Pasquini enjoyed reputation as a dramatic composer, and the success of an opera of his performed at the Teatro Capranica, Rome, during the festivities in honour of Queen Christina of Sweden (1679), is specially noted; or, according to Mendel, he wrote two successful operas, one for the opening of the Teatro Capranica, and a second for the festivals.  He also wrote an oratorio:  La Sete di Christo.  Pasquini died in the year 1710.

But, it will be asked, Why is he mentioned in a book which is concerned with the sonata?  It is known that he was a skilful performer on the harpsichord, and some Toccatas and Suites of his appear to have been published in a collection of clavier music at Amsterdam in 1704.  Fetis, in his Biographie Universelle des Musiciens, even states that he wrote sonatas for gravicembalo.  Here are his words:—­

“Landsberg possedait un recueil manuscrit original de pieces d’orgue de Pasquini, dont j’ai extrait deux toccates, composees en 1697.  Ce manuscrit est indique d’une maniere inexacte dans le catalogue de la bibliotheque de ce professeur (Berlin, 1859) de cette maniere:  Pasquini (Bernardo) Sonate pei Gravicembalo (libro prezioso).  Volume grosso E scritto di suo (sua) mano in questo libro.  Ce meme catalogue indique aussi de Bernard Pasquini:  Saggi di contrapunto—­Anno 1695.  Volume forte. E scritto di suo (sua) mano in questo libro.  Malheureusement ces precieux ouvrages sont passes en Amerique avec toute la bibliotheque musicale du professeur Landsberg.”

Whether these precious volumes actually went to America seems doubtful.  Anyhow both volumes are now safely housed in the Berlin Royal Library.  It may be mentioned that the first contains no real sonata:  its contents consist principally of suites, toccatas, variations, and fugues.

In the story of Italian instrumental music, Pasquini is little more than a name.  The fourth volume of A.W.  Ambros’ History of Music concludes thus:—­“So ist uns von dem geruehmten Meister nichts geblieben, als seine Name u. seine stolze Grabschrift in San Lorenzo in Lucina.” (Thus of the famous master (i.e. Pasquini) nothing remains except his name and his proud monument in San Lorenzo in Lucina).  The writer of the article “D.  Scarlatti,” in Sir George Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians, remarks that the famous harpsichord player and composer “has been called a pupil of Bernardo Pasquini.”  But he considers this “most improbable, seeing that Pasquini was of the school of Palestrina, and wrote entirely in the contrapuntal style, whereas Domenico Scarlatti’s chief interest is that he was the first composer who studied the peculiar characteristics of the free style of the harpsichord.”