Album insights
In the spring of 1826, Schubert's two piano sonatas appeared in print for the first time through Viennese publishers Anton Pennauer and Artaria & Co. Following this success, Schubert wrote to Leipzig publishers Heinrich Albert Probst and Breitkopf & Härtel, offering various works such as the Octet, songs, string quartets, piano sonatas, and piano works for four hands. The responses were not encouraging, citing Schubert's somewhat enigmatic style not yet being appreciated by the German audience. Despite this, he continued composing more market-friendly piano pieces in 1827, including the Winterreise and compositions like the Moments musicaux and the Impromptus.
Initially not titled by Schubert himself, the Impromptus were first named by the Viennese publisher Tobias Haslinger, hinting at Jan Václav Voříšek's earlier works. Schubert's second Impromptu cycle faced opinions, with Schumann suggesting it was more of a veiled sonata. The emotive and varied nature of his Impromptus—heavy with expressive melodies, contrasting themes, and dynamic shifts—revealed Schubert's depth and mastery in expressing a range of emotions and moods through his compositions.
Among his works, the Three Piano Pieces, D 946, stand out. Composed in different periods, possibly not intended as a cohesive cycle, these pieces showcase Schubert's ability to create diverse moods and structures through rich and varied piano compositions. Notably, Schubert formed close bonds with fellow musicians, like Anselm Hüttenbrenner, who influenced and inspired him—leading to compositions like the Variations on a Theme by Anselm Hüttenbrenner, connecting their artistic expressions across works and time.