Scarlatti’s Piano Pieces: Baroque Masterpieces Left by the Maestro of Keyboard Sonatas
In 1685, the same year that Johann Sebastian Bach—often called the “Father of Music”—was born, the composer Domenico Scarlatti was born in Naples, Italy.
The son of Alessandro Scarlatti, renowned for his many operas and cantatas, he began his career as a composer and organist at age 15 and is said to have left as many as 555 harpsichord sonatas over his lifetime.
In this article, we’ve carefully selected from Scarlatti’s sonatas those works that are especially beloved by piano students and pianists in performance on the modern piano.
We’ll introduce them along with their musical characteristics.
- [Scarlatti] Introducing masterpieces and signature works from his many keyboard compositions!
- [Handel's Piano Pieces] A selection of famous works by the Baroque master
- [Couperin’s Piano Works] Introducing Masterpieces Left by a Renowned Keyboard Virtuoso of the Baroque Era
- Baroque Music on the Piano: A Curated Selection of Masterpieces Perfect for Recitals and Concerts
- Scriabin’s Piano Works: Selected Masterpieces by a Pioneer of Modern Music
- Satie’s Piano Pieces | Fleetingly Beautiful Works by Music’s Maverick
- [Piano Sheet Music] Beloved Classics | A Comprehensive Introduction to Copyright-Free Works
- Haydn’s Piano Works: Exquisite Piano Pieces Crafted by the Father of the Symphony
- J.S. Bach | Introducing Famous and Representative Works
- Piano × Dark Pieces: Classic Masterworks to Sink Deep into Sorrow
- [Piano Recital] Recommended for Middle Schoolers! A Comprehensive Introduction to Classical Masterpieces
- Kabalefsky’s Piano Pieces: Masterworks Left by a Maestro of Children’s Music
- [Lyadov’s Piano Pieces] A pianistic masterpiece crafted by a brilliant but lazy composer
[Scarlatti’s Piano Pieces] Baroque masterpieces left by the master of keyboard sonatas (11–20)
Sonata in E major, K. 531Domenico Scarlatti
The Baroque-era composer Domenico Scarlatti is also known for having written as many as 555 harpsichord sonatas.
The Sonata in E major, K.
531, is a masterpiece in a bright, radiant key.
Structured in binary form, this piece is characterized by a strong influence of Spanish folk music and by virtuosic passages sprinkled with ornamental figures.
A work that showcases the rich expressiveness and allure of Baroque music, it’s a perfect choice for recitals and concert programs.
In conclusion
Even today, Domenico Scarlatti’s sonatas are performed by many piano students and pianists. They are not only used as study material for learning Baroque music, but are also beloved as concert repertoire for their high artistic value. Out of the 555 sonatas, how many can you master? Enjoy their dignified style and challenge yourself to perform them.