An impromptu is a type of musical piece that is not planned in advance and is played freely, as if created in the moment. It is often performed by a single musician, such as a pianist. The term "impromptu" was first used in this way by Johann Baptist Cramer, who began publishing piano music with this title in 1815, according to the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung.

Form usage

The idea of sudden, unplanned inspiration without careful planning was central to Romantic artistic ideas. This led Romantic composers to create works called "impromptus." Some composers who wrote impromptus include:

• Frédéric Chopin wrote 4 Impromptus, including a well-known piece called Fantaisie-Impromptu.
• Jan Václav Voříšek was the first composer to publish music called "Impromptu" under that name in 1822.
• Franz Schubert published two sets of four Impromptus for piano, Op. 90 and Op. 142 (1827). After his death, three other piano pieces (Klavierstücke) were sometimes called Impromptus.
• Robert Schumann wrote some Impromptus, published as Op. 5 (1833).
• Charles-Valentin Alkan composed two sets of four Impromptus, published as Op. 32 (No. 1 in 1848, and No. 2 in 1849).
• Franz Liszt wrote an Impromptu in F sharp (sometimes called Nocturne) and a piece named Valse-Impromptu.
• Alexander Scriabin wrote at least nine impromptus for piano during his early years.
• Jean Sibelius composed six impromptus for piano, Op. 5 (1893).

The impromptu genre stayed popular during the 19th century and was a major part of the Romantic era.

In the 20th century, many composers also used the name "Impromptu" for their works, such as:

• Gabriel Fauré composed six Impromptus between 1881 and 1913.
• Richard Rodney Bennett wrote five Impromptus for guitar in 1968.
• Maurice Journeau composed six Impromptus between 1971 and 1974.
• Donald Martino wrote Fantasies and Impromptu in 1980.
• Nikolai Kapustin composed four Impromptus between 1991 and 1997.
• Lowell Liebermann composed Three Impromptus Op.68 in 2000 and Two Impromptus Op.131 in 2016.
• Vince Mendoza’s Epiphany, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and published in 1999, includes a piece named Impromptu as its first track.
• One of Queen’s songs, performed at Wembley Stadium and other events, is named Impromptu.