What is an Impromptu?

[dizzyfingers]

What is this type of composition all about?
Do you play any?
Any Favorites?

"The term "impromptu" as a title for musical pieces first appeared around 1822 with compositions by the Bohemian composer Jan Hugo Voříšek and the German Heinrich Marschner. They were among the earliest known composers to write pieces called impromptus. Additionally, English pianist and composer Johann Baptist Cramer published piano pieces under the subtitle "impromptu" even earlier, around 1815."

Schubert:
4 Impromptus, D. 899 (Op. 90), composed in 1827; two pieces were published in Schubert’s lifetime, and the other two posthumously.
4 impromptus D. 935 (Op. 142), also composed in 1827 and published in 1839, after Schubert’s death.
Schubert wrote three additional pieces, D. 946, sometimes called “Impromptus” or “Klavierstücke”—these are not officially part of the main sets, though often associated with them.

Chopin:
No. 1 in A-flat major, Op. 29 (1837)
No. 2 in F-sharp major, Op. 36 (1839)
No. 3 in G-flat major, Op. 51 (1843)
Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor, Op. posth. 66 (1834, published posthumously)

Scriabin:
2 Impromptus, Op. 10 (1894): F-sharp minor and A major.
2 Impromptus, Op. 12 (1895): F-sharp major and B-flat minor.
2 Impromptus, Op. 14 (1895): B major and F-sharp minor.

Leo Ornstein
Composed four impromptus between 1952 and 1976.

Any others?

[essence]

Faure wrote a set of 5. I didn't know them at all, but when you asked the question I had in the back of my mind they may have been the kind of thing he wrote. Just been listening, very worthwhile.

#4 has exquisite slow sections. Not sure if my books of faure include the impromptus.

[liszt-and-the-galops]

Alkan wrote several: Op. 69 sur le Choral de Luther and Op. 32b four Impromptus come to mind. My favorite of his is definitely the F# Major Impromptu:

Liszt also wrote one: S. 191.

[dizzyfingers]

Faure wrote a set of 5. I didn't know them at all, but when you asked the question I had in the back of my mind they may have been the kind of thing he wrote. Just been listening, very worthwhile.

#4 has exquisite slow sections. Not sure if my books of faure include the impromptus.

How could I forget Faure?
I guess I find him forgettable! lol

Impromptu No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 25 (1881)
Impromptu No. 2 in F minor, Op. 31 (1883)
Impromptu No. 3 in A-flat major, Op. 34 (1883)
Impromptu No. 4 in D-flat major, Op. 91 (1906)
Impromptu No. 5 in G-flat major, Op. 102 (1909)

[essence]

I kind of know what you mean about forgettable. He meanders around so many keys. I like to think of him as 'of the moment'.

But I still love him.

[essence]

My mistake.

#3 has exquisite central slow sections.

[kosulin]

IMO, impromptu is a free-form piece that was written spontaneously.

[mjames]

I like to think that yes, these were originally improvisations, and there were written down afterwards as close as to their original conception as reasonably as possible (I'm assuming an editing process still occurred). I also like to think that they might also be elaborately written, but written with the intention as to appear as they were improvised on the spot (Chopin was exceptional at this). Anyways on topic, a little gem by Scriabin:

[dizzyfingers]

Anyways on topic, a little gem by Scriabin:

Quite a gem! 
So Chopinesque, no effort to disguise it.
Very improvisatory soudning too.

[mjames]

Quite a gem! 
So Chopinesque, no effort to disguise it.
Very improvisatory soudning too.

Indeed, he was quite a lover of Chopin. I believe he was 15 when he wrote this? "A la mazur" might be a cute reference to Chopin's Rondo a la mazur.

[pianistavt]

It's interesting how the words "Impromptu" and "Improvisation" have a similar root.  Any linguists on the forum?

It seems Chopin's Impromptus take their lead from Schubert's opus 90 no 2 in Eb more than any other.  Similarly with Scriabin, since he was taking his lead from Chopin.

I'm going to try to improvise and impromptu.  ;-)  Stand by.

[mjames]

It's interesting how the words "Impromptu" and "Improvisation" have a similar root.  Any linguists on the forum?

It seems Chopin's Impromptus take their lead from Schubert's opus 90 no 2 in Eb more than any other.  Similarly with Scriabin, since he was taking his lead from Chopin.

I'm going to try to improvise and impromptu.  ;-)  Stand by.

Wrong. People like to draw false connections between major composers because they are only typically exposed to major composers.
Many of Chopin's idols are no longer (or were never) in the standard repertoire: Moschelles, kalkbrenner, and Hummels. In regards to the impromptus, the direct inspiration can be seen here:

You're welcome to compare the passages, and notice the substantial similarities between it and Chopin's op. 66. Reason it was never published was because Chopin himself considered it to be plagiarism.
Schubert himself was inspired by Voříšek.
The "impromptu genre" was being explored in Vienna during the 1810s and 1820s, a city where Kalkbrenner, Schubert, Hummels, and Moscheles all called home at one point in their lives.

[liszt-and-the-galops]

In regards to the impromptus, the direct inspiration can be seen here:

You're welcome to compare the passages, and notice the substantial similarities between it and Chopin's op. 66. Reason it was never published was because Chopin himself considered it to be plagiarism.

Wonder why one became so much more popular than the other.

[mjames]

Sarcasm? We can appreciate Moschele's for historical reasons but it's quite clear why, Chopin was a substantially far more superior composer than dear Ignaz.

Even comparing the impromptu to Chopin's op. 66, aside from the main theme, you can tell Chopin took several technical devices from several sections. The fantasie impromptu is just better structured, less filler, has actual climaxes, harmonically more interesting, better use of melodic devices/more tension and release...and so on.

And I don't even like op. 66 that much lol. The other 3 are vastly superior...

[liszt-and-the-galops]

Sarcasm?

No, it was a genuine question. I hadn't listened to Op. 66 in at least a year and a half, so on first listen I thought the Moscheles was practically identical. Clearly it isn't lmao.

And I don't even like op. 66 that much lol. The other 3 are vastly superior...

IMO the other three are kind of forgettable. Don't like Op. 66 that much either but it's still better than the others.

[mjames]

No, it was a genuine question. I hadn't listened to Op. 66 in at least a year and a half, so on first listen I thought the Moscheles was practically identical. Clearly it isn't lmao.
IMO the other three are kind of forgettable. Don't like Op. 66 that much either but it's still better than the others.

Really? That's a surprise. For me no. 2 and no. 3 have an ethereal depth to them, in comparison op. 66 seems quite shallow to me.

Op. 51 man...magical

[mjames]

I don't know if this counts but Medtner wrote works titled "improvisations"

He has another set but I can't remember the opus number at the moment. And here's another by another Russian composer:

[mjames]

Another one, by Henselt:

[mjames]

Sorry to be spamming, last one! This one is from Carl Filtsch, a student of Chopin who tragically died at 15 years old.

Rather talented. And yes, quite a few similaries with Chopin's op. 29...

[dizzyfingers]

Sorry to be spamming, last one! This one is from Carl Filtsch, a student of Chopin who tragically died at 15 years old.

Rather talented. And yes, quite a few similaries with Chopin's op. 29...

Nice find!  It's clearly modeled on Chopin but has a clear authenticity.
Carl Filtsch died of Tuberculosis.

Wikipedia has this interesting blurb:

"According to numerous letters from Chopin and his acquaintances, Chopin considered Filtsch the most worthy interpreter of his music. A friend of Chopin, Ferdinand Denis, reported in an article in Vienna's Der Humorist in February 1843 that on one occasion after listening to Filtsch, Chopin exclaimed, "My God! What a child! Nobody has ever understood me as this child has...It is not imitation, it is the same sentiment, an instinct that makes him play without thinking as if it could not have been any other way. He plays almost all my compositions without having heard me [play them], without being shown the smallest thing - not exactly like me [because he has his own cachet], but certainly not less well.""

It was going around back then, but Chopin, who also had tuberculosis, taught Filtsch 3 times a week for a while.  Hmm.

Also, thanks for all the other Impromptus.

[dizzyfingers]

...  People like to draw false connections between major composers because they are only typically exposed to major composers.  Many of Chopin's idols are no longer (or were never) in the standard repertoire: Moschelles, kalkbrenner, and Hummels.

Good point!
Thanks for posting the Moscheles Impromptu.  I had read about that connection before but had forgotten.

[lelle]

According to our dear friend Wikipedia:

An impromptu is a free-form musical composition with the character of an ex tempore improvisation as if prompted by the spirit of the moment, usually for a solo instrument, such as piano.

It's interesting because the most popular impromptus have a rather strict structure lol.