Cadenzas

            Article:  Cadenzas and Creativity II - Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20

                    A cadenza is a section of music in a concerto that allows the soloist to play what he wants 
         to show his technical virtuosity.  It should fit into the style of the concerto and sometimes uses quotes 
         from the concerto's themes.  Rhythmically, the cadenza is often more free-flowing than the overall 
         movement it is set in.  Cadenzas are almost always found in one or more of the fast movements 
         of a concerto.


                    In the 18th and 19th century, virtuosos were often composers (Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, 
          Liszt, etc.) and they wrote cadenzas for their concertos.  Often other composers wrote cadenzas for 
          the concertos of others.  In the 20th century virtuoso pianists are not usually composers and they 
          usually play cadenzas written by the composer of the concerto or other composers.

            Mozart's cadenzas exist for 15 of his 27 concertos.  No Mozart cadenza for Concerto No. 20 exists.

            Composers who wrote cadenzas for Mozart's Concerto No. 20 include Beethoven (WoO 58), 

            Charles-Valentin Alkan, Johannes Brahms (WoO 14), Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Ferruccio 

            Busoni, and Clara Schumann.