Concerto in A
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Concertos for Keyboard and Orchestra
Concerto in A
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The Piano concerto in A, KV 488 belongs to a group of piano concertos that Mozart composed in 1784–85; however, it was initially left unfinished and was only completed for concert events during Lent in 1786. At that time, Mozart was able to use clarinets in orchestral works for the first time, so he rewrote the accompanying parts in the first movement, which were originally scored for oboes.
The concerto was apparently intended for Mozart’s student Barbara Ployer; embellishments in her hand are also preserved for the Adagio, which is unusually in F-sharp minor.
that Mozart needed four attempts for the final movement? He first conceived the movement—the exact order of the drafts is not known—in 6/8, 2/4 and allabreve time before coming up with the idea for the brilliant finale. At 524 bars, it is the most extensive orchestral movement in Mozart’s oeuvre.
Between 1773 and 1791, Mozart composed 21 concertos for keyboard and orchestra, two concertos for more than one piano and orchestra (see also work group 14b), and two individual rondo movements. In addition, a considerable number of fragments survive, representing short drafts of concerto movements that Mozart abandoned. The Salzburg concertos were not written specifically for the pianoforte, but the intended keyboard instrument is not indicated since Mozart used the rather nonspecific term “Cembalo” for the solo instrument until 1788, and several types of instruments were available.
In Vienna, Mozart became acquainted with the new, technically advanced pianofortes by Gabriel Anton Walter. In performances of the four concertos KV 413–415 and KV 449, the woodwinds are not obligatory. All further concertos employ woodwinds in manifold constellations. Shortly after 1800, all of Mozart’s keyboard concertos (except the Concerto in C, KV 246) were available in printed editions, reflecting their extraordinary popularity. Several concertos were expressly composed for Mozart’s students, particularly Barbara Ployer (KV 449, KV 453, and probably KV 488), or for female virtuosos like Louise-Victoire Jenamy (KV 271) or Maria Theresia Paradis (KV 456). While he usually improvised his own cadenzas and lead-ins, Mozart provided a large number of written cadenzas for his sister Maria Anna and his students (see Anhang G).
Autograph, 1786
Partitur: 50 Bl. (99 beschr. S.)
Abschrift, 1800
Concerto/ Per il Clavicembalo o Forte Piano/ Coll'accompagnimento de 2 Violini, 1 Flauto, 2 Clarinetti/ 2 Corni/ 2 Fagotti/ Viole e Basso/ Di W: A: Mozart.
Klavier-Stimme, mit Bezifferung und Kadenz zum 1. Satz
Abschrift, 1830
Partitura./ Concerto in A. pour le PianoForte, No. 16./ avec Accompagnement/ de 2, Violini, 2 Altes, Flûte, 2 Clarinettes, 2, Bassons, 2, Cors e Basse,/ par/ W. A. Mozart./ (1786. le 2. Mars.)
Partitur: 103 S.
Abschrift
Partitur
Abschrift
Nro 2./ Concert/ pour le Pianoforte,/ avec Accompagnement/ de 2 Violons, Alto et Basse, Flûte,/ 2 Clarinettes, 2 Bassons, 2 Cors,/ par/ Wolfg. Amad. Mozart.
Partitur
Abschrift
Partitur
Erstdruck, 1800
N=o [handschriftliche Ziffer:] 5./ des six grands concertos/ pour le Piano_Forté/ composés par/ W. A. MOZART,/ & respectueusement dédiés/ à S. A. R. le Prince/ Louis Ferdinand/ de Prusse/ par l'editeur./ Oeuvre 82./ [links:] N=o 1415-20. [rechts:] Prix f. 3/ Edition faite d'après la partition en manuscrit./ A Offenbach s/m, chés J. André.
Stimmen: 53 S.
Frühdruck, 1800
Concert pour le pianoforte,/ avec Accompagnement/ de 2 Violons, Flûte, 2 Clarinettes, 2 Bassons, 2 Cors, 2 Trompettes./ Timballes, Alto et Basse./ par/ W. A. Mozart/ No. 6
Stimmen
Frühdruck, 1802
Partitur
Frühdruck, 1852
W. A. Mozart's/ Klavier–Conzerte/ in Partitur./ Herausgegeben von einem Verein von Tonlünstlern/ und Musik–Gelehrten in Frankfurt a/M./ mit Bearbeitung/ der Orchesterbegleitung für das/ Klavier/ von/ F. X. Gleichauf.
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