Keyboard Sonata
The original use of the term sonata to differentiate instrumental from
vocal works was often retained in the Baroque period. A number of
keyboard compositions therefore bear the title "sonata' though they do
not resemble either of the two typical sonata types of the Baroque, sonata
da chiesa or sonata da camera.
Some of these sonatas consisted of several movements, whereas others had
only one. Generally, simple binary or ternary forms were used for
individual movements, which varied from dance-like character to song types,
usually homophonic in texture. The greatest
exponent of the keyboard sonata in the Baroque was Domenico
Scarlatti.