International Conference on Education Technology and Economic Management (ICETEM 2015)

Analysis on Interpretation of Humanistic Implication by Schubert’s Piano

Music

——Based on Piano Impromptus Playing

Lu Liu
School of Music, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450000, China

Abstract: In Schubert’s piano music, the eight piano impromptus are the most excellent works,
which are not only elegant, lyrical and the pioneer of romantic piano music, but also have higher
requirements on the piano playing skills. It is required to rationally analyze Schubert’s piano
impromptus and improve the perceptual cognition to fully feel the humanistic implication revealed
by Schubert’s piano music. In this paper, the interpretation of humanistic implication by Schubert’s
piano music —— based on piano impromptus playing is studied.
Key words: Schubert’s piano music; piano impromptus; humanistic implication;
performance points; interpretation

Austrian famous composer Franz Schubert (Franz Seraphicus Peter Schubert) (1797-1828)
has been generally regarded as a great master of classical music and also the founder of early
romantic piano music. For the theme and tone, Schubert’s piano impromptus, based on the national
characteristics, excavates the folk materials and enhances the song property and lyrical expression
of music, thus full of humanistic implication. Schubert is called “unprecedented most poetic
musician” by Liszt mainly because Schubert’s impromptus should use playing skills to play out the
tone of the piano and should put the self-indulgent mind on the finger to play out a graceful and
quiet short lyrical song from the emotional perspective. For the musical changes, the harmony and
rising tone are more dramatic, thus creating the unique musical style.
I. Schubert’s impromptus
Impromptus was not initiated by Schubert, but occurred in the early 19th century as a musical
expression form. At that time, there were many romantic musics in Europe. In such musical
creation environment, Vorisek created Impromptus, which was the first proposal of “impromptus”.
In a salon activity, Schubert met Vorisek and had a deep impression of Vorisek’s works, so he

© 2015. The authors - Published by Atlantis Press 257

began to conduct in-depth research of the creation of this musical style. However, Schubert’s
creation of this musical style paid more attention to the solemnness and rigorousness of structure,
thus giving full play to the features of impromptus.
Impromptus was not initiated by Schubert, but his music was widely known and equally
famous with his piano pieces of the same genre. Schubert’s impromptus was short, but equally
famous with the art songs that contributed to the vocal music and known by people at that time,
especially the short and exquisite impromptus, which was rigorous in music conception and gave a
simple sense due to the integration of traditional style, with its own characters. When the piano
impromptus was played, people would feel the music was not only graceful, but also the release of
emotion and expression of emotion. This kind of random and lyrical style gave full play to the
creation style of Schubert’s romantic piano works. With strong impromptu color, impromptus
manifested the spontaneity more. When Schubert created impromptus, he obviously mastered these
elements and the music created in this period became the model of western romantic music. It was
Schubert’s impromptus that made more and more music creators expand the style of piano music
boldly, thus forming the civil piano music genre.
Schubert’s impromptus was created in 1827, with two opus numbers: Op.90 (D899) and
Op.142 (I)935), in which each opus number included four piano musics, most of which were lyrical.
The playing time of impromptus works was generally 5-10 minutes, with simple musical form and
strong impromptu composition. For the structure of impromptus, it was mainly ternary form or
variations. For the musical playing, the notes were the natural revelation of the true feelings of
music creator, floating in the air with the notes. The vivid musical image made the piano music
fresh, corresponding to the contemporary popular classical music and forming a striking contrast.
Among the eight impromptus musics, the second music and the fourth music of Op.90 were the
most representative, in which the second music was E major, for which the music was natural and
smooth, with gorgeous feeling, and the rhythm of dance was adopted in the middle section; the
fourth music was 6a minor at the beginning tone, changed into 4c minor in the middle section after
several changes, then changed into C major gradually, and finally returned to 5A major. This
melody, with clear rhythm, gave a feeling of enthusiasm. Schubert was good at the structural layout
of the two musics and the use of mode tonality could make the music fresh and unique and present
the song property with humanistic smell.

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 Schubert’s two impromptus
Group Serial No. Beat Tonality Musical structure
Group I: No.1 4/4 C minor Variation form
Op.90，D899 (A’,B’,ABA’)
No.2 3/4 E flat major Ternary form (ABA)
No.3 2/4 G flat major Ternary form (ABA)
No.4 3/4 A flat major Trio composite
ternary form (ABA’)
Group II: No.1 4/4 F minor Four-part form
Op.142 ， No.2 3/4 A flat major Trio composite
D935 ternary form (ABA)
No.3 2/4 B flat major Variation form
No.4 3/4 F minor Free ternary form

II. Structure and tonality of Schubert’s impromptus

In Schubert’s impromptus D899, the tonality was C minor. The music was of fantasy style,
but the sad tune and tender feelings seemed that people couldn’t help crying when singing. From
the musical structure, there was no striking contrast between different parts, but the sense of
self-respect was revealed.
Among the eight impromptus musics, the second music, E flat major, was the shortest, with
clear and fast rhythm, giving a gorgeous feeling, liking singing. The melody of this part was hidden
in the treble part and should link with the former and latter parts. For example, to be bright in the
expression of tone, the 5th interval should be maintained at bass and alto. However, there is change
in the music rhythm, that is, in each bar, there are three quarter notes, in which the alto in the
second bar is appoggiatura and the second beat of the fourth bar is located at the alto, emphasizing
the discordance of key. The third bar is bass, maintaining the ninth chord. When entering the treble,
the theme music changes. At this time, the music gives a feeling of expectation, hoping to have
emotional change or change of playing strength. Therefore, the musical expression at this part plays

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an important role of connecting the preceding and the following in this segment. Therefore, the
piano playing at this part should not be too exaggerated and should give a regressive feeling. If it
gives a feeling of dispersion, it would damage the artistic conception that the music conveys.
The changes of playing strength aimed at pushing the music to a new high, so the piano
playing strength, especially the harmony of inner parts must be strong, giving a feeling of violent
storm. However, in the bass section, the music should have a sense of lines to show a feeling of non
fighting and also should have soft interruption to show a precipitant spirituality.
In impromptus D899, the third music gives a feeling of loneliness. The musical expression is
still lyrical, but also arouses excitement, from which it can be seen that the lyrical artistic
conception created by this part of music is more profound. As the music is free and random, it
gives a profound feeling. When the music rhythm is of great ups and downs, it will cause the
infinite revery of people.
In impromptus D899, the fourth music is A flat major, with beautiful music and happy rhythm.
When the music starts, it seems to open a new gorgeous chapter. In playing this music, attention
should be paid to the layering of music and the bass and treble should be expressed clearly. In
playing the treble, the music is played by tercet and the musical expression should give a lively and
smooth feeling, like a breeze. In the bass, the lines of music should be clear because here is the
bass harmony and the source of power. In the alto, there should be a sense of rhythm and the sound
should be clear and melodic. For music score, it is a blur in case of no careful observation and
analysis, but it can be found when the thread is clear after deliberation that in the phrase, the main
sign is the harmony and gives a feeling that the music melody represents.
In the second impromptus, the tonality of first and fourth musics is f minor, in which the first
music has moving and lively rhythm and the style of inner parts is comparable with the music
creation style of Beethoven and also has the features of Bach. The tonality of the second music is A
flat major and the music theme gives a high-spirited theme. When the music starts, it seems to be
the sound that the morning bell, for which the melodious bell echoes in the air and gives a
high-spirited feeling. The tonality of the third music is B flat major and the music is the longest
among Schubert’s impromptus. The music is fair-sounding and gives a brilliant feeling of listening
to the children’s song, releasing an innocent and lively breath.
III. Explanation of humanistic meaning in Schubert’s impromptus

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 The musical works rely on special language sign and release in the form of musicality.
Compared with other artistic expression forms, the music is rich in the beauty of sensibility. The
musical creation cannot leave the historical background and social environment, therefore, the
musical works should be understood from the historical background of creator and then the
understanding of the cultural connotation of musical works will be deeper. Schubert lived in the
Romantic Times, like Rousseau, which provided good social environment and ideological
environment for his musical creation. In his short musical creation career, Schubert created a
miracle in the history of music and left best musics to the human. Impromptus was the most
famous piano piece created by Schubert, from which the secrets hidden deeply in Schubert’s heart
could be knew through the understanding of music. For example, Schubert’s B flat major was
closely related to Rosamund’s music in terms of creation form, especially the structure and tonality
of the third variations in D935 as well as a minor in 13th string, in which there was the similar
theme. The theme expression of Rosamund’s music had a strong sense of rhythm and the adagio
expression gave a feeling of meditation.
The musical creation is random and the meaning it expresses is profound and diversified.
However, the music, especially the expression pattern is closely related to the times of the creator.
The times of Schubert provided conditions for his musical creation thought. As a musical creation
style produced under the changing times, the appreciation attribute of impromptus was embodied
as its pure intention more, rather than the musical structure and rhythm. Schubert’s attitude towards
life was hidden in the music or his music showed the attitude of human happiness, with a feeling of
tragedy. The way that expressed the emotion by music was not Beethoven-style, but a
characterization of mind, which was fine, temperamental, showed a strong passion, but have
poetical thought. We could feel from Schubert’s impromptus that his emotion was rich, his thinking
was deep, his sensitive thinking was the source of his musical creation, but inner life was
wonderful, which were disclosed with the running notes. Schubert’s yearning, life with artistic
color and emotional change, including happiness, joy and sadness, were the basic elements of
impromptus creation. When we enjoyed the period that showed happiness, it didn’t mean Schubert
was happy, but showed his disconsolateness of yearning for “other world”. Thus, it is clear that the
musical creation cannot leave human’s conscious activity.
IV. Conclusion:

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 In conclusion, Schubert’s romantic musical style is related to the times. As Schubert lived in
the times integrating classicism and romanticism, his chamber music and symphony had
maintained the traditional classical style and his piano music and art song adopted the Romanticism
writing technique, with national features. He was innovative in the musical creation technique of
impromptus and selection of music theme, which became the representative work of the times. The
humanistic meanings in his work were worthy of reading to deeply experience the musical
connotation.
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[2] Hu Ye. Research on Harmony, Tonality, Sound and Overall Features of Schubert’s Impromptus
(Op.90)[D]. Shanghai Conservatory of Music, 2009.
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