Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 07/30/2014, uploaded on 12/10/2014

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Suggesting the air of an extemporized performance, the Impromptu as a musical form came about during the earliest days of the Romantic movement. The first known use of the word, in this sense, was in 1817 and was used by a publisher to describe a piano piece by Czech composer Jan Václav Voříšek. It is possible that the Impromptus of Voříšek were influential on Franz Schubert's own contributions to the genre much in the same way Chopin drew inspiration from the Nocturnes of John Field.

Schubert's Impromptus, published in two sets of four, were written in 1827. The first set was published during his lifetime while the second was published shortly after his death in November 1828. They are considered companion pieces to the Six Moments Musicaux, also composed around the same time.

The third Impromptu, in the key of G-flat major, is a prime example of Schubert's incredible melodic gift. Charming and serene, it is easy to see this Impromptu as a precursor both of Felix Mendelssohn's Songs without Words and Richard Wagner's concept of “endless melody.” The broad melody, above an unbroken accompaniment of arpeggios, moves at a slow and steady pace. It is a perfect image of peaceful contentment. The left hand, throughout much of the piece, provides a firm harmonic support to the arpeggios and melody above, creating a rich and full sound. The middle section becomes more harmonically adventurous and moves through several modulations. The bass, as well, also becomes somewhat more lively with a rising triplet motif and occasional trill. However, the repressed vigor is soon abandoned as the opening section returns, rounding out the tripartite form of the piece.    Joseph DuBose

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Impromptu in G-flat Major, D. 899, No. 3       Franz Schubert

What Schubert achieved in the last year of his life is one of the most astonishing feats in the history of Western music.  From 1827 to 1828, he was able to produce music of the highest quality, and in an unbelievably large quantity, even as he struggled with increasingly poor health.  He wrote substantial works in every genre, from sacred music, to works for solo keyboard, to orchestral and chamber works. 

He composed two sets of impromptus for piano in 1827, with four pieces in each set.  The C minor stands as the weightiest of the earlier set (D. 899).  It commences in a confident yet harmonically ambiguous manner, with the same four notes played in unison ranging from high to low registers of the keyboard.  The first theme then fragilely appears; and is gradually transformed through re-harmonization as well as drastic textural and dynamic contrasts before the second theme is introduced.  It is closely interrelated with the first as they both feature similar rhythmic and melodic patterns, providing the work with an obsessive, yet emotionally multi-dimensional tone. 

The orchestral texture of the C minor impromptu is contrasted with the lied qualities of the G-flat major, essentially a song without words.  With more than 600 songs in his oeuvre, he was quite at home writing this lyrical piece with its instantly memorable melodies and luscious harmonies.    Wayne Weng

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.