ANALYSIS OF MOZART CONCERTO NO. 26 IN D MAJOR, K. 537, “CORONATION”

The piano concerto is a musical genre that Mozart valued highly and was a constant throughout his musical life as he combined dramatic contrast and vocal technique to push the form to a historic pinnacle. K.537 is the penultimate of Mozart’s 27 piano concertos. Finished in 1788, it is a late work from the period when his music had begun to fall out of favor with audiences in Vienna, resulting in significantly reduced income. Like most of Mozart’s piano concertos, K.537 is in an exhilarating major key, specifically, D major. While the work shows Mozart’s consistent creative style, it also includes some changes in his orchestration. Some contemporary and modern commentators have argued that the piece sounds grandiose but empty because its orchestral structure is relatively simple with frequent repetition. However, in terms of the music itself, this lovely and stunning piece merits exploration. Mozart’s original intention in composing it has been a subject of discussion. The aim here is to analyze K.537 and provide some background for it.