ricercaren.

1773 C. Burney Present State Music in Germany II. 82 This author [sc. Sebastian Bach] produced Ricercari, consisting of preludes, and fugues, for the organ, upon two, three, and four subjects.

1789 C. Burney Gen. Hist. Music III. 176 This term, which implied any work of fancy, and original invention, was succeeded by Fantasia, as Fantasia was by Sonata. Adrian Willaert..composed Ricercari, without words, for the voice.

1848 R. Müller tr. R. G. Kiesewetter Hist. Mod. Music Western Europe x. 158 Madrigals, or effusions of art in a similar style, under the name of ricercari, fantasias, or toccate.

1881 G. Grove Dict. Music III. 126/2 Ricercare or Ricercata.., an Italian term of the 17th century, signifying a fugue of the closest and most learned description. Frescobaldi's Ricercari (1615), which are copied out in one of Dr. Burney's note-books.., are full of augmentations, diminutions, inversions, and other contrivances.

1945 Musical Q. 31 459 These works..fall into three types: the one monothematic ricercare, a few ricercari with one main subject..and the commonest type—the polythematic ricercari.

1976 D. Munrow Instruments Middle Ages & Renaissance 72/1 Like keyboard instruments, the strings developed a vast solo repertory with their own idiomatic forms of the prelude, ricercar, and tastar de corde.

1995 Classic CD July 70/4 Following this comes a sequence of lyrical variations and a ricercare that builds up to a vigorous and compelling climax.