Exactly how many piano concertos did W.A. Mozart write? Well, that’s a tougher question than you might think.
The answer depends on whether you count some of his earliest attempts at this musical genre, which were actually arrangements of compositions by others. Until a few decades ago, the first four piano concertos of Mozart were not included in the catalogue for this reason (K.37, 39, 40, and 41). However, more recently, musicologists have included them, and renumbered the catalogue, so that the Mozart piano concerto that used to be known as Number 1 is now referred to as Number 5.
Taking the current cataloguing system as our guide, Mozart wrote 27 piano concertos, of increasing complexity and artistry, culminating in the final concerto he completed shortly before his death. Yet even the earliest works show that remarkable quality that contributes to Mozart’s enduring popularity: Something for everyone.
As Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart put it himself in a famous letter to his father, Leopold: “There are passages here and there from which the connoisseurs alone can derive satisfaction; but these passages are written in such a way that the less learned cannot fail to be pleased, though without knowing why.” (source: Wikipedia)
Mozart wrote these words in reference to the piano concertos that we now know as Numbers 11, 12, and 13 (K.413, 414, and 415), but really, this attitude pervades all his works. Though clearly driven by his own artistic sensibilities, the prodigy and genius also wrote with a consideration for the pleasure of his listeners.
This attitude was a sensible one in an era where noble patrons provided much of the income for performers and composers alike. Today, many of us cherish an image of the temperamental genius loyal only to the demands of his art, but Mozart also understood the importance of pleasing his public. (And really, the most successful and popular of composers today do the same – think of John Williams and his phenomenal achievements in film scores.)
Beginning with No. 14, K.449 in E-Flat Major, the piano concertos Mozart composed show a greater depth and maturity than before. No. 14 began the remarkable era during which Mozart produced no fewer than 11 phenomenal piano concertos in the space of only 2 years, February 1764 – March 1786. More than once, he produced 2 such works in the same month!
After this period, Mozart’s production of piano concertos slowed down; he only produced 2 more complete piano concertos before his death in December 1791, 5 years later. No. 26, V.537, produced in 1788, referred to as the “Coronation” concerto, remains popular despite what some view as structural problems. No. 27, K.595 in B-Flat Major, is his last piano concerto.
While all of Mozart’s piano concertos bear study by the serious pianist – and the classical music fan – 3 of them have been most frequently performed and recorded: No. 20, No. 21, and No. 23 (K.466, 467, and 488). No. 21 in particular has also been used in numerous movies, along with Nos. 19 (K.459) and 25 (K.503).
If you have the opportunity to hear a good recording of some of these, or better still, attend a concert performance by a masterful pianist, you’ll be glad you did.
by Yoke Wong