Happy birthday Domenico Scarlatti

It is said that he wrote 555 keyboard sonatas. I have listened to only a small fraction of them, but I do like this one:

A YouTube search on Scarlatti K. 159 will produce dozens of versions. Here is a harmonic analysis of the work played on some midi something or other, perhaps by a robot.

I'm sorry, Dave, I can't do that.

Interestingly enough even though Scarlatti was Neapolitan he worked in Spain and Portugal. I can hear the Spanish influence in his work.

More on Scarlatti's life.

Here are a big ol' mess of sonatas played on a harpsichord.

But speaking of 555, and I think we were, did you know that the listed height of the Washington Monument is 555 feet? Coincidence? I think not.

My alliums are blooming

I had no luck propagating either my alliums or my leopard lilies - they seem to do fine on their own but I would really like more of them in places that I select. I guess left to their own devices they will eventually take over.

These are about four feet tall currently - so they are eye level.

Scarlatti Fandango and pictures of my last back yard get together.