A toccata is an improvisational piece of music, usually for a keyboard instrument such as a piano or organ. It is typically fast-paced and often virtuosic in nature, with a continuous stream of notes that are often difficult to play. The term comes from the Italian word for 'TOUCH, ' referring to the technique of playing the instrument. Toccatas were popular during the Baroque period, and many composers wrote them, including Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel.