Ronald Brautigam has an acclaimed discography on the BIS label, including complete piano concertos of Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Weber with the Kölner Akademie.
Performer Biography
Ronald Brautigam, a student of Rudolf Serkin, is known for performing at a high level on both modern and period instruments, establishing himself as an authority on classical and early romantic composers.
Composition History
Schubert composed a total of eight Impromptus in the second half of 1827, possibly influenced by Jan Václav Voříšek's Impromptus, Op. 7.
Compositional Technique
Schubert's Impromptus are not improvised miniatures but elaborate, formally balanced movements, closer to sonatas than bagatelles, as noted by Robert Schumann.
Recording & Production
This recording was made in July 2022 at the Immanuelskirche, Wuppertal, Germany, using high-quality microphones from Neumann, DPA, and Schoeps, and recorded in 24-bit / 96 kHz original format.
Critical Reception
During Schubert's lifetime, only the first two of the four Impromptus, Op. 90, were published; despite critical praise, sales were low, delaying the publication of the remaining two for 30 years.
Instruments
The fortepiano used on this recording was made by Paul McNulty in 2007, modeled after a Conrad Graf instrument from around 1819, which still featured thin soundboards and light hammers of the Viennese classical era.
