impromptus

Impromptus are short, usually piano-driven pieces that evoke the spontaneity of an improvisation. The term originated in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in salon music and was adopted as a published genre in the Romantic era. Although they began as improvised-sounding pieces, impromptus became standard concert repertoire, primarily for solo piano, with later examples appearing in other genres.

The two most prominent composers associated with impromptus are Franz Schubert and Frédéric Chopin. Schubert published two substantial sets: Impromptus for piano, D. 899 (Op. 90) and D. 935 (Op. posth. 142), each consisting of four pieces that explore lyrical ideas, brisk passages, and varied mood. Chopin wrote four impromptus, collectively published as Op. 29; their stylistic variety ranges from lyrical, song-like melodies to virtuosic textures. The famous Fantasie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor (Op. 66) is closely related in character and mood, though it carries a distinct title.

Musically, impromptus typically feature a clearly memorable main theme, a contrasting middle section, and a return to the opening material. They are often structured in binary or rounded-binary formats, but composers exercise considerable freedom in form and expression. The genre emphasizes spontaneity, expressive immediacy, and a range of keyboard textures, from delicate legato lines to rapid, virtuosic runs.

Today, impromptus remain a staple of the piano repertoire, valued for their balance of cantabile singing lines and technical bravura, and they continue to be composed by later Romantic and contemporary composers in homage to the tradition.