Works by Mozart performed by Charlie Albright on February 14, 2016.

Many of us think of “improvisation” as a modern concept, usually linked to jazz. But throughout the centuries, so-called “classical” keyboard players were often expected to improvise, whether they were vamping at the organ to fill time during a church service or creating a spontaneous piano version of an opera score for friends and patrons gathered around a salon.

Indeed, there are many accounts that suggest that Mozart—now thought of for his notated scores—relied heavily on improvisation in creating and even performing his own works.

All to say, Mozart was a master of the art of improvised variation. Today, we’ll hear two notated works that hint at the sort of thing we might have heard, had we been so lucky to be in the room when Mozart was improvising at the keyboard. First, we’ll hear his 12 Variations on “Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman.” Next, we’ll hear 9 Variations on a Minuet by Duport, based on a cello sonata theme.