toccata

noun

toc·ca·ta | \tə-ˈkä-tə

\

Definition of toccata

: a musical composition usually for organ or harpsichord in a free style and characterized by full chords, rapid runs, and high harmonies

Examples of toccata in a Sentence

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The sun in my eyes and the beauty of the toccata threw me back to a time when there was no light in my life, despite the brightest sun shining in Tehran’s sky. — Coastmag, Orange County Register, "From Tehran to America," 31 Mar. 2017 In short, in Carroccia’s hands Hamelin’s toccata seemed a work of art, not an exercise. — Olin Chism, star-telegram.com, "Italian pianist turns melody into magic at Cliburn competition," 27 May 2017 Then came a virtuosic performance of Hamelin’s toccata that seemed somehow kind of menacing. — Olin Chism, star-telegram.com, "Review: Cliburn’s first day ends with three strong performances," 25 May 2017 On Easter Sunday last month, a nut fell off one of the rods leading to a pipe for a low F, a crucial note for a coming toccata. — Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, "An Organ Master Who’s Part Musician, Part Mechanic," 18 May 2017 The finale starts with a motoric toccata that could have come from Bartók, then moves on to imitate an Irish jig, before adding a bit of boogie-woogie; the suave opening of the work draws from the luxe urbanity of Poulenc. — Russell Platt, The New Yorker, "A New Recording Makes the Case for the Soviet Composer Mieczysław Weinberg," 1 Mar. 2017 During an early scene in the film, Blanca entertains the guests with a performance of a sprightly toccata by the 18th-century composer Paradisi. — Anthony Tommasini, New York Times, "Review: In This Opera, You Can Depart, but You Can Never Leave," 29 July 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'toccata.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of toccata was circa 1724

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More Definitions for toccata

toccata

noun

English Language Learners Definition of toccata

music : a piece of music for the piano or a similar instrument that is played very quickly

See the full definition for toccata in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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