Ludwig van Beethoven composed his five piano concertos during a time of rapid change. The piano concerto genre was still relatively new, having been brought into its own by Haydn and Mozart in the previous decades. The piano itself was under development—the instrument Beethoven had available to him had more high notes, for example, and a pedal that allowed the performer to change timbre by determining how many strings the hammers were to strike. (While this capability is not used in modern pianos, Beethoven wrote specific instructions on how to use this pedal for the first time in the Fourth Concerto).  

The Fourth Concerto was composed during a particularly significant transition in Beethoven's life. As he had the first three, Beethoven composed the fourth concerto for himself as soloist. By the time he completed the work in 1806, however, Beethoven's increasing deafness had all but ended his performing career. Despite this overwhelming challenge, the Fourth Concerto's debut was a triumph. Its first public performance occurred at a remarkable concert on December 22, 1808, at Vienna's Theater an der Wien. Given our modern expectations of concert length, it is almost impossible to imagine what it would have been like to attend that nearly four-hour-long event, which included the premieres of Beethoven's Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, his Choral Fantasy, four movements from his Mass in C, and the concert aria, "Ah! Perfido.” Even more inconceivable, there would have been little—if any—opportunity to take a break. As the New York Times wrote, "Over the course of the 19th century, the music itself became the focus of concerts, and audiences were expected to remain attentive—and seated. Programs were typically longer and more varied than those presented today, with a mix of vocal, symphonic, and chamber works. And yet…there is little evidence of intermissions lasting more than a mere five minutes, sufficient time to slip away but not to grab a drink."

Despite its length and wide-ranging repertoire, the concert made an impression—especially the Fourth Piano Concerto. J. F. Reichardt, who was present at the concert, said of Beethoven’s solo performance, “He played…with astounding cleverness and in the fastest possible tempi. The Adagio, a masterly movement of beautifully developed song, he sang on this instrument with a profound melancholy that thrilled me.”  

Composed in the traditional three movements, the opening Allegro moderato begins immediately with a solo statement instead of a purely orchestral introduction. The ensuing Andante con moto, which Reichardt characterized as “sung” by the piano, unfolds in a dialogue between orchestra and soloist that Liszt described as “Orpheus taming the wild beasts with his music.” The slow movement proceeds directly into the Rondo: Vivace, whose whirlwind of colors and emotions takes the movement to an exhilarating close.  

—Jennifer More, ©2024