How Did Mozart Contribute to Music?
Though Mozart is one of my favorite composers, he is not generally considered as “revolutionary” a composer as Bach or Beethoven, who are both giant “pivot” figures in music history. However, Mozart’s contributions are considered VERY important in two genres. 1. Opera 2. The Piano Concerto A sidenote is that EVERYTHING that Mozart wrote for the human voice (Opera, Songs, and Masses – some great stuff in those Masses!!) was particularly wonderful and worthy of study. He is also considered (for all practical purposes) the INVENTOR of the Solo Piano Concerto as we know it today. Although he authored 26 Concerti, you can begin listening at around Concerto No.19 or so and find nothing but masterpieces. He expanded the form, brought new sophistication to the internal writing, and left it in the shape that future composers would find it. In keeping with his place in Music History, Mozart developed what was before him (C.P.E. Bach is only other important figure in pre-Mozart keyboard concerti)
