Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 08/28/2013, uploaded on 04/04/2014

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Schubert is regarded as one of the first composers to write impromptus, and several unpublished pieces were found after his death that are similar to the two sets of four impromptus that were published. Chopin also wrote impromptus for the piano, and the musical form remained popular throughout the nineteenth century.

Impromptu in A flat major: Allegretto  The fourth Impromptu actually begins in A Flat Minor, though this is written as A-flat major with accidentals. We're back to a rippling sound similar to that found in the E flat major Impromptu No.2, but it's a quieter, more lyrical work. Slowly it builds up to a series of trills and turns, and makes a lovely and cohesive whole for the set.    Vassily Primakov

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Impromptu in A-flat major op. 90 (D. 899) no. 4       Franz Schubert

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.

Commencing with falling arpeggios, the fourth Impromptu actually begins in the parallel minor key of the tonic A-flat major. Forming part of a two-fold thematic idea, the descending arpeggios are followed by a short melodic motif with chordal accompaniment. After finally reaching the key of A-flat major via C-flat major and B minor, a secondary idea is heard in the left hand with an arpeggio accompaniment above it. The middle section, moving to the key of C-sharp minor, presents a new melody against a chordal accompaniment in the left hand. The opening section is then repeated and closes the Impromptu in A-flat major.      Joseph DuBose

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.