4 Impromptus

Unlike the first four Impromptus D. 899, which were not conceived as a set and originally had no generic titles, the four comprising D. 935 (the number given them by Otto Erich Deutsch in his authoritative catalogue) were gathered together by Schubert himself and offered for sale (either as a group or individually) early in 1828, the year of his untimely death at age 31. Sadly, no offers were forthcoming, and it wasn’t until 1839 that they found their way into print, carrying a dedication to Franz Liszt. Composer and Schubert devotee Robert Schumann became convinced that Schubert had intended the first, second and fourth pieces in the set to form a sonata, especially as the first and last pieces are based in F minor. Although close analysis reveals none of the musical correspondences that were usually present in Schubert’s later multi-movement works, there is undeniably a powerful sense of emotional belonging that connects the opening rondo, minuet-style second Impromptu, delightful theme and variations (on a theme from Rosamunde), and Hungarian finale.