Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major, K. 459

Introduction

The Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major, KV 459 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was written at the end of 1784: Mozart's own catalogue of works records that it was completed on 11 December (works surrounding it in the Köchel catalogue are KV 458, the "Hunt" quartet and KV 464, the fifth of the Haydn set). It is occasionally known as the "second coronation concerto" on account of Mozart playing it on the occasion of the coronation of Leopold II in Frankfurt am Main in October 1790. The autograph is held by the Jagiellońska Library, Kraków. The first edition was produced by Johann Andre of Offenbach in 1794, and Breitkopf & Härtel produced an edition in 1800. Like most of Mozart's concertos it is in three movements:

1. Allegro 4/4
2. Allegretto 6/8, in C major
3. Allegro assai 2/4

The concerto was written for Mozart to perform himself: Hutchings calls it "athletic", combining grace with vigour. It is scored for flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, and strings.