Of the seven children born to Leopold and Anna Maria Mozart in Salzburg, Austria, five died in infancy. A daughter known to posterity by her nickname "Nannerl" was one of the two survivors. Finally, four years later in 1756, her brother Wolfgang Amadeus, known as, "Wolfi" to his friends, was destined to complete the family of musicians.

From their earliest years, it was obvious that both children were musically inclined. Leopold taught them piano and composition. Wolfgang, with a year of tuition under his belt started composing at five. Thus began a 30-year career during which he wrote music for almost every conceivable combination of instruments and voices covering the spectrum from whimsical humor to profoundly moving. Today he is universally admired as a genius and one of the greatest composers of all time.

The concerto we are to hear today was probably written in 1779 for Nannerl and himself. By then he was no longer in the full time employ of Salzburg's Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo though he had yet to move permanently to Vienna, which he did in 1781.

Most piano concertos are written for one pianist. This delightful exception is designed to give the two pianists a chance to enjoy a dialogue with each other. Unlike in most of his concertos, here Mozart gives greater prominence to the soloists than to the orchestra. The three movements closely follow the classical tradition of an allegro first movement starting with an orchestral introduction. The andante second movement is in the key of B flat major. The work concludes with a toe-tapping rondo.

Today's soloists are the distinguished couple Catherin Lan and Tao Lin.

Program notes by Ian A. Fraser.