impromptu

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impromptu (Fr.). Literally ‘improvised’ or ‘on the spur of the moment’, but in 19th cent., name given to short piece of instr. mus., often in song-like form, e.g. those by Schubert, Chopin, and Schumann. In 20th cent., term has been used by Britten for rev. 3rd movt. of his pf. conc.

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