Mozart premieres Triple Piano Concerto in Augsburg with Stein's innovative fortepianos.

On 22/10/1777, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performed his Concerto for Three Pianos in F major, K. 242, at a public concert in Augsburg during his journey in search of employment. Mozart had arrived in Augsburg earlier that month while traveling with his mother, Anna Maria Mozart, after departing Salzburg on 23/09/1777. The concerto, originally composed in 1776 for Countess Antonia Lodron and her daughters in Salzburg, was adapted for the Augsburg performance, where Mozart appeared as one of the keyboard soloists. During his stay in Augsburg, Mozart also visited the workshop of instrument maker Johann Andreas Stein. Stein’s fortepianos featured an escapement action and knee lever mechanism for sustaining sound, technical developments that differed from instruments Mozart had previously encountered. In letters written from Augsburg in October 1777, Mozart described the evenness of tone, responsiveness of the action, and reliability of the dampers in Stein’s instruments. These impressions reflected his interest in the evolving design of the fortepiano during the late eighteenth century. The concert on 22 October formed part of Mozart’s efforts to establish connections and demonstrate his abilities in cities visited during the 1777 to 1779 tour. After leaving Augsburg later in October, Mozart and his mother traveled to Mannheim, arriving on 30/10/1777. The Augsburg performance therefore took place during the early stages of his extended journey seeking professional opportunities.