John Wilson on Piano Concerto #23

How did you come to play Mozart’s works?

Mozart was the very first composer I played when I began learning piano at age 12, and his music has held a special place in my heart ever since. All of Mozart’s operas are deeply meaningful to me, and I’ve always thought of his piano concerti as operas without singers. What I love most about his work is how, at every turn, there's a beautiful phrase or an unexpected harmony. In this particular concerto, the piano voicings are more daring than in his earlier works—Mozart is so logical, yet always unpredictable and profoundly emotional.

What is Piano Concerto #23 like?

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 is one of his most beloved works, recognized instantly by audiences everywhere. For me, it stands out not only because of its iconic Adagio, but also for the subtle sadness that seems to hide within the otherwise convivial first movement.

How did this work come to be?

While Mozart was known to be extremely witty, generally happy, and always engrossed in his work, he was also facing personal struggles at the time he composed this concerto. He had a complicated relationship with his father over his marriage to Constanze and was suffering financially—by some accounts, he completed

certo in just two weeks.

What should I expect to hear in this work?

There is a genuine melancholy beneath the notes of the first movement, a depth of feeling trying to break through, which foreshadows the emotion of the second movement. After the premiere, Mozart wrote to his father that even audiences familiar with his music were taken aback by the second movement’s intensity. I believe that the 1783 death of Anna Maria, his first child with Constanze, is being expressed here. The melodies are often disjunct in register, like a cry, and the movement is filled with motifs of longing, fantasy, and angst. Even as soon as the movement gets going, it suddenly stops—mirroring the unpredictable nature of grief. These are feelings we all experience in life, and that’s what makes Mozart so special: he expresses the seemingly inexpressible, with genius at every turn.

How do you feel when you play it?

Of course, Mozart was always one for a party, and as a pianist, he loved to play fast. The third movement is a joyful romp from start to finish! I am truly thrilled to share my interpretation of this beautiful and deeply moving piece with the Midsummer Mozart audience!