This concerto by Mozart. is orchestrated for solo piano, flute (third movement only), two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, and strings. The concerto is in three movements:
Allegro
Andante in E-flat major
Allegro
The first movement is in typical sonata-allegro form. It is testimony to Mozart’s greatness that although this movement is extremely difficult from a technical point of view, it never sounds like a ‘showpiece’ meant to display the performer’s skills.
Some of the demands made on the pianist include fast ascending-descending arpeggios, hand-crossing and voice highlighting in runs, wide jumps and towards the end a double-handed tremolo where the soloist ‘battles against’ the orchestra. This movement is among the most challenging works which Mozart has ever written for the keyboard.
My sense is that this concerto emancipates the wind instruments, with its beguiling first movement, its lovely variation-form Andante, and its spirited Finale.
Here is pianist and conductor Andras Schiff who gets ready to play this concerto for you:
