Sixty Sonatas, Volume II, Nos. 31-60 (Urtext Edition): Piano Book

These sonatas occupy a sweet spot in the intermediate to early advanced piano curriculum that few other collections match. They ask students to develop genuine virtuosity through music that sounds and feels like the real thing rather than studies in disguise. The Urtext approach means you're working from Scarlatti's original concept, free from the editorial modifications that often cluttered earlier editions.

Scarlatti's writing balances crackling brilliance with moments of genuine intimacy and harmonic daring. One moment you're navigating intricate hand-crossing passages and rapid figuration that feel almost orchestral in scope; the next, a suspended chord or unexpected modulation pulls you into deeper harmonic territory. The energy is propulsive and inventive without ever becoming predictable.

This collection serves intermediate to advanced pianists preparing for conservatory entrance, competition, or serious recital work. Students who have completed the major Classical sonata cycles often turn to Scarlatti to deepen their understanding of keyboard technique and Baroque harmonic language. Piano teachers seeking material that rewards both technical ambition and musical maturity will find these 30 sonatas essential.

• Treat hand crossings and rapid scalar passages as opportunities to develop genuine finger independence rather than just speed; clarity always beats velocity.
• Pay close attention to Scarlatti's harmonic surprises and unexpected resolutions, as they often signal emotional turning points that need structural awareness in your interpretation.
• Experiment with terrace dynamics and registral contrast rather than trying to impose Romantic-era legato onto Baroque keyboard writing; the harpsichord origins of these pieces should inform your tonal approach.

These sonatas work beautifully in recitals organized around keyboard heritage, pairing well with Bach's smaller works or standing alone as substantial Baroque programming. They also serve as natural bridges in a concert that moves from Baroque through Classical into later periods, since Scarlatti's harmonic language and virtuosic demands foreshadow Classical forms. Consider programming a single sonata from this volume as a concert opener or as a contrasting piece alongside Romantic or Contemporary work.

• Hand crossing and finger independence at fast tempos
• Baroque articulation and terraced dynamics
• Reading and interpreting Urtext scores with minimal editorial interference
• Harmonic awareness of unexpected modulations and Baroque chromaticism
• Scalar and figuration passage work across multiple octaves
• Musical structure and form in single-movement keyboard works