of Metastasio, in 1737 and a little later the Galatea of the same author. He is supposed to have invented a style of broken bass, called Alberti bass. He at least brought it into notice and used it very largely in his works, which consist of three operas, thirtysix sonatas and other simple piano music.