Luciano Berio commenced his Sequenza series with a work for solo flute in 1958. The monophonic nature of that instrument led the composer to develop a "virtual polyphony" that applied not only to the interaction of melodic layers, but also to the emotional and historical content of a work. Explicit facets of this multi-level approach emerged with greater clarity in later entries from the Sequenza series. A theatrical element is central to Sequenza III for solo voice (1965); Sequenza VIII for violin (1976 - 77) and Sequenza XI for guitar (1987 - 88) can be said to explore the histories of those instruments.

Sequenza IV for piano (1966) focuses on harmonic processes that Berio had been developing since his experiences with serialism in the early 1950s. Chords grow or change one pitch at a time while quick, scurrilous figures spin off into arpeggios or fragmented melodies. Berio's use of the sustain pedal allows for a two-tiered chordal writing, with chords sometimes ringing through rapid staccato progressions of different character. The piece is highly virtuosic, characterized by mercurial rhythms and large improvisatory gestures that form structural blocks on both small- and large-scale levels. Silence, used specifically as a textural layer, also permeates the piece.

Sequenza IV was written for Jocy de Corvalho and was premiered in St. Louis, Missouri in 1966.

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