The Piano Concerto in D major K.451 is the second in the series of so-called "geat" piano concertos of Mozart. It differs markedly in plan and orcheshation from the B-flat major Concerto K.45O immediately preceding it. The flute plays in every movement in an ensemble which is further enriched at times with trumpets and timpani. Instead of the chamber-music-like exchange between winds and strings, as in K.450, here the entire orchestra plays the first theme of the first movement. Thus the first movement in particular takes on an almost symphonic character, which later manifests itself even more pronouncedly in the concertos K.466,467 and 491.