Description In Frescobaldis era, the Toccata (from the Italian word Toccare, to touch) was a piece written for keyboard or plucked string instrument, with fast moving, virtuosic passages to show off the skills of the musician. Frescobaldi was the organist at St. Peters Basilica in Rome and was renowned for his keyboard compositions, especially his toccatas. Despite previous beliefs, this piece was not written by the master. Musicologists have determined that the differences between this work and the toccatas of Frescobaldi (such as the slow introduction-allegro form, more typical of Handel) make it unlikely that he was the composer. A 20th century Spanish cellist, Gaspar Cassado, found the piece in the archives of the Conservatory of Music in Barcelona, a work for solo organ of uncertain authorship. He arranged it for cello and piano and called it Frescobaldis Toccata. Subsequently arranged for orchestra and band, it became a popular concert piece.
