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How were cadenzas traditionally performed in Classical concertos?

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caricature of Antonio Vivaldi — concerto Caricature of Antonio Vivaldi, pen and ink on paper by Pier Leone Ghezzi, 1723; in the Codex Ottoboni, Vatican Library, Rome. The inscription below the drawing reads, “Il Prete rosso Compositore di Musica che fece L'opera a Capranica del 1723” (“The red priest, composer of music who made the opera at Capranica [College in Rome] of 1723”).

In the Classical era, a cadenza was traditionally an unaccompanied, virtuosic passage performed by the soloist near the end of a movement, serving as a brilliant climax.12

Until well into the 19th century, these passages were typically improvised by the performer at specific openings left by the composer. These improvisations allowed the soloist to display their technical skill, invention, and imagination. While the cadenza functioned as a decoration of a final important harmonic cadence, it was often the most demanding section of the concerto, requiring the soloist to dazzle the audience with original flourishes while the orchestra remained silent.132

This practice began to shift when composers like Beethoven began insisting that performers use his own written-out cadenzas rather than improvising their own. Today, it is standard for performers to use written-out cadenzas, even when playing works from the Classical period.31