Eight Schubert Piano Impromptu "

During the romantic music time in 19th century, Austrian outstanding composerShubert(Franz Peter Schubert,1797-1828) called "King of the song" has an very importantstatus in the western music history. Generally, people only know his song creation, but lesspeople know his other style creations. By analyzing Shubert's piano music (specially"Impromptu"), we wish to give him a comprehensive, objectively and fair appraisal.From 18 Century's end to19 century's beginning, it's precisely the western music historytransitional stage from classicalism to romanticism. Living in this specific time, Shubert'screations inevitable have the characteristics of both the classic time and the romantic time.His music has the night poetic sentiment of romanticism, at the same time, the daylightsunshine of classicism. It can be said he is a connective figure of romanticism and classicismin the western music history. From his explicit thought and the rational writing technique, hebelongs to the classic music composer;but from his life attitude and the special interest in thenature, as well as his music for singing, lyricism and changeable colorful dancing, he belongsto a romanticism composer.People mainly discusses Shubert's artistic songs, while he is a talent piano musiccomposer, too. Music works of romanticism in 19th century mostly portray composer's ownexquisite sentiment, sometimes extremely gentle, sometimes overflowing with enthusiasm,and all is a kind of divulgence of the composer's own emotion. The vogue of pianoopusculum in 19th century has a close connection with temporal political background, thesocial development situation. Romantic composer's common characteristic is the favoritism toopusculums. Unlike the classic and Baroque period composers, they didn't need the greatrational strength and their interests were concentrated on portraying of exquisite sentiment,grazioso tune as well as holding the moment feeling. Their creations were based on thesociety of that day at the same time surpassed the society to try to enter an ideal area.Shubert's "Impromptu" was representative for the piano characteristic tune at that time. As forthese new romantic music styles, each one was exquisite and enchanting, smart and free, likea genre painting, Vagrant thoughts, spontaneity and the unexpected charm of these works, allwere the romantic prominent essential factors. These works were made from Shubert's naturaloutpourings of sentiment, at the same time they contained the composer's innermost feelingsto the life and the living. They were just like the monologue of the poet's innermost world, notonly cheerful and smooth, but inheriting Shubert's music consistent characteristics, that is,more changes of tunes and more sentimental release.By studying Shubert's impromptus, we may understand Shubert's changes of life andemotion, especially his innermost world of the last two years in his life. Through his musicworks, we can understand the characteristics of romanticism music, study Shubert's artistictechniques by which he could portray emotion with music and his music accomplishment. Atthe same time, his music works have also provided us with the research foundation tounderstand the development of piano characteristic tune.This article is divided into the foreword, three parts in the middle of the article and theconclusion. This is the brief introduction to every parts of the article below:Foreword: Research significance and present situationBy studying massive literature, the author summarizes the present situation and thelimitation that people studies Shubert and Shubert's music. Therefore, studying Shubert'spiano "Impromptu" will be helpful for us to look on the great composer completely anddialectically;on the other hand, analyzing and studying his creation style will help us to havea further understanding of his romantic music characteristics and provide us with morecomprehensive information to study the western music history.Chapter Ⅰ: Shubert's biography and backgroundWe should firstly understand his time background when we study any composer or a work.Anyone all cannot avoid being influenced by his time, so does Shubert. Shubert's works havealso been influenced by his days, and reflected the temporal society and esthetics trend.Studying the time background can help us to research into the issues from the reality morefairly, comprehensively, objectively, and dialectically.Chapter Ⅱ: the appearance of piano impromptu style"Impromptu" is a kind of lyric characteristic tune of instrumental music in 19th century.It is a kind of middle and small scale music created freely and impromptu with moderatelength and fine form which is equal to the artistic song of piano music. It mostly is the naturaloverflowing of the composer's feeling and seldom pursues external techniques. The structureis simple and clear;the style is free and often emerges the exquisite melody;the chord turnsout very colorful. This chapter discusses the necessity of impromptu appearance, as well asthe connections between instrumental music, vocal music and literature, etc.Chapter Ⅲ : the main creative characteristics of Shubert's piano impromptusThrough analyzing and comparing Shubert's eight impromptus, the author will researchinto the main characteristics of impromptu creation from the several aspects as follows: thesinging of melody, the techniques of subject variation, the change of rhythm, the processing ofsound, the utilization of tune mode and the structure of musical form and understand Shubert'smusic thought more comprehensively and systemically.Conclusion: the characteristics of Shubert's piano musicShubert's piano music has an important status in the western music history and its artisticvalue is inestimable. Shubert's works have linked the two important times successfully inmusic history-classicism and romanticism and unified these two styles together naturally.What' more, his works have afforded the basis for the music development and evolution.