EVOLUTION OF CONCERT THINKING : V.A. MOZART'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE CREATION OF THE CLASSICAL TYPE OF PIANO CONCERT

Abstract

The article offers a comprehensive examination of the formation of the classical type of piano concerto and
clarifies the decisive role of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in shaping its timbral, structural, and dramaturgical model. The
study demonstrates in detail that in Mozart’s concertos the wind instruments traditionally used in the Baroque era
mainly for decorative color. Their contribution extends beyond reinforcing melodic lines or providing harmonic
support: they generate independent timbral contrasts, engage in dialogues with the soloist, and take part in structural
climaxes.
The article further examines Mozart’s innovative treatment of the cadenza, which he consistently redefines within
his concert practice. In his concertos, the cadenza acts as a pivotal formal node: it synthesizes the preceding thematic
material while preparing the return of the tutti and the stabilization of the tonal narrative. Consequently, improvisation
becomes integrated into the overall architectural logic of the form rather than remaining an isolated flourish.
The study also identifies a broader set of historical, cultural, and technological factors that facilitated the
evolution of the concerto genre. These include advances in piano construction and the resulting expansion of its
dynamic and articulatory capabilities; changes in performance practice that elevated the soloist’s role as a dramaturgical
partner to the orchestra; and the emergence of a new symphonic idiom that deeply influenced concerto dramaturgy,
particularly with respect to thematic processes, large-scale organization, and formal tension.
Special attention is devoted to the proportions and interplay of symphonic, chamber, and virtuosic elements that shape
Mozart’s distinct model of the concerto. On the one hand, the orchestra gains increasing structural autonomy; on the other, the
soloist maintains a leading rolebut no longer as an isolated protagonist. Instead, the soloist becomes part of a complex network
of dialogues, echoes, and thematic transformations. This interrelationship defines the subsequent trajectory of the classical and
early Romantic concerto tradition, leaving a considerable imprint on Beethoven, Hummel, Schumann, and others