The Fourth Piano Concerto defies convention by opening with the soloist alone, followed by the orchestra entering quietly in the remote key of B major, rather than the home tonic of G.
Composition History
The Fourth Piano Concerto premiered during a mammoth concert in 1808 that also included the premieres of Beethoven's Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, parts of the C major Mass, and the Choral Fantasy.
Composer Biography
Beethoven was known for his volatile and unpredictable behavior, with one contemporary hostess describing him as "unmannerly" and having an "ugly red face full of pockmarks."
Compositional Technique
The Third Piano Concerto was considered radical for its time, signaling a departure from post-Mozartian Classicism towards new expressive intensity, including an unprecedented fugal passage in the finale.
Composition History
The premiere of the Fourth Piano Concerto was chaotic, with musicians making mistakes and Beethoven reportedly yelling "Stop, stop! That won't do! Again - again!" during the performance.
Composer Biography
As a child, Beethoven's father would scold him for improvising at the piano, telling him he wasn't yet ready to play things "out of his head."
Composition History
At the premiere of his Third Piano Concerto, Beethoven improvised several passages because he hadn't had time to write them all down, playing "nearly the whole solo part from memory."
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