Mozart, Cello (Horn) Concerto in E Flat Major K.447 - (Starker)

✥ About the Mozart Cello Concertos
Although Mozart never wrote cello concertos or any solo pieces for cello, there are some transcriptions, like the Fischer's adaptation which here i present.
K.314, originally for flute, was also arranged, by Georg Szell. It Includes a K.470 slow movement because the one for flute didn't fit well enough for cello peculiarities. Beyond that, the concerto was also performed with the Adagio movement arranged from K.131 in detriment of K.470.
In a hand, the transcriptions paint a picture of how would be Mozart cello works if he ever wrote for this instrument. In the other, it delays the extremely rewarding research for the cello classical concertos, written by his contemporaries and of immense value.

✥ About K.447
Completed between 1784 and 1787, during the Vienna Period. The composition was written as a friendly gesture for the hornist Joseph Leutgeb (his name is mentioned few times in the score), and Mozart probably didn't consider it as particularly important, since he failed to enter it to the autograph catalogue of his works. The autograph score remained well preserved; it is stored in the British Library in London. The concerto is scored for 2 clarinets in Bflat, 2 Bassoons, Solo Horn in Eflat and strings. The work is in 3 movements:

I. Allegro (4/4)
II. Romance (Larghetto) (4/4)
III. Allegro (6/8)

This concerto "has clarinets besides bassoons and string for accompaniment. They bring warmth and light colouring to this most attractive work, and in spite of unadventurous support they partner the bassoons in many typical phrases."

The main melody of the third movement is reminiscent of the theme from the rondo of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 22 written in 1785.
This adaptation retains the original key and was comissioned for Pablo Casals, but the WWII intervened and therefore he never played it.

✥ About the Painting
"Mozart Composing"
Oil in canvas
by Josef Buche, 1880.

#mozart