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Musicology:
This Sonata was preserved in Parma in the 15th volume of Scarlatti's keyboard works. Though the manuscript is dated 1757, this C major effort may have been written a bit earlier, but it is almost certainly among his last works. Marked Allegretto, the Sonata is known for its vibrant rhythms and joyous mood. Scarlatti's keyboard music usually had a busy, even manic character when carrying fast tempo markings, blending the anxious with the optimistic and bright. This Sonata is relatively leisurely in its pacing, mixing playfulness and elegance with a delicate, child-like merriment.
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Sonata in C, K.548, L.404Key: C
Genre: Sonata
Pr. Instrument: Harpsichord
It opens with a bouncy rhythm which, after a playful fall, forms a theme, one that expands and evolves, its primary and secondary parts seeming inextricably linked, as in so many Scarlatti sonata expositions. As usual, the composer repeats the expository section before moving onto thematic development midway through. Here, the music retains its rhythmic character, although the material of the first subject is avoided altogether, while that in the second receives primary focus. The music is just as playful here, getting caught up in effervescent swirls of notes and colorful clownish tumbles. There is as much lighthearted fun in this three-and-a-half minute gem as in almost any late sonata by this keyboard master.
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