Impromptus, Op. 5 Nos. 5 and 6

Based on Impromptus Op. 5 Nos. 5 and 6 - Urtext based on the Jean Sibelius Works Complete Edition edited by Pekka Helasvuo and Tuija Wicklund. In this edition, all three versions of the Impromptus for string orchestra appear: no. 5; the early version of nos. 5-6; and the revised version of nos. 5-6.

 

These Impromptus are arrangements of the impromptus for piano from opus 5. The exact date for arranging the piano impromptus for string orchestra is presently not known, but it took place approximately in late 1893 or early 1894. Sibelius probably first arranged only Impromptu No. 5 for string orchestra. No set of parts or information on any performances of no. 5 during Sibelius' lifetime survive. Perhaps Sibelius decided to combine Impromptus Nos. 5 and 6 into an ABA form before performing no. 5. The combination, presumably the early version, was then premiered on February 17, 1894. At some point, Sibelius made changes on the score and eventually faircopied the revision. Of this revised version of nos. 5-6, surviving as copyists' copies, only one autograph page survives as a photograph. The main differences between the versions of nos. 5-6 lie in the form, more precisely, in the repetitions. Both have the form of ABA and in the early version, the latter A corresponds to the first completely, whereas in the revised version, the repetition is shortened. Additionally, the revised version includes a repetition of the latter part of the B section.