In composing the Toccata, Paul Creston took full advantage of the virtuosic abilities of the Cleveland Orchestra, for whom the work was commissioned as part of the organization's fortieth anniversary. Less than fourteen minutes long, The Toccata unfolds through its three sections as a series of showy "riffs" for the various members of the orchestra. Certain instruments are afforded particular attention: the oboe, clarinet, trumpet, trombones, horns, bassoon, flutes, and even tuba emerge in featured roles, while the strings are challenged by passages of notable complexity. Creston's thrilling signature use of the percussion is also much in evidence in the Toccata. The happy result—especially for those orchestral players who often must suffer through mundane filler-work at the hands of unimaginative composers—is that every member of the ensemble gets to step to the fore at least once. With its lyrical midsection, the Toccata is more ingratiating than many of Creston's other works and remains a memorable showpiece.

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