Toccata for piano is a virtuosic work driven by rapidly shifting sonic textures. Conceived for performance at the highest possible speed, the score indicates the tempo prestissimo without a fixed metronome marking, leaving the exact tempo to the performer’s technical capacity. Much of the piece is articulated in staccato, as the extreme speed naturally merges the tones, while the use of pedal would blur the intended acoustic clarity. The motoric motion is initially interrupted by fermatas on isolated tones and later by simultaneous chordal textures. A second motif, slightly slower yet still very fast, evokes the traditional toccata style and is built around wide intervals of sevenths. Over the course of the piece the two motifs gradually intertwine, culminating in a conclusion where the rapid motion subsides and the dense textures dissolve into simpler chordal structures.