Piano concerto

A piano concerto is a concerto written for piano and orchestra.

Characteristics

Form

A classical piano concerto is often in three movements.

1. A quick opening movement in sonata form including a cadenza (which may be improvised by the soloist).
2. A slow, free expressive movement
3. A faster rondo

Examples by Mozart and Beethoven follow this model, but there are many others which do not. Beethoven's fourth piano concerto includes a last-movement cadenza, and many composers have made innovations – for example Liszt's single-movement concerti.

Other websites

• Classical and Romantic Piano Concertos, a list of Classical and Romantic piano concertos, and other music for piano and orchestra from the same period.