Estimated from our difficulty score, not taken from an exam syllabus. Checked against 333 works on the ABRSM syllabus: the exact grade is right 7 times out of 10, and within one grade 99 times out of 100.
Difficulty estimate by MusicCoach on a scale of 1 to 100.
Most works cluster between 45 and 65: a small score gap often marks a real step. The highlighted bar shows this work among those for the same instrument.
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This D minor sonata feels sharp and restless, alternating rapid figures with sudden breaks that create a nervous momentum rather than mere decorative display. Technically, Connaissance des formes (3.6/5) is crucial to handle the repeats and two-part phrasing: you must anticipate returns and shape phrases so statements and answers remain distinct; additionally, Ornements baroque (3.1/5) require a precise, detached finger gesture to execute trills and appoggiaturas at a brisk tempo without clouding the texture. From the Baroque period, it belongs to Scarlatti’s body of keyboard sonatas and exemplifies his taste for abrupt contrasts and concise motif development. I do not provide a reference interpretation here because I am not fully certain of a specific recording for this sonata.