This work first appeared in the third published volume of Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas that the composer presented to Queen Maria Barbara of Spain in 1749. Yet this G major effort may well have predated that year by a decade or more. In any event, it is a playful work that many Scarlatti enthusiasts hear as a portrayal of a flirtatious encounter between a young woman and man. The music, according to this view, depicts the coy, enticing behavior of the woman and the man's pursuit, which even includes a lively chase. Of course, there is no evidence Scarlatti intended to convey any such scene, but there is little doubt he wanted to impart a sense of high spirits and mischievous playfulness. Marked Allegretto, the work opens with a light, charming theme launched by trills. The music seems to alternate between a teasing sense and a demure sort of deceptiveness, imparting a kind of cat-and-mouse character to the piece in its many shifting and contrasting elements. And there does seem to be a feeling of some notes playfully pursuing others. About midway through, Scarlatti develops his thematic material, giving it a bit more weight. This charming work typically has a duration of three minutes.

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