1. Piano Concerto no 23 in A Major
Mozart
Piano Concerto no 23 in A Major

2. Features of Classical Music
Texture: Light and clear mainly homophonic
Melody: Elegant and expressive
Instruments: Orchestra grew from Baroque Period. Piano featured lots.
Form: Chamber music along with symphony, sonata and concerto gained popularity. Sonata form developed.
Features: Alberti Bass – repeated figure in LH – broken chord

3. Mozart’s Styles Skilled composer and pianist Clear form and structure
Uses many themes linked brilliantly
Classical period usually had keys modulating to related keys but Mozart often used unexpected keys….SURPRISE!!!!
Mozart developed the clarinet…writing solo pieces for it.

4. Classical Form
Concerto – Solo instrument contrasted against the orchestra
Cadenza – Solo section usually inserted at the end to show the skill of the player.
Ternary form – 3 part form where the first part is identical to the last ABA
Sonata Form – form in 3 sections Exposition, Development and Recapitulation

5. Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major K488
3 movements
Movement 1 – Sonata Form
Movement II – Ternary Form
Movement III – Sonata-Rondo Form
Sonata Rondo Form uses the recurring theme idea of Rondo with the Sonata plan form

6. Form Comparisons SONATA RONDO FORM – Movement III
SONATA FORM – Movement I
Section
Expo Si
Tion
Development
Recap
Itula
tion
Subject A B
A/B
Key
TONIC
DOM
VARIOUS

7. 1st Movement Analysis Orchestral Exposition bars 1-66
Bars 1-8 Theme 1a
A Major (Violin)
Repeated by WW
Theme 1b bars (violin)
Rhythmic tune played by WW and strings
Links 1st and 2nd Theme

8. 1st Movement Analysis Orchestral Exposition bars 1-66
Second Subject – Theme 2a (1c) bars (Strings repeated by WW not in Dom at this stage)
Lyrical in nature contrasts other themes
Bars – Theme 2aa (1d) bars energetic and vibrant dialogue between strings and WW
Closes orchestral exposition

9. 1st Movement Analysis Piano Exposition bars 67-156
Bars Theme 1a
A Major (Piano with string acc.)
Repeated version decorated hugely
Theme 1b bars 83-98(piano)
Broken chord acc in piano
Scales and sequences in RH
Links 1st and 2nd Theme – links to E Major

10. 1st Movement Analysis Piano Exposition bars 67-156
Second Subject – Theme 2a (1c) bars (Piano with block chord) Repeated by Fl, Bassoon and 1st Violin
Lyrical in nature contrasts other themes
Bars – Theme 2aa (1d) Melody on piano with Orchestral acc – Alberti bass

11. 1st Movement Analysis Piano Exposition bars 67-148
Bars – Theme 2aa (1d)
Piano plays wildly elaborately
Bars 137 – material from 1b acts as codetta still in E major
Theme 3a (1e) bars violin
Sounds like new section but appears later in recap so really belongs to the exposition. Describe it as a ‘development theme’.

12. 1st Movement Analysis Development b156-170
Bars – Theme 3 (1e) Part One
Expecting keys of A Major-E Major – D Major – 3 related minors F# minor – C# minor – B minor
However Mozart does not do this
Key sequence uses falling 3rds E-C and C-A
Bars 156 – 4 bar phrase in E minor
Dialogue between clarinets, bassoons and horns
Bar 160
Repeated above idea in C Major
Bar 164
Repeat but extend now in A minor
Piano continues with idea ending in F Major
Strings take idea into D minor

13. 1st Movement Analysis Development b170-198
Bars 170 – Theme 3 (1e) Part Two
C material developed again
Cl and fl play in canon at a 4th
RH plays scales and semi-quaver passages
Bars 177
F major chord begins preparation to bring piece back to dominant E which brings music back to A for recap.
B repeated E’s on low strings and horns
RH plays scales and broken chords
B197 rising chromatic scale

14. 1st Movement Analysis Recapitulation b198-314
Fusion of orchestral and piano exposition.
Material is shared between soloist and orchestra
Old themes returned but with renewed freshness due to 1E being used in development.

15. 1st Movement Analysis Recapitulation b198-314
B198 – 1A as usual except with strings and flute.
B213 – 1B as b82 with piano joining in. All in A major.
B229 – 1C now in original key (compare b99)
B244 – 1D compare with b114
B261 – Decorated piano passage with Cadenza in sight 1E is re-introduced
1E played 3 times:
Soloist
Clarinet and Bassoon
4 part counterpoint with piano decoration

16. 1st Movement Analysis Recapitulation b198-314
Theme 1E is original simplicity not like its appearance in exposition two.
Alberti bass b272 – ends on trill at b283
B284 – Orchestra play 1B only 6 bars ends with 2 beats rest.
B290 – 1E arrives again stating its importance – very exuberant playing of the theme.
B297 – Cadenza begins – soloist usually improves but Mozart wrote it out…taking no chances for the movement to become disjointed.
B298 Coda – material from 1D used to close coda.