Recommended Progression of Scarlatti Sonata's

[steve jones]

Is there a list anywhere of progressive Scarlatti sonata's? If not, would anyone care to recommend me some starting from easy (Gr3'ish) to advanced?

There are so many Im not really sure where to start with them! Id like to ease myself in gently (cough cough) before getting cracking on some more difficult ones, leading up to around Gr8 level.

Btw, I did do a search but didnt come up with much. I found that wonderful spreadsheet, but unfortunately dont have means to run it 

Thanks guys, appreciate it!

[m1469]

I don't remember seeing a total list of progressions, but have you checked out this thread  ? 

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,2339.msg21314.html#msg21314

I believe it contains the most information about Scarlatti sonatas on the forum, however, I could be wrong and will check my files.   Anyway Bernhard gives a ton of information there regarding grades and particular elements to many of the individual pieces.  As well as a list of pairings of them (scroll through, there is a lot of info throughout).

Hope that helps, and I will be back if I find something else.

m1469 

[steve jones]

Thanks m1469, I will have a butchers at that link 

[pianistimo]

fabio zanon adds a little interest to the story of the sonatas.  d. scarlatti was under the dominion of his father and the church well into his fifties.  then, his father died and he ended up marrying a 16 year old girl.  after that, he didn't write much church music, but he did write a lot of sonatas for harpsichord.  (don't know why i am writing this)

anyway, after doing some research (and probably repeating bernhard's list) i found that grade 4 was listed for the following sonatas:  L 82, 104, 151, 187, 196, 243, 339, 358, 386, 388, or 413.  and grade 5: L 27, 82, 114, 345, 373, 375, 387, 415, 487

i heard pompa-baldi play the K 9 really beautifully.  i have been learning the K 119 and K 9 paired up.  on in D major and the other in D minor.  I have the dover scores and don't know (but think that there is) a sort of listing in the front of the various difficulties of each sonata. 

is L 463 a fairly easy one, too?  don't have my book nearby. 

[pianistimo]

one thing i recently learned is not to play the strong chord at the beginning of K 119 as a blocked chord.  whenever you see chords like that in baroque music (as many of you know), you should always roll it.  it favors the harpischord because back then they couldn't play chords blocked anyway (or the harpsichord would have an awful sound and only one or two of the notes would play at the same time).  try to play them on a harpsichord sometime to hear the effect. 

you can get lots of good ideas from guitarists, too.  john williams is supposed to have made a good recording of many of these.

[sarahlein]

Bernhard actually listed them according to grades.

Have a look here:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,10129.0.html
(reply #12)

[m1469]

Bernhard actually listed them according to grades.

Have a look here:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,10129.0.html
(reply #12)

ooooo, thanks Sarahlein 

[rimv2]

Anyone know the grade for k249



 

[steve jones]

Sarahlein,

Hey, thanks for posting that excellent thread. This and the one m1469 posted have helped me a bundle. Time to listen to some recordings now I think!

[sarahlein]

You're most welcome!