Piano Concerto No. 7 (Mozart)
In February 1776, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart finished a concerto for three pianos and orchestra in F major. The work bears the nickname Lodron because Countess Antonia Maria von Lodron commissioned it. She asked her two daughters to play alongside their father at the premiere. Aloysia and Giuseppa were the soloists intended for this specific piece. The commission required a unique scoring that included three solo instruments instead of one.
Mozart returned to the score in Salzburg during 1780 to revise the arrangement. He changed the original three-piano structure into a version for two pianos. This revision allowed him and another pianist to perform the work together. The new configuration became the standard format for modern performances. The original trio version remains less common today than the duet adaptation.
The orchestral forces include two oboes and two horns supporting the string section. Three solo pianos dominate the texture in the initial composition. The piece unfolds across three distinct movements with varying tempos. The opening Allegro sets a brisk pace before transitioning to an Adagio in B major. The final movement returns to a Rondo marked Tempo di minuetto.
Cuthbert Girdlestone examined the concerto in his book Mozart and His Piano Concertos published in 1952. He noted how themes from the slow movement appear later in No. 25, K. 503. Alfred Einstein offered a brief assessment in Mozart: His Character, His Work spanning only two pages. Einstein dismissed the work as the least of Mozart's concertos with piano. These critical views highlight the debate over its comparative value among peers.
The first British performance occurred at The Proms on Queen's Hall on the 12th of September 1907. Henry Wood, York Bowen, and Frederick Kiddle served as the soloists for that event. Henri Verbrugghen conducted the New Queen's Hall Orchestra during the premiere. A notable recording exists from 1963 featuring Robert Casadesus and Eugene Ormandy. This version includes Jean Casadesus and Gaby Casadesus alongside the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Common questions
Who commissioned the Piano Concerto No. 7 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
Countess Antonia Maria von Lodron commissioned the work in February 1776. She requested that her two daughters Aloysia and Giuseppa perform alongside their father at the premiere.
When did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart finish composing the Piano Concerto No. 7?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart finished the concerto for three pianos and orchestra in F major during February 1776. He later returned to the score in Salzburg during 1780 to revise the arrangement into a version for two pianos.
What is the orchestral structure of the original Piano Concerto No. 7 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
The initial composition features three solo pianos supported by two oboes, two horns, and a string section. The piece unfolds across three distinct movements including an opening Allegro, an Adagio in B major, and a final Rondo marked Tempo di minuetto.
Why do modern performances usually feature two pianos instead of three?
Mozart revised the original three-piano structure into a version for two pianos while working on the score in Salzburg during 1780. This new configuration became the standard format for modern performances because it allows him and another pianist to play together.
Who performed at the first British performance of the Piano Concerto No. 7 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
Henry Wood, York Bowen, and Frederick Kiddle served as the soloists for the premiere at The Proms on Queen's Hall on the 12th of September 1907. Henri Verbrugghen conducted the New Queen's Hall Orchestra during that event.