This is the fourth of the six toccatas in the Libro quarto of 1656 a collection of pieces for harpsichord and organ Froberger assembled for presentation to Ferdinand III the Hapsburg Emperor. It is one of Froberger's longer toccatas in seven sections instead of the typical five. It begins with a section of free improvisatory passagework then alternates imitative counterpoint with segments of rhapsodic passagework. Like the toccatas of the Libro secondo of 1649, each of the imitative sections in this toccata use a subject with some sort of thematic connection. In this case each of them is built upon triadic material.

© Andrus Madsen, Rovi