Bach Festival's 'Toccatissimo' shines light on composer's fast-paced, virtuosic toccatas

A who’s-who of local musicians will present a unique selection of Johann Sebastian Bach’s toccatas—fast-paced, lightly fingered pieces written for a keyboard or plucked string instrument—during the second concert of the 2014/2015 Sarasota-Manatee Bach Festival, on Sun., Jan. 11. The concert begins at 4 p.m., at the Church of the Redeemer, 222 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota. Ticket donations are $15.

Mark Kroll and Julane Rodgers will perform on the harpsichord, with Carol Lieberman on violin. Organists will be Mary Mozelle, Richard Benedum and Ann Stephenson-Moe. Stephenson-Moe and Benedum serve as artistic directors of the Bach Festival each year.

The toccata form was born in the late 1500s and culminated in the work of Bach a century later. Toccatas feature rapid runs and arpeggios, along with chordal or fugal parts. The pieces typically have an improvisational feel, and often lack specified tempos.

To purchase tickets to “Toccatissimo” securely via PayPal, visit redeemersarasota.org. For more information, visit the website or call Redeemer at 941-955-4263.