partite

In early Baroque keyboard practice, a set of variations on a popular melody or harmonic formula — the Italian equivalent of the English \"divisions\" or the German \"Partita\" before that term was repurposed to mean suite. Frescobaldi's partite sets in Toccate I and II are composed on the most popular airs and bass lines of his day: Romanesca, Monica (La Monica), Ruggiero, and Follia (Frescobalda). Each air is treated to a succession of increasingly elaborate variations exploring different figurations, textures, and meters while maintaining the original harmonic skeleton. The monumental Cento partite sopra passacaglio (100 variations on a passacaglia bass) is the culmination of the form in Frescobaldi's output.

In a Frescobaldi partita, maintain the underlying harmonic pattern (the ostinato) at all times; listeners familiar with the air will hear the theme through the ornamentation. As the variations progress, the figuration typically becomes more elaborate — increase the sense of energy and momentum without losing control. The transition between variations may be slightly stretched at the end of each partita to mark the arrival; similarly, the beginning of a new variation can begin slightly hesitantly before settling in. In the Cento partite, judge when to pause: the sequence is so long that small structural groupings (by mode, by meter, by affect) need to be articulated to guide the listener.