Keyboard Sonata in F major, Wq.91, no. 3, H.533
Classical Sonata Piano solo ~8 min
In brief

This F-major sonata balances bright rhythmic drive with moments of inward reflection, featuring phrases that burst out in pointed accents and then reply in more restrained utterances; the piece feels more like a sequence of dialogues and silences than virtuosic display. Technically, you will need to use Analysis harmonique (3.6/5) to track the quick modulations and bring out bass progressions that require steady shifts of support, and Knowledge of forms (3.6/5) to identify the exposition, transitional episodes and recapitulation so you can shape dynamics and phrase lengths appropriately; here those skills translate into choices of suspension lengths and cadence placement rather than sheer speed. It belongs to the Classical period and occupies a transitional place in C. P. E. Bach’s keyboard output, showcasing his taste for intimate expression and sudden turns within sonata form.

MusicCoach difficulty
57/100
Intermediate
Likely range : 45–69/100
Confidence : 31% · to confirm
BeginnerIntermediateAdvancedVirtuoso
Exam grade
About grade 6

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.

Where this work sits
050100

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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Relative difficulty
80%
Among Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
80%
Era Classical
44%
Genre
Estimated skills
Theory
Harmonic analysis
1
Theory
Knowledge of forms
1
Style
Classical style
1
Technique
Legato
1
Interpretation
Dynamics
1
Interpretation
Phrasing
1
What to play next?

Each suggestion combines difficulty gap, risk, confidence and skill overlap. The first two cards in each column are the most useful pedagogically.

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