Hofmann, Leopold (1738-1793)

In many respects, Concerto D1 is the most puzzling of Leopold Hofmann’s keyboard concertos. Like Concerto C4 [AE562], which alone employs a remote tonality in its second movement, D1 is the only known authentic concerto by Hofmann to abandon the fussy eight-in-a-bar notation that is a hallmark of his first-movement style in favour of the brisk alla breve style that he occasionally employs in the finales of his instrumental concertos. Why he chose not to pursue this innovation is unclear (unless one or more of the concertos of uncertain authorship that are attributed to him prove to be authentic), but it is possible that the notation was chosen principally to suit the nature of the thematic material. One of the noteworthy stylistic details of this movement is the almost complete absence from the solo part of Hofmann’s characteristically extensive use of triplet and sextuplet figuration.