About Sonatas K. 1 - K. 30

Among Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas, K. 1 to 30, numbered according to their generally estimated composition dates by Kirkpatrick number, were published as Essercizi per Gravicembalo (Exercises for Harpsichord) and dedicated to King João V of Portugal in return for being granted knighthood. (While this collection is generally translated as "Exercises for Harpsichord," and Scarlatti's works for keyboard instruments are primarily presumed to be for harpsichord, the current state of research indicates it is not entirely clear whether other keyboard instruments were completely out of consideration.) This was the only collection published by the composer himself during his lifetime, and its preface holds value as an authentic documentary source by the composer himself.

The preface suggests that the collection aims at the cultivation of performance technique, leading to the inference that it was written for the practical purpose of daily practice for Maria Barbara, whom he served as a music teacher. Regarding the composition date, many researchers argue for an early composition date, viewing the Essercizi as refined versions of sonatas written considerably earlier, but no definitive conclusion has yet been reached.

The arrangement of all 30 pieces allows for progressive learning, with later works generally becoming longer and more difficult. The form is fundamentally binary. Furthermore, it is typical of Scarlatti's sonatas for the opening of a piece to feature a short imitation between both hands; in many cases, the imitated figure appears to have little apparent connection to the main material of the rest of the piece.

The preface also contains remarks touching upon the overall musical content of the collection, but their interpretation has been repeatedly debated, partly due to the nature of the preface as a text prone to humility or pretense.

K. 14 Presto

An awareness of symmetrical structure can be observed in the congruence of figures at the beginning and final measures of each half, as well as in the symmetrical rhythm of the middle and final cadences. Similar to K. 12, the bass voice is often in a relatively high register, which makes the sound of the lower register, reached by leaps, stand out relatively. Furthermore, leaps to the lower register, alongside octave chords, can be said to contribute to the emphasis on the dominant.