Songfacts®:

• Elvira Madigan is the nickname of Mozart's "Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major," which he wrote in 1785 within a space of 4 weeks. It is one of Mozart's most popular piano concertos, and has three movements.
• The concerto was penned for a series of Lenten subscription concerts given by Mozart in 1785. However, it was actually premiered at Mozart's benefit concert at the National Court Theater on March 10 of that year. A handbill for the concert announced that it would include "a new, just finished Forte piano Concerto."
• The slow second movement is the best known part of this piece thanks to its use in Elvira Madigan, a 1967 Swedish film about a tragic tightrope walker, which gave the concerto its name.
• The second movement's title is "Andante in F major." "Andante" refers to the tempo marking, which in this instance means to be performed at a moderately slow speed. "Andante" is Italian for "a walking pace."