The Graded Scarlatti: Piano Book

This collection distills 500+ sonatas into 40 carefully sequenced examples that build technical and interpretive confidence without overwhelming students. The editor's thoughtful progression moves pianists from accessible single-movement forms into Scarlatti's trademark rhythmic vitality and harmonic surprises, making his most distinctive compositional voice available to intermediate players.

These sonatas sparkle with rhythmic drive and elegant ornamentation, balancing the formality of Baroque structure with surprising harmonic turns and moments of virtuosity. Each piece unfolds with clarity and purpose, inviting the pianist into a world of dancing rhythms and crystalline textures that feel both historically grounded and immediately engaging.

Intermediate pianists (roughly Grades 4-6) seeking structured exposure to Baroque keyboard literature beyond Bach and Handel. Students preparing for competitions, exams, or recitals benefit from the progressive difficulty and the opportunity to develop fluency across multiple short forms.

• Observe the two-reprise structure as an opportunity to develop contrast between the sections; use the repeat to refine dynamics and articulation rather than playing identically
• Treat the written-out embellishments as integral melodic material, not ornamental additions; they define Scarlatti's character and should sing with the same clarity as the main theme
• Balance hand independence carefully in passages with rapid figuration; clarity of line matters more than speed, especially in the early sonatas where establishing clean passagework sets the foundation
• Adjust pedal use sparingly; Scarlatti's keyboard textures often benefit from the piano's natural resonance rather than blurred sustain

Feature individual sonatas on student recitals to build a Baroque recital set, or use them as repertoire selections for music festival competitions where Scarlatti is a standard category. The collection also works well for supplementary study alongside a core piano curriculum, offering concentrated technical work in a historically significant style.

• Reading continuous sixteenth-note figuration and rapid scalar passages
• Understanding binary form and formal reprise structure in keyboard music
• Executing hand crossings and managing wide intervallic leaps cleanly
• Developing baroque articulation and ornamentation interpretation on modern piano
• Building rhythmic independence and rhythmic clarity in both hands simultaneously
• Recognizing and executing voice independence within single-staff keyboard writing