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.
The MusicCoach difficulty measures a work's overall demands (technique, reading, stamina) on a shared 0-100 scale, consolidated from editorial and pedagogical reference points (Henle, exam syllabuses, curation) and our own analyses. It measures neither musical value nor the practice time YOU will need: two musicians of the same level can experience the same work very differently depending on their strengths (hands used to octaves, quick sight-reading…). The confidence reflects how many reference points sit behind the score and how well they agree — a lightly documented score is flagged “to validate”. For a truly personal bearing, the diagnostic and your space compare each work to YOUR estimated level, which the score alone cannot do.
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Each suggestion combines difficulty gap, risk, confidence and skill overlap. The first two cards in each column are the most useful pedagogically.
The safest next step.
A genuine step up, without a jolt.
A useful leap with guided practice.
The Sonata in E major K.531/L.430 presents a sprightly yet incisive character, shifting between buoyant, leaping phrases and moments that require a more sustained, singing touch, so clarity of articulation is crucial to maintain momentum without blurring the line. Technically, Connaissance des formes (3.6/5) is vital here to map out contrasting sections and manage repeats and sequences — this means planning phrase renewals and structural breaths down to the bar — and Ornements baroque (3.1/5) demand precise finger and wrist control to render trills and ornaments cleanly without weighing down the texture. From the baroque period, it belongs to Scarlatti's large set of keyboard sonatas, originally for harpsichord and now often performed on piano. I do not give a specific recommended recording because I prefer only to cite performances I am fully certain match this exact sonata.