Impromptu
Encyclopedia
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. The first recorded use of the term impromptu in this sense occurred in 1817, in the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung
, an idea of the publisher to describe a piano piece by Jan Václav Voříšek
.
Since the very concept of unpremeditated, spur-of-the-moment inspiration without studied care is at the heart of Romantic artistic theory
, it didn't take long before the first generation of Romantic
composers took up the idea:
The impromptu genre remained popular all throughout the 19th century.
In the 20th century, there are also several examples of composers naming their compositions "Impromptu", such as:
Ex tempore
Ex tempore has two meanings:-Performance:"Extempore" or "ex tempore" refers to a stage or theater performance that is carried out without preparation or forethought. Most often the term is used in the context of speech, singing and stage acting...
improvisation as if prompted by the spirit of the moment, usually for a solo instrument, such as piano. The first recorded use of the term impromptu in this sense occurred in 1817, in the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung
Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung
The Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung was a German-language periodical published in the 19th century. Comini has called it "the foremost German-language musical periodical of its time"...
, an idea of the publisher to describe a piano piece by Jan Václav Voříšek
Jan Václav Voríšek
Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek , was a Czech composer of classical music, pianist, and organist.-Life:...
.
Since the very concept of unpremeditated, spur-of-the-moment inspiration without studied care is at the heart of Romantic artistic theory
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
, it didn't take long before the first generation of Romantic
Romantic music
Romantic music or music in the Romantic Period is a musicological and artistic term referring to a particular period, theory, compositional practice, and canon in Western music history, from 1810 to 1900....
composers took up the idea:
- Jan Václav VoříšekJan Václav VoríšekJan Václav Hugo Voříšek , was a Czech composer of classical music, pianist, and organist.-Life:...
was the first one to compose impromptus published under that title, in 1822. - Franz SchubertFranz SchubertFranz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
published two sets of four ImpromptusImpromptus (Schubert)Franz Schubert's Impromptus are a series of eight pieces for solo piano composed in 1827. They were published in two sets of four impromptus each: the first set was published in the composer's lifetime as Op. 90, and the second set was published posthumously as Op. posth. 142. They are now...
for piano op. 90 and 142 (1827). After his death 3 more unnamed piano compositions (Klavierstücke) were sometimes named Impromptus. - Frédéric ChopinFrédéric ChopinFrédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
composed 4 Impromptus, including the famous Fantaisie-ImpromptuFantaisie-ImpromptuFrédéric Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor, Op. posth. 66, is a solo piano composition and one of his best-known pieces. It was composed in 1834 and dedicated to Julian Fontana, who published the piece in spite of Chopin's request not to do so....
. - Robert SchumannRobert SchumannRobert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
wrote some Impromptus, published as Op. 5. - Franz LisztFranz LisztFranz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
composed an Impromptu in F sharp (sometimes called Nocturne) and a piano piece named Valse-ImpromptuValse-Impromptu (Liszt)Valse-Impromptu, S.213, is a waltz for solo piano composed by Franz Liszt in the key of A-flat major.The date of composition for the piece is not clear; however it appears to have been composed in the years between 1842, and 1852, the year in which it was published...
. - Alexander ScriabinAlexander ScriabinAlexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was a Russian composer and pianist who initially developed a lyrical and idiosyncratic tonal language inspired by the music of Frédéric Chopin. Quite independent of the innovations of Arnold Schoenberg, Scriabin developed an increasingly atonal musical system,...
is known to have written at least nine impromptus for the piano in his early period. - Jean SibeliusJean SibeliusJean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
composed six impromptus for piano op. 5 (1893)
The impromptu genre remained popular all throughout the 19th century.
In the 20th century, there are also several examples of composers naming their compositions "Impromptu", such as:
- Gabriel FauréGabriel FauréGabriel Urbain Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers...
composing six Impromptus between 1881 and 1913. - Richard Rodney BennettRichard Rodney BennettSir Richard Rodney Bennett, CBE is an English composer renowned for his film scores and his jazz performance as much as for his challenging concert works...
composing five Impromptus for guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
in 1968 - Maurice Journeau composing six Impromptus between 1971 and 1974.
- Donald MartinoDonald MartinoDonald Martino was a Pulitzer Prize winning American composer.Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, Martino studied composition with Ernst Bacon, Roger Sessions, Milton Babbitt, and Luigi Dallapiccola...
composing Fantasies and Impromptu in 1980. - Nikolai KapustinNikolai KapustinNikolai Girshevich Kapustin is a Ukrainian Russian composer and pianist....
composing four Impromptus between 1991 and 1997. - Lowell LiebermannLowell LiebermannLowell Liebermann is an American composer, pianist and conductor.At the age of sixteen, Liebermann performed at Carnegie Hall, playing his Piano Sonata, op. 1...
composing Three Impromptus Op.68 in 2000. - Vince MendozaVince MendozaVince Mendoza is a music arranger and composer.Mendoza was born in Connecticut and studied guitar as a child, influenced by classical music, soul and jazz. He then took up the trumpet, which he continued to play throughout his time at Ohio State University, where he played in the Jazz Ensemble and...
's EpiphanyEpiphanyEpiphany may refer to:* Epiphany , a Christian holiday on January 6 celebrating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus* Epiphany , a sudden realization of great truth...
, performed by the London Symphony OrchestraLondon Symphony OrchestraThe London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
and published in 1999. The first piece of the album is named Impromptu. - One of QueenQueen (band)Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
's compositions, performed at Wembley Stadium and other performances is named Impromptu.