Rankings & Roundups

Every Scarlatti Sonata,

Ranked
All 559 of them
by
Jeffrey Arlo Brown June 25, 2020

Illustrations Carine Kuntz

Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757) wrote a lot of Sonatas. Fair

enough: what else was there to do all day before Twitter was
invented? Listening to all these pieces in 2020 proved another
challenge. I’ll make no claim to have heard each work in
monkish concentration, and I make no guarantees for the
correctness of my observations. But, at least partially thanks to
the social wasteland caused by the coronavirus, I really did hear
the entirety of every single one. Now you don’t have to.

For my sanity, I’ve ranked the works by category, instead of

giving each Sonata a unique number. For your sanity, I haven’t
described every piece—instead, I’ve only included my notes
which either added to the description from the category or
which I otherwise found interesting or funny. I’ve also included
some miscellaneous pieces on this list, bringing the total from
the standard 555 to 559. I mostly listened to the Scott Ross
harpsichord recordings, though sometimes I also heard them on
piano. (Sue me.)

While some writers point to the “total originality” and

“spectacular innovations” in the sonatas, the reality is that many
of them are boring, generic, or just plain bad. A fact that
completist musicians should remember when recording these
pieces: someone has to listen to them. But there is also incredible
music here. The best works often restored my faith not just in
Scarlatti but in humanity. Drop me your favorite Scarlatti
sonatas. I’ll compare them with mine in a few days, once I’ve
left the anechoic chamber.

"A fact that completist musicians should remember when

recording these pieces: someone has to listen to them." Every
Scarlatti sonata (all 559 of them), ranked. via @vanmusicmag
 CLICK TO TWEET

559–538: The 22 Worst Sonatas

K512
K547: Disjointed.
K478: Indistinct.
K514: Blocky and inorganic.
K374: Legitimately boring by minute two out of four.
K437: An extraordinarily long four minutes.
K440: [In a pleading tone] Why do the late Sonatas seem to be getting worse?
 K391: Too long at three minutes 18 seconds.
K492: No “there” there.
K268: Choppy. Never gets going.
K11: Pedantically insistent.
K68: Nothing at all going on. Long and monotonous.
K110: Extremely formulaic.
K122: Just plain dull.
K143: Annoying.
K206: Bored by minute one out of nearly six.
K210: Dumb.
K229: A chore to listen to.
K245: SO MANY ARPEGGIOS.
K267: This sucks.
K310: Nothing to listen to.
K398: Stupid octaves.

Scarlatti by Scott Ross - Harpsichord Sonatas K1 - K99 + Presentat…

Presentat…

537–470: The Rest of the Worst

K193: Forgettable.
K266: Forgettable.
K322:
322 Basically all sequences.
K66
K83
K263: One genuinely deceptive deceptive cadence. That’s it.
K415: The whole piece sounds like one big cadence.
K430: Just no.
K500
K279
K285: The main motive isn’t good and it stays the same throughout.
K2
K6: Repetitive with octaves that suck.
K24
K125
K427
K537
K396: Felt like an eternity.
K49: Gratingly earnest.
K73: The only good parts of this piece come from Scott Ross’s playing.
K102: Incoherent.
K114
K116
K117
K123: Dull.
K136
K137
K138: Everything good is in the left hand.
K167
K168
K205
K211: Disjunct.
K223: Too baroque.
K230: Exhausting.
K231
K237: How can I get this trill to leave me alone?
K248: Headache inducing.
K250
K264: Tedious.
K269
K294
K297
K298: Does not rock.
K301
K307
K342: Forgettable and interminable.
K343: Forgettable, not as interminable.
K348
K350
K357: Like a mashup of a bunch of different pieces.
K359: Lame. Briefly becomes the Moonlight Sonata.
 K385: Fast music; time passes slow.
K389
K407: Off-putting.
K410: This sucks.
K411: This also sucks.
K452
K472: Banal, tiring.
K482: Too many unfunny trills.
K484: Rhythmically square.
K486
K493: The dotted rhythm is all I can enjoy.
K504: Annoying.
K509: Aggravating.
K510
K530: Trips over itself.
K538
K542: Useless.

469–434: Nothing to Say Here

K528
K299
K289
K435
K533
K51
K47
K200
K259
K393
K400
K57
K511
K7
K42
K288
K232
 K241
K25
K77
K103
K128
K154
K236
K251
K276
K311
K327: Like I never heard it.
K331
K362
K372
K405: Quite good but I don’t know why.
K473
K494
K539
K550

433–423: The Interchangeable

K491: Generic, where have I heard this before?
K107: Indistinguishable from a bunch of other Sonatas, and long to boot.
K157: Like K 140 but worse.
K305: Predictable. Could be mistaken for 10 other Sonatas.
K321
K324: Better than K 321.
K383
K442
K459: Utterly unoriginal.
K535: Reminds me of a Sonata that reminded me of something else I couldn’t
place.

S l tti b S tt R H i h dS t K100 K199 / K119

 Scarlatti by Scott Ross - Harpsichord Sonatas K100 - K199 / K119, …

422–416: When Arpeggios Attack

 K104
K161: Too much filler.
K326
K399
K433: The filler ruins a pretty motive.
K469: Just figuration.
K551: Endless figuration.

415–396: The Disappointing

K146
K175: Crunchy, but becomes formulaic.
K214
K377
K382: Only the end is good.
K423
 K254
K420
K429: 20 pretty seconds near the end.
K282
K74
K207: Started off well. Then just dumb scales and sequences.
K244
K258
K302
K338: A pretty twirling motive, never developed.
K346
K390
K465
K516

Scarlatti by Scott Ross - Harpsichord Sonatas K200 - K299 / K208 …

395–389: The Disturbingly Happy

 K506
K353
K336
K166
K351
K354

388–361: The Too Long

 K36
K88
K546
K474: Gorgeous, warm core idea, but meandering.
K296
K402: Forgettable and endless.
K158
K170
K176: Pretty, but three minutes would have been enough.
K194: Nice lamenting bass. Three minutes would have been enough.
K316
K417
K502
K532: Has a certain pleading elegance that overstays its welcome.
K87
K112: The naively-sweet act gets old quick.
K139
K160
K188: Good, but not six minutes good.
K220: A blast. Slightly too long.
K228
K243: Has a thrilling, Renaissance-like drone.
K313
K360
K363: Should have ended 40 seconds earlier.
K422
K507: An unworthy fugal subject.
K524

361–322:
322 The Uneven
K10
K521
K109
K94: About 50 seconds of crazy dissonance. That’s the only highlight.
K461
K33
K292
K303: Ecstatic B much better than A.
K98
K300
K471
K184: One amazing bit sounds like proto-Debussy. The rest is generic.
K12
K14: Tedious with some funny glissandi.
K16
K425: A single very surprising moment.
 K518
K93
K19: At times manically repetitive, at other times standard-issue Scarlatti.
K53
K71
K72
K78: A bad melody and a good bass line, followed by a better lilting section.
K105
K119: An intermittently exciting march.
K130
K147
K195: Exciting trills at the beginning and ending, dragged down by figuration.
K202: Really picks up in the middle.
K204A
K225
K235: An almost medieval middle section.
K261
K337
K368
K458
K468: Beautiful gentle music. Bad fast music.
K489
K548
K554: A flash of jazz. And the rest is lame.

321–308: The Merely Competent

K82
K549
K198
K201
K79: Happy and banal but still pretty good.
K274
K26
K315
K86: Kind of sweet and innocent. Also kind of boring.
K129
K221
K308
K314
K480
Domenico Scarlatti Harpsichord Sonatas K428 - K448 Scott Ross 27
307–278: The Excruciatingly Decent

K54
K113: Hm, decent.
K169: Pastoral and mildly pleasant.
K280: A tad manic.
K290
K196: Painless.
K63
K446
K13
K515
K81: The first movement is pretty and fragile, the second long-winded.
K67
K140
K150
K180
K181
K182
K242: Decent syncopations and little else.
K271
K272
K306: Fine, I guess.
K323
K332
K334
K358
K401
K408
K483
K508: Gets close to, but never reaches, an intense momentum.
K553

277–256: Block That Adjective!

K96: Bubbly.
K8: Growly.
K91: Flaccid.
K106: Tinkly.
K108: Romping stomping.
K163: Pale.
K164: Christmasy.
K199: Impassioned, insistent.
K218: Buoyant.
K226: Nasal.
K256: Smug.
K309: Decently average.
K341: Tempestuous.
 K379: Phoned-in.
K380: Jaunty.
K395: Ragged.
K406: Moderately rousing.
K434: Serpentine.
K453: Strumm-y.
K522: Lackluster.
K543: Tinny.
K552: Hilly.

255–253: The Too Short

 K27: Beautiful agony. Wanted to enjoy it longer.
K89
K431: Barely happened.

Martha Argerich Scarlatti Sonata K 141

252–205: The Average

K40
K59
K60
K149
K215
K419
K421
K463
K498
K464
K488
K503
K536
K84
K371: Average bubbly Scarlatti.
K373: Average bubbly Scarlatti, but in minor.
K449
K278: Slight, but adorable.
K284: Folksy, but uninteresting.
 K519
K540
K30
K15
K318
K373
K61
K120
K28
K131
K155: Some pretty winding octave lines.
K156: Totally average.
K189
K190
K222
K224
K227: A little tiring.
K240
K249
K262: Boring but not offensively so.
K270: Half-hearted.
K304
K328: On organ. It’s nice to hear a different instrument.
K329
K330
K397
K412: Elegant.
K485
K555: Standard minor galloping.

204–167: The Slightly Above Average

K21
K23
K388
K438
K403
K475: A few interesting rhythms.
K48
K50
K386: Enjoyably hectic throughout.
K44
K135
K445
K455
K466
K65
K90
 K134
K153: Straddles the line between cute and annoying. Very slightly more the
former.
K171
K204B
K216: Dumb but fun.
K217
K252
K275
K352
K355: Cheery, but with refinement.
K369
K370
K384: Very naive.
K392
K418
K428
K432
K443: Enough contrast to transcend individually unspectacular sections.
K444
K477
K523
K541: Some fun video game scales.

167–99: The Legitimately Enjoyable

K121
K462
K525: I like the slamming low chords and jarring key changes.
K17
K118
K132
K319: Some fun runs and suspensions.
K404: Lively, with hints of intriguing chromaticism and exhilarating bass lines.
K544
K212
K247: The character of a solemn Prelude.
K295
K38
K85
K100: I have low expectations for C Major, but this is catchy.
K234
K281
K513
K277
K3: Endearing and weird.
K4
K31: Some exciting flourishes.
K209
K287: Pretty and unobtrusive.
K448
K42
K45: Pleasingly pastoral.
K69: A good, thick texture. [Nice.]
K76
K101
K126
K142: An elegant dance with intriguing longer phrases balanced out by shorter
blocks.
K151
K152: This would be bad if it was longer. As is, it’s nice.
K165
K173
K174: Simple but engrossing.
K178
K179
K183
K186: Very danceable.
K192
K219
K255
K273: Like a lullaby.
K312: Well-balanced.
K317
K320: A hint of birdsong. Rhythmically vital.
K325: Tolling bass fifths.
K333
K339
K344
K345: Good, but hammers you over the head with the main motive.
K349
K361
K366
K367: One exciting, overextended rising passage.
K381
K413
K424: Coherent.
K439
K447
K451: Busy.
K467
K479
K495: Is this only good because it’s in a warm E Major?
K505
K529
K534: Stylish but lacks harmonic invention.

Scarlatti - sonata k 496

98–82: The Hey, That Sounds Like
 K37: Schubert, but harmonically static and too long to support its material.
K496: “Phrygian Gates” by John Adams, minus the Phrygian.
K127: Mozart.
K197: The J.S. Bach Flute Sonata in B Minor.
K481: The Mozart C Minor Fantasy for piano.
K454: A melody by Mozart.
K20: Conlon Nancarrow’s “Studies for Player Piano.”
K426: A baroque Moonlight Sonata.
K56: A polka.
K148: John Dowland.
K172: An early Schubert dance.
K265: Mozart‘s Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K 550.
K283: Beethoven’s “Grenadiermarsch” in F for Mechanical Clock.
K293: A theory class demonstration of the circle of fifths.
K335: The Beethoven Sonata for Mandolin and Piano. But better.
K441: Anything by John Philip Sousa.
K527: Mario for Nintendo64.

81–22: The Best of the Rest

K9: Elegant runs and parallel thirds, and nice cadences into nothing.
K34
K35
K490: Dotted rhythms in the left hand and unusually wide chords give this a
good intensity.
K55: Retains an atmosphere of lightness and joy even through its minor
excursion.
K145
K246
K39: Tactile contrapuntal texture. Propulsive.
K52
K115: An elegant minor section and a major section that is almost as good.
Weird trills from nowhere.
K499: A wedding march with the timbres of horns and bells. Surprisingly
emotional.
K526
K29
K387: Good and goofy.
K1: Better than you’d think for a K 1.
K80: Slinky.
K92
K238
K365: Sneaky.
K545
K203
K470
K5
K41: Rich and expressive.
K450
K487
K58
K70
K159
K75
K99
K124: Very frothy.
K133: Silly in a good way.
K177: An outstanding entry in the march genre.
K187: Hyperactive and highly entertaining.
K191
K233
K239: One of the few Sonatas where the two sections are equally matched.
K253
K257: Seriously exciting and punchy.
K260
K286: Cool chord progression, bro.
K340
K356: Delicate. The rare six-minute Sonata that isn’t too long.
K364
Newly found manuscript in G Minor
K375
K376
K378
K394: Dramatically swooping arpeggios.
K409
K414
K416
K456
K457
K460: Motivically sophisticated.
K476: Breathless. Reminds me of a car chase.
K501
K520: Cool endless spinning thirds.
K531

Every Scarlatti Sonata at the same time

21–1: The 20 Best Sonatas
K62: Big contrasts in the first 30 seconds, crunchy dissonances, weird pedal
points, dramatic runs at the end.
K94: A soft dance with surprising chromaticism.
K46: Weird modulations and an awesome pedal point moment make this
excellent.
K162: Tender with varied and interesting dissonances.
K22: Good momentum. Brief and to the point.
K291: Tender, poetic. Reminds me of Schubert’s “Der Leiermann.”
K32: A jewel.
K18: Immediately apparent charisma that doesn’t let up.
K64: Badass big block chords. Heavy metal.
K95: Delightfully bonkers.
K111: Wonderful off-kilter rhythm and intersecting suspensions. Sticks to its
material and doesn’t overplay its hand. A gem.
K144: Gorgeous, with beautiful deceptive cadences.
K185: Simple, beautiful, and elegant.
K208: Very pretty.
K213: Wonderfully mysterious chromatic lines and diminished harmonies.
K347: Hyper dramatic.
K436: Transcends other happy Sonatas in its emotional extremity.
K497: Pulls you along in its wake.
K517: Intense pleasure.
K141: A classic. ¶

Continue Reading ...

 The Traveler

The Inner Mountain

A Set Of Values

JEFFREY ARLO BROWN

... has been an editor at VAN since 2015. His work has also appeared in Slate,
The Baffler, The Outline, The Calvert Journal, and Electric Lit. He lives in
Berlin. More by Jeffrey Arlo Brown
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