Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra

The Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra in C major, K. 299 is a piece of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was written in 1778. It is one of only two true double concertos that Mozart wrote. It is the only piece of music that Mozart wrote for the harp.

History

Mozart was living in Paris at the time he wrote this concerto. He wrote it for the flute-playing Duke of Guines and his harp-playing daughter Marie. Mozart never liked either instrument. The combination is a difficult one for duo. The work is pleasing and popular however. It is a favorite with harpists because there are so few concertos for harp. The Duke failed to pay Mozart for the concerto.

Music

The orchestra is a group of strings, two oboes, and two horns. This small group makes the work suitable for an assembly room. The concerto is made of three movements. The opening movement is song-like. According to the All Music Guide to Classical Music, this movement is distinguished by dialogue-like passages for the soloists. The second movement is "florid" with the soloists accompanied only by strings. The third movement "is a lively rondo with a veritable parade of attractive tunes."

References

• Woodstra, Chris, et al. 2005. All Music Guide to Classical Music. All Media Guide, LLC. p. 895. ISBN 0-87930-865-6.