About this edition
Composed in March 1784 during Mozart's most prolific concerto year, the Piano Concerto No. 16 in D Major, K.451 stands apart from its contemporaries through its bold symphonic ambition and brilliant ceremonial character. Scored for an unusually full orchestra including trumpets and timpani, the work showcases Mozart at the peak of his Viennese success, with the kind of public-facing grandeur that delighted his subscription concert audiences. Mozart himself ranked it among the finest concertos he had written to that point, and the dialogue between soloist and tutti — particularly in the bravura outer movements and the songful Andante — reveals a composer fully in command of the form he had essentially redefined.
This score reproduces the engraving from the landmark Mozarts Werke complete edition, published by Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig in 1878 as part of Serie XVI: Concerte für das Pianoforte (Band 2, No. 16, plate W.A.M. 451). Prepared by some of the most distinguished Mozart scholars of the nineteenth century, this Gesamtausgabe was the first comprehensive critical edition of Mozart's works and remained the scholarly standard for nearly a century. Its careful engraving, clear textures, and faithful presentation of the source materials continue to make it a trusted reference for performers and researchers.
About this edition:
- Full orchestral score (conductor's score)
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches
- Reproduced from the 1878 Breitkopf & Härtel Mozarts Werke edition
- Sourced from a public domain historical edition
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
This edition is a faithful reproduction of a historical score that has entered the public domain, offered to bring this masterpiece of the Classical concerto repertoire into the hands of conductors, pianists, students, and scholars at an accessible price. We hope it serves you well in study, rehearsal, and performance.
