Description
This is No. 3 in G-flat major from the four Impromptus, Op. 90 (D. 899), composed in 1827. Nos. 1 and 2 were published in Schubert's lifetime, but Nos. 3 and 4 waited until 1857, and this piece was then issued transposed to G major with its metre rewritten. Today it is played in the original G-flat major.
It is in G-flat major and 4/2. A richly inflected melody rises above flowing broken-chord accompaniment, with the right hand carrying the melody and part of the accompaniment at once. At about six minutes it has some 2,730 notes. A minor-key shadow falls in the middle section, but the whole is full of Schubert's gift for song.
Rated advanced, its bass goes below a 61-key keyboard, but it fits there with an octave shift, and 76 keys take it as written. It demands considerable control: keeping the continuous figuration quiet while letting only the melody sing within the same hand, and smooth pedalling and even balance are part of its appeal. Check the overlap of melody and accompaniment with the hand colours, and slow the playback to follow harmonic changes against the pedal indicator.
A category of Romantic-era piano pieces titled "Impromptu," including works by Schubert and Chopin. Their poetic melodies and improvisatory feel appeal to intermediate players and listeners who enjoy lyrical character pieces.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Franz Schubert was a Vienna-born composer who died at only 31 but left behind a vast body of work, especially in the field of Lieder. Known for his gift for melody and subtle modulation, songs such as "Erlkonig" remain widely performed today. His piano works, including the Impromptus, are equally rich in lyricism. This site includes the Impromptus, Opp. 90 and 142, and the "Hungarian Melody."
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