Piano Concertos Nos 1-4 (Mozart)
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
began his series of preserved piano concertos
with four that he wrote at the age of 11, in Salzburg
: KV 37 and 39-41. The autographs, all held by the Jagiellonian Library
, Kraków
, are dated by his father
as having been completed in April (KV 37) and July (KV 39-41) of 1767. Although these works were long considered to be original, they are now known to be orchestrations of sonatas by various German
virtuosi
. The works on which the concertos are based were largely published in Paris
, and presumably Mozart and his family became acquainted with them or their composers during their visit to Paris in 1763–64.
By using movements from the sonatas of other composers, the young Mozart seems to have begun to learn how to cope with the structural problems of composing in the piano concerto form. Indeed, it may be that Leopold Mozart
had devised this as a teaching method for this very reason, allowing the young Mozart to deal with any compositional problems one at a time. If so, it seems that this may have been the first time this had been done by any composer. This is perhaps supported by two facts: First, Leopold excluded the first four concertos from his 1768 list, suggesting that he may not have considered them true compositions by his son. Second, the autographs of the four works are the joint products of both Mozart and Leopold (although K.41 is mainly in Leopold's hand alone).
The first movement is based on a sonata
movement by Hermann Friedrich Raupach
for keyboard with violin accompaniment, from a set of six published in Paris in 1756. The provenance of the second movement is unknown, although Eric Blom
, the editor of the 5th edition of Grove's Dictionary
(1954), suggested that it was in fact by Mozart. The final movement is based on a sonata by the Strasbourg based Leontzi Honauer.
The first and third movements are again from Raupach, whilst the slow movement is based on one by Johann Schobert
, a composer admired by Mozart.
The first movement is again based on Honauer, the second on one by Johann Gottfried Eckard
(op. 1, no. 4 ), the most famous keyboardist of his day, and the third on C. P. E. Bach's piece La Boehmer, published in the early 1760s. Mozart's cadenza
s for the concerto survive.
The first and third movements are based on ones by Honauer, and the middle one on Raupach.
or continuo is not always clearly delineated. Nevertheless, some traces of his later structures can be detected: for example, the relative sizes of the sections is approximately similar, albeit on a smaller scale.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
began his series of preserved piano concertos
Mozart piano concertos
The Mozart piano concertos refer to the 27 concertos for piano and orchestra written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. These works, many of which Mozart composed for himself to play in the Vienna concert series of 1784–86, held a special place for him; indeed, Mozart's father apparently interrupted him...
with four that he wrote at the age of 11, in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
: KV 37 and 39-41. The autographs, all held by the Jagiellonian Library
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
, Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, are dated by his father
Leopold Mozart
Johann Georg Leopold Mozart was a German composer, conductor, teacher, and violinist. Mozart is best known today as the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and for his violin textbook Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule.-Childhood and student years:He was born in Augsburg, son of...
as having been completed in April (KV 37) and July (KV 39-41) of 1767. Although these works were long considered to be original, they are now known to be orchestrations of sonatas by various German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
virtuosi
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
. The works on which the concertos are based were largely published in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and presumably Mozart and his family became acquainted with them or their composers during their visit to Paris in 1763–64.
By using movements from the sonatas of other composers, the young Mozart seems to have begun to learn how to cope with the structural problems of composing in the piano concerto form. Indeed, it may be that Leopold Mozart
Leopold Mozart
Johann Georg Leopold Mozart was a German composer, conductor, teacher, and violinist. Mozart is best known today as the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and for his violin textbook Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule.-Childhood and student years:He was born in Augsburg, son of...
had devised this as a teaching method for this very reason, allowing the young Mozart to deal with any compositional problems one at a time. If so, it seems that this may have been the first time this had been done by any composer. This is perhaps supported by two facts: First, Leopold excluded the first four concertos from his 1768 list, suggesting that he may not have considered them true compositions by his son. Second, the autographs of the four works are the joint products of both Mozart and Leopold (although K.41 is mainly in Leopold's hand alone).
No. 1 (KV 37) in F major
The concerto is scored for strings, piano (or harpsichord) and pairs of oboes and horns. The three movements are:- Allegro
- Andante - in C major
- Allegro
The first movement is based on a sonata
Sonata
Sonata , in music, literally means a piece played as opposed to a cantata , a piece sung. The term, being vague, naturally evolved through the history of music, designating a variety of forms prior to the Classical era...
movement by Hermann Friedrich Raupach
Hermann Raupach
Hermann Friedrich Raupach was a German composer.-Biography:Hermann Raupach was born at Stralsund in Germany, the son and pupil of composer and organist Christoph Raupach and the nephew of Lutheran church historian Bernhard Raupach...
for keyboard with violin accompaniment, from a set of six published in Paris in 1756. The provenance of the second movement is unknown, although Eric Blom
Eric Blom
Eric Walter Blom CBE was a Swiss-born British-naturalised music lexicographer, musicologist, music critic, music biographer and translator. He is best known as the editor of the 5th edition of Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians .-Biography:Blom was born in Berne, Switzerland...
, the editor of the 5th edition of Grove's Dictionary
Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, it is the largest single reference work on Western music. The dictionary has gone through several editions since the 19th century...
(1954), suggested that it was in fact by Mozart. The final movement is based on a sonata by the Strasbourg based Leontzi Honauer.
No. 2 (KV 39) in B flat major
The concerto is scored for strings, piano (or harpsichord), and pairs of oboes and horns, as above. The movements are:- Allegro spiritoso
- Andante staccatoStaccatoStaccato is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation it signifies a note of shortened duration and separated from the note that may follow by silence...
- Molto allegro
The first and third movements are again from Raupach, whilst the slow movement is based on one by Johann Schobert
Johann Schobert
Johann Schobert was a composer and harpsichordist. His date and place of birth are disputed. Some sources say he was born in 1735 in Schlesien, Austria; others have him from Silesia, as suggested by Friedrich Melchior, Baron von Grimm, or from Nuremberg, as claimed by Christian Schubart in his...
, a composer admired by Mozart.
No. 3 (KV 40) in D major
The concerto is scored for strings, piano (or harpsichord), and pairs of horns, oboes and trumpets. The movements are:- Allegro maestosoMaestosoMaestoso is an Italian musical term and is used to direct performers to play a certain passage of music in a stately, dignified and majestic fashion or, it is used to describe music as such. The term is commonly used in relatively slow pieces; however, there are numerous examples - such as the...
- Andante
- PrestoPresto-As a common word:* An incantation or interjection used by some stage magicians* A musical score marking indicating a fast tempo* An exclamation to mean: [to be completed] right away, instantly, i.e. "magically"-Places:*Presto, Bolivia...
The first movement is again based on Honauer, the second on one by Johann Gottfried Eckard
Johann Gottfried Eckard
Johann Gottfried Eckard was a German pianist and composer.. In his youth he became a professional copper engraver and acquired his musical training in his leisure time, mainly from C.P.E. Bach's Versuch and its six ‘Probesonaten’...
(op. 1, no. 4 ), the most famous keyboardist of his day, and the third on C. P. E. Bach's piece La Boehmer, published in the early 1760s. Mozart's cadenza
Cadenza
In music, a cadenza is, generically, an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist or soloists, usually in a "free" rhythmic style, and often allowing for virtuosic display....
s for the concerto survive.
No. 4 (KV 41) in G major
The concerto is scored for strings, piano (or harpsichord) and pairs of horns and flutes. The movements are:- Allegro
- Andante, in G minor
- Molto Allegro
The first and third movements are based on ones by Honauer, and the middle one on Raupach.
Assessment
By comparison to Mozart's later concertos or even to those of J. C. Bach, these are slight works. The preludes that Mozart added to the sonatas do not contain a wealth of themes, as is typical for his later efforts, nor does the exposition or middle section add new thematic material. The role of the keyboard as soloistSolo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
or continuo is not always clearly delineated. Nevertheless, some traces of his later structures can be detected: for example, the relative sizes of the sections is approximately similar, albeit on a smaller scale.