ABSTRACT
It is a fact well-known from numerous contemporary reports, letters, reminiscences, and other documents that Mozart was, from his early youth, an exceptional keyboard improviser. Extemporisation is a rather rare subject of musical investigation because of its elusive nature; yet, in Mozart's case, more may be deduced from his written words and musical jottings than one might think. Careful reading will show that improvisation was not a vague notion for him, but an art with clearly distinguished styles and manners. Nomenclature, the identification of keyboard instruments used (if known), and descriptions of the actual playing all assist in our understanding of Mozart's improvisational styles, even though we are unable to recapture those ephemeral moments.
