This Sonata in G major first appeared in the third publication of Scarlatti's sonatas, a 1749 volume that the composer gave to his former pupil, Spanish Queen Maria Barbara, a proficient keyboard player, who apparently performed many his works. If she played this sonata, she must have been a true virtuoso, for this work, from the first note to the last, remains a challenge even for today's finest virtuosos. Marked Vivo, this Sonata in G major opens with music with such vivacity and kinetic power that even the passive act of listening renders a person breathless. The main theme begins with a rhythmic figure which imitates guitar strumming. Thereafter, it navigates an angular trajectory amid much lively contrapuntal activity and colorful writing. In the work's second half, Scarlatti maintains the same feverish pace and joyous mood as he deftly develops and transforms the thematic material. This delightful sonata typically has a duration of two-and-a-half minutes.

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