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"bachian" Toccatas By Other Composers?


ChristianPerrotta

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I'm a great fan of Bach's Toccatas for harpsichord (BWV 910 to BWV 917), which have many sections (toccata itself, slow parts, fugues etc.). Do you know any other composer (from a period AFTER baroque) that has toccatas in the same style? I mean, not only the improvisatory/virtuosistic ones? For example, Ravel has a toccata, which is completely different from these ones by Bach. So, I'm looking for any one similar to it (Buxtehude also has some, but he's baroque, and I want from other periods). Thanks

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I am not sure I understand the question. You are looking for toccatta's that are not improvisatory/virtuosistic?

But the latter would be an oddity, because the point is to be virtuosistic, right?

If you are not looking for a toccata that is Ravel-like, then I guess you are not looking for this: Einar Englund, Intro and Toccata.

(toccata starts at 2:11)

The Debussy Toccata is maybe a tad more what you are looking for, but still quite flashy.

Another option would to leave the idea that it has to be a real toccata. Looking for polyphonal music, you would end up with Hindemith or some Shostakovich preludes.

But again. I am guessing here, no idea what exactly you are looking for. Hope this helps...

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Thing is that starting around the time of Mozart the definition of toccata was standardised to refer to a specific kind of virtuoso solo piece (almost always for keyboard), usually characterised by perpetual motion, fast tempi and brilliant effects. Bach's multipartite toccatas were translated into fantasies of which there are a number of examples that seem to be directly inspired—Beethoven's Fantasy Op. 77 for instance, or Schubert's Wanderer-Fantasie (which even ends with a fugue, like all the Bach toccatas save the D minor one).

Limiting yourself only to pieces called "toccata" (mind you there are plenty of those) will leave out the direct descendants of Bach's multipartite toccatas, which present a direct line from Mozart's infamous Fantasy KV 397 (385g) to Liszt's Sonata in B Minor.

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Well, being more specific: I want to know if there are pieces LIKE the Bach toccatas, but not all of them: only the Toccatas from BWV 910 to BWV 917, which are toccatas with several sections, including adagios, fugues and so on. They don't need to be called Toccata (but if they were, it'd be better). His organ toccatas are followed by a fugue, like "separate movements". That's not what I'm looking for (that would be "Toccata and fugue"). Are you acquanited with the toccatas I' talking about (BWV 910 to BWV 917)?

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Well, being more specific: I want to know if there are pieces LIKE the Bach toccatas, but not all of them: only the Toccatas from BWV 910 to BWV 917, which are toccatas with several sections, including adagios, fugues and so on. They don't need to be called Toccata (but if they were, it'd be better). His organ toccatas are followed by a fugue, like "separate movements". That's not what I'm looking for (that would be "Toccata and fugue"). Are you acquanited with the toccatas I' talking about (BWV 910 to BWV 917)?

I have more than a passing acquaintance with bach's BWV 910-7 yes

The strand of compositional development to which i am referring relates directly to that set of toccatas. Almost all of the later compositions in a similar form (ie incorporating adagios, interludes, fugues, etc into a single movement form) are called fantasias or sonatas, or later on, tone poems. The term "toccata" did not acquire a specific meaning until the later 18th century, and when it did it came to refer to pieces like e.g. Schumann's Op. 7, rather than Bach's harpsichord toccatas.

Names don't really mean that much where it comes to larger forms tbh.

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  • 4 months later...

Hmm, i doubt you will find any! The Bach toccatas are in a mix of Buxtehude and Frescobaldi style.

As for the toccata form came to from Merulo and Frescobaldi in italy, and was brought to the north german school by the south german composers Froberger!

As we know Buxtehudes early works are very inspired by Frobergers toccatas, but the influence form the dutch organ school is present as well, the tradition of Sweelinck, Preatorius and Scheidemann!

 

 

I dont think Bach is the composer you should check out if you are looking for multi movement works in stylus fantasticus.

The toccata you refer to is also called prelude, or preambulum.

 

A fantastic Manualiter prelude (or toccata if you want :)

 

Handel used the theme of the second fugue in this prelude, check out "and he shall purify" movement from messias (fuge starts at 2:50)

I just want to mention that Handel also used a theme by Corelli in the hallelujah chorus

 

Quite funny, we all know Handel, but we dont know much of Buxtehude and Corelli, even if he got famous using their musical material ;)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Are you searching for baroque composers only? You will probably not find contemporary composers writing in pastiche style, copying baroque-like toccatas.

 

Yes, there are some.

Fernando Da Luca writes cembalo music, even they are a little later in style.

 

Check out :

http://www.voxsaeculorum.org/

 

The organisation includes professors and known musicologists, all specialized in contemporary baroque composition.

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