Mozart – Piano Concerto No.23 in A major K488 (1786)

The Spring of 1786 saw the 29 year old Mozart compose not only this concerto, but also the 24th in C minor (which would influence Beethoven’s third Piano Concerto), and The Marriage of Figaro.

A notable element is the swapping of oboes out for clarinets given their development at this time.

The first movement is in sonata form as expected. The second movement (Mozart’s only in F# minor) may have some notes missing – between those large leaps towards the end, would Mozart have improvised some arpeggio or similar? The movement includes music that would later feature in Don Giovanni.

The final movement is a rollercoaster rondo!

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