About this edition
Composed in the spring of 1786 alongside The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major stands among the most beloved of his twenty-seven concertos for piano, prized for its luminous lyricism and the heart-stopping intimacy of its central Adagio in F-sharp minor — the only movement Mozart ever wrote in that key. The outer movements radiate a serene, song-like grace, while the orchestration is notable for replacing the usual oboes with clarinets, lending the entire work its characteristic warmth and chamber-music transparency.
This score reproduces the engraving from the celebrated Mozarts Werke — the first complete critical edition of Mozart's works, issued by Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig between 1877 and 1883. The K. 488 concerto appears in Serie XVI (Concertos for Piano and Orchestra), Band 4, No. 23, occupying pages 67–120 of the volume published in 1879 under plate number W.A.M. 488. Edited by leading Mozart scholars of the nineteenth century, this Breitkopf edition served as the standard reference for performers and publishers for generations and remains a touchstone for its clarity, careful editorial work, and elegant engraving.
About this edition:
- Full orchestral score (conductor's score) with solo piano part
- Reproduced from the 1879 Breitkopf & Härtel Mozarts Werke, Serie XVI, Bd. 4
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches, suitable for study and rehearsal use
- Faithfully reproduced from a public domain historical source
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
This edition reproduces a public domain historical score, making one of Mozart's most cherished concertos readily available to conductors, pianists, orchestral musicians, students, and scholars. We hope it serves you well in study, rehearsal, and performance.
