Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat major, K. 482. David Fray (piano), Philharmonia Orchestra, conductor: Jaap van Zweden. Recorded in the Abbey Road Studios, London. During Mozart's lifetime it was still common for a composer to master the instruments he wrote for. Mozart was a good violinist, but his essential instrument was the piano. He appeared in public from an early age on and was famous as a pianist and as a performer of his own piano works. Mozart wrote most of his piano concertos for his own use. He began with arrangements of foreign compositions and ended with 14 symphonic works of maturity that represent a high point in the history of the piano concerto. The piano concertos document his personal artistic development as well as the development of the genre, from the concept of Baroque music to the classical solo concerto. Mozart made use of the technical possibilities of the instrument and experimented with form, tone color and the contrast between soloist and orchestra.