MusicCoach difficulty
65/100
Advanced
Level of the complete work
We have no level specific to this movement. The figure above is that of the complete work: within a cycle, movements often differ widely in demand.
Estimated skills
Theory
Harmonic analysis
1
Theory
Knowledge of forms
1
Reading
Bass clef reading
1
Style
Baroque style
1
Ornaments
Baroque ornaments
1
Technique
Hand independence
1
Technique
Fast passages
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.
Gentle step
The safest next step.
Gentle
Harpsichord Sonata in D major, BWV.963
Johann Sebastian Bach
close skills
low risk
to confirm
A short step up, staying in Intermediate (around grade 6 ABRSM/RCM). The skill that will carry the work: Connaissance des formes and Style baroque — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.
Gentle
Harpsichord Sonata in A minor, BWV.967
Johann Sebastian Bach
close skills
low risk
to confirm
A short step up, staying in Intermediate (around grade 6 ABRSM/RCM). The skill that will carry the work: Connaissance des formes and Style baroque — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.
Balanced step
A genuine step up, without a jolt.
Balanced
Sonata in E flat major, K.507, L.113
Domenico Scarlatti
close skills
moderate risk
to confirm
A real step up, staying in Intermediate (around grade 7 ABRSM/RCM). The skill that will carry the work: Connaissance des formes and Style baroque — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.
Balanced
Harpsichord Sonata in C major, BWV.966
Johann Sebastian Bach
close skills
moderate risk
to confirm
A real step up, staying in Intermediate (around grade 7 ABRSM/RCM). The skill that will carry the work: Connaissance des formes and Style baroque — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.
Ambitious challenge
A useful leap with guided practice.
Challenge
Sonata in D major, K.492, L.14
Domenico Scarlatti
close skills
high risk
to confirm
An ambitious leap into Advanced (around grade 7 ABRSM/RCM) — only worth starting if the practice time is really there. The skill that will carry the work: Connaissance des formes and Style baroque — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.
Challenge
Sonata in D major, K.119, L.415
Domenico Scarlatti
close skills
high risk
to confirm
An ambitious leap into Advanced (around grade 7 ABRSM/RCM) — only worth starting if the practice time is really there. The skill that will carry the work: Connaissance des formes and Style baroque — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.
Same level
Same level
Fuga a 2 in C
Johann Pachelbel
close skills
low risk
to confirm
Equivalent demands, still Intermediate (around grade 6 ABRSM/RCM): what changes is the ground. What changes is the skill in play: Polyphonie à trois voix ou plus and Analyse harmonique — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.
Same level
Prelude and Fughetta in G major, BWV.902
Johann Sebastian Bach
partial transfer
low risk
to confirm
Equivalent demands, still Intermediate (around grade 6 ABRSM/RCM): what changes is the ground. What changes is the skill in play: Polyphonie à deux voix and Style baroque — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.
Same level
Prelude and Fughetta in E minor, BWV.900
Johann Sebastian Bach
partial transfer
low risk
to confirm
Equivalent demands, still Intermediate (around grade 6 ABRSM/RCM): what changes is the ground. What changes is the skill in play: Polyphonie à deux voix and Style baroque — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.
This second movement feels like a restrained, danceable minuet with short, balanced phrases that call for a light but precise touch to bring out the dance accents and Baroque articulation. You will face specifically the skill « Connaissance des formes (3.6/5) », which here means clearly shaping repeats and cadences to define the binary form without blurring phrases, and « Analyse harmonique (3.6/5) », requiring you to spot quick harmonic shifts so you can adjust fingerings and voice placement during modulatory passages. The piece belongs to the Baroque period and is part of Scarlatti’s keyboard sonata output, where dance character and compact harmonic ideas are often combined.