Impromptu in Es-dur

History

Schubert wrote the D. 899 Impromptus in 1827. The first two appeared with Tobias Haslinger in December that year, while the remaining two reached print roughly thirty years later. This No. 2 therefore belongs to the lifetime-published part of a collection whose publication was spread across decades.

Sources

• enc.piano.or.jp

What to listen for

1. 1

   A pickup into a cascade

   A quarter-note B-flat leads into a stream of descending triplet notes. Hear the pickup as a lead-in, then keep the triplets flowing in three even groups per full bar.

2. 2

   Small turns and a climb

   The flowing line turns around nearby notes, then climbs through chromatic neighbours before rising toward C, D and E-flat. Keep the pattern even as the accidentals change.

3. 3

   Let the accompaniment change colour

   The lower part shifts from held bass-and-inner tones to clearer bass notes and chords. Keep those chord changes light enough for the running upper line to remain the focus.

4. 4

   Two layers in the upper texture

   Long upper notes appear above the continuing triplet figure. Bring out the sustained line while keeping the smaller moving notes supple underneath it.

How to practise it

Keep triplets even when nearby notes and accidentals change.

1. Hear the pickup as a lead-in to the first full triplet bar.
2. Keep the same subdivision through changing accidentals.
3. Do not let the repeated figures turn into automatic motion without listening.

How hard is it

About this piece

Licence

Public Domain

Source

mutopiaproject.org

More by Franz Schubert

1. 1German Dance in A-flat major, D. 365 No. 1Level 3, estimatedWith Maestro
2. 2Moments Musicaux No. 3 in F MinorLevel 5, estimatedWith Maestro
3. 3Impromptu No. 4 in F minor, D. 935 (Op. 142)Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro