The capriccio was a fairly uncommon imitative genre from the seventeenth century. Not many composers wrote them; however, Froberger and his teacher and mentor, Girolamo Frescobaldi, both published sets of capriccios. These works are not unlike canzonas in that they are multi-sectional imitative works featuring subjects with lively rhythms, and also include some brief segments of free toccata-like material. Also the capriccios of Froberger, like those of Frescobaldi, work much like a contrapuntal theme and variations, with each section of the capriccio featuring a subject that varies the subject from the first section in some way or another.

This capriccio is the second of the six capriccios in Froberger's Libro di Capricci e Ricercati. The book is not dated, but appears to have been compiled some time around 1658 and dedicated to the new Emperor Leopold I who succeeded his father Ferdinand III at the Hapsburg Imperial throne. This capriccio is in six sections. The first four sections each employ straightforward imitation and feature a variation on the original subject. The last two sections feature syncopated stretto imitation.

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