Biographical Note
Though somewhat underrepresented in modern musical scholarship, Harold Bauer held an eminent position in the musical life of his time. Throughout his career he was regarded as one of the greatest living pianists, a successor to the tradition of Liszt, Paderewski and Brahms, and a celebrated interpreter of the music of Schumann, Brahms and Franck. He was one of the first to champion the music of Debussy and of Ravel, who dedicated the "Ondine" movement of his Gaspard de la nuit to the pianist. Bauer also had considerable fame as a recitalist, performing with such accomplished performers as Pablo Casals, Fritz Kreisler, Jacques Thibaud, Ossip Gabrilowitsch, and the Flonzaley String Quartet.
As a performer, Bauer continually sought to attain and to define the highest musical standards, and to convey them to the widest possible audience. To this end, he founded the Beethoven Association in 1918, which, through its sponsorship of public concerts featuring the finest musicians of the time, and through its financial support of musicians and institutions alike, contributed to the development of American musical culture in the first half of this century. As an educator, Bauer edited many editions of piano music (most notably of Bach, Brahms, and the complete piano works of Schumann), several of which are still in print today. In his later years, he taught at the Manhattan School of Music and at the University of Miami, and gave frequent lectures and master classes throughout the country. Bauer was also keenly interested in a wide range of musical topics and penned a substantial amount of writings on various composers and their works, interpretation, performance practice, and piano technique.
Bauer's interest in education, however, was not limited to musicians; he recognized that musical culture must extend to as large an audience as possible in order to be fully realized. For this audience, Bauer wrote many articles which treated more general musical topics; his autobiography and these articles all bear the stamp of his particular erudition and wit. For these reasons, he was held in high esteem by both his contemporaries among professional musicians and by a larger public, for whom his art possessed an almost "popular" fame.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1873 April 28 | Born in Kingston-on-Thames, near London |
| circa 1878-1882 | Received first musical education at home. Bauer's aunt gave him his first violin lessons and his father provided him with piano instruction some years later |
| 1882 | First public appearance as a violin soloist, Saint James' Hall, London |
| 1893 | Left England for Paris, where he resided for the next twenty years Began coaching with Ignace Paderewski, which influenced his decision to pursue a career as a concert pianist |
| 1894 | Debut in Paris. Bauer accepted an offer of a concert tour through Russia as accompanist (on piano as well as on violin) for singer Louise Nikita (pseudonym of Louise Nicholson), which lasted until the spring of the following year |
| circa 1896 | Frequented Parisian musical circles and became acquainted with several notable figures, including Debussy, Ravel, Saint-Saëns, Enesco, Casals, and Kreisler. With the two latter performers, Bauer began a lengthy period of touring |
| 1900 | American debut in Boston as piano soloist in Brahms' Concerto no. 1 in D minor with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Wilhelm Gericke (the work's Boston première) |
| 1908 | Premiered Debussy's piano suite, Children's Corner, in Paris |
| 1912 | Awarded the Gold Medal for outstanding musicianship by the Royal Philharmonic Society of London, the Society's highest honor |
| circa 1916-1917 | Moved to the United States |
| 1918 | Founded the Beethoven Association in New York, an organization that lasted until 1940. Its first concert was presented on November 4 of the following year |
| circa 1920-1948 | Devoted himself concertizing, writing (on music education and music criticism), and preparing editions of piano music for the publishing firm G. Schirmer |
| 1924 July 10 | Became an American citizen |
| 1930s-1940s | Visiting professor at the University of Hartford, Hartt School of Music |
| 1948 | Published autobiography, Harold Bauer, His Book |
| 1951 March 12 | Died in Miami, Florida |