Instrumental Music of the High Renaissance

Ricercar "to search"
imitative; music seeks theme; contrapuntal imitation
Andrea Gabrieli-Ricercar del duodecimo


Toccata "to touch" "touch piece"
either free-form or imitative; rapid successions of notes and elaborate fingering
Claudio Merulo


Fantasia "fantasy"
free-form; musica reservata; explore depths of imagination
Jan PieterszoonSweelinck- Fantasia chromatica