Domenico Scarlatti, like his father Alessandro, wrote music in various genres, but he is best known for his 555 keyboard Sonatas. These remarkable single-movement works were mainly composed for his pupil in Madrid, the Infanta Maria Bárbara, who became Queen of Spain in 1746. Maria must have been a talented performer as Scarlatti was able to pour endless variety into his creations, from sparkling virtuoso showpieces with sometimes audacious harmonic clashes to sonatas of serene beauty; all demonstrating his originality and genius within the frameworks of his chosen form.