Description

HAROLD VICTOR BAUER (KINGSTON, ENGLAND, 28 APRIL, 1873 – MIAMI, FLORIDA, 12 MARCH, 1951)

 

 

 

 

His father was a German violinist and his mother was English. He took up the study of the violin under the direction of his father and Adolf Pollitzer. He made his debut as a violinist in London in 1883, and for nine years toured England. In 1892, however, he went to Paris and studied the piano under Ignacy Jan Paderewski for a year, though still maintaining his interest in the violin. An anecdote reports that Paderewski jokingly told Bauer to concentrate on the piano because “You have such beautiful hair”. In 1893, in Paris, he and Achille Rivarde premiered Frederick Delius’s Violin Sonata in B major. During 1893-94 he travelled all through Russia accompanying the noted soprano Mademoiselle Nikita and giving piano recitals and concerts, after which he returned to Paris. Further recitals in the French capital brought him renown, and he almost immediately received engagements in France, Germany and Spain. His reputation was rapidly enhanced by these performances, and his field of operation extended through the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, England, Scandinavia and the United States. In 1900, Harold Bauer made his debut in America with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, performing the U.S. premiere of Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor. On 18 December 1908, he gave the world premiere performance of Claude Debussy’s piano suite Children’s Corner in Paris. After that he settled in the United States, and was a founder of the Beethoven Association. Between 1915 and 1929 he recorded over 100 pieces for the Duo-Art and Ampico reproducing pianos, one of the most prolific virtuoso pianists in this medium of his era. Harold Bauer was also an influential teacher and editor, heading the Piano Department at the well known Manhattan School of Music. Starting in 1941, Bauer taught winter master classes at the University of Miami and served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Hartford Hartt School of Music with Maestro and Founder – Moshe Paranov and head of the Piano Department – Raymond Hanson, from 1946 until his death in 1951. Harold’s sister Ethel Bauer was also a concert pianist active in London. Harold was married twice. He had been married to Marie Knapp (1873–1940) until her death. Sometime between 1940 and 1943, he married again, to concert pianist, colleague, and former student Wynne Pyle. He had no children by either marriage.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. “18th Century Tunes”, No. 5 Dolce far niente (Sweet Idleness) (Bauer) Duo-Art 7039
2. Estampes, No. 2 La soirée dans Grénade (Evening in Granada) (Debussy) Duo-Art 6599
3. Etude, Op. 10, No. 12, c “Revolutionary” (Chopin) Duo-Art  5627
4. Etude, Op. 104, Bb – Book II, No. l (Mendelssohn) Duo-Art 6614
5. Harmonious Blacksmith – Air and Variations (Handel) Duo-Art 6468
6. Hungarian Dance No. 8, a (Brahms) Duo-Art 5668
7. Minuet, A (String Quintet, Op. 13, No. 5) (Boccherini – Bauer) Duo-Art 5889
8. Piano Sonata, Op. 13, c “Pathétique”  lst Mvt. (Beethoven) Duo-Art 5691
9. Piano Sonata, Op. 13, c “Pathétique” 2nd Mvt. (Beethoven) Duo-Art 5703
10. Piano Sonata, Op. 13, c “Pathétique” 3rd Mvt. (Beethoven) Duo-Art 5711
11. Piano Sonata, Op. 57, f “Appassionata” 2nd & 3rd mvts. (Beethoven) Duo-Art 6080
12. Piano Sonata, Op. 57, f “Appassionata” lst Mvt. (Beethoven) Duo-Art 6065
13. Pierrot and Pierrette’s Love Story (Burgmein) (w. Hess) Duo-Art 7069
14. Polonaise, Op. 26, No. 2, eb (Chopin) Duo-Art 6990
15. Prelude & Fugue No. 5, D (WTC – Book I, S. 850) (Bach) Duo-Art 5650
16. String Quartet, Op. 18, #4, c (Beethoven – Bauer) Allegro Duo-Art 506
17. String Quartet, Op. 18, No. 5 2nd Mvt. (Beethoven – Bauer) Duo-Art 7106
18. “Paganini” Etude – No. 2, E Andante capriccioso (Liszt) Duo-Art 6005
19. “Second Fantaisie” Favorite Minuet, d (Schubert) Duo-Art 6212
20. Canzonetta, Op.12 Eb. (Mendelssohn) Duo-Art 519
21. Fantasia in c, K. 457 (Mozart) Duo-Art 7073
22. Nocturne, Op. 15, No. 2, F# (Chopin) Duo-Art 6308
23. Nocturne, Op. 48, No. l, c (Chopin) Duo-Art 5728
24. Novellette, Op. 21, No. 2, D (Schumann) Duo-Art 6921
25. Novellette, Op. 21, No. l, F (Schumann) Duo-Art 5682
26. Piano Concerto #2, g, Op. 22 – 2nd Mvt. (Saint-Saëns) Duo-Art 5963
27. Piano Concerto #2, g, Op. 22 – 3rd Mvt. (Saint-Saëns) Duo-Art 5973
28. Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 22, g – lst Mvt. (Saint-Saëns) Duo-Art 5953
29. Polonaise, Op. 11, No. l, Eb (Moszkowski) Duo-Art 6094
30. Scherzo No. 3, Op. 39, c# (Chopin) Duo-Art 6506
31. Two-Part Inventions, Nos. 1, 6 and 8 (Bach) Duo-Art 6392
32. Valse triste (Waltz of Sadness) Op. 44, No. 1, g “Kuolema” (Death) (Sibelius) Duo-Art A-4
33. Valse, Op. 83, Eb (Durand) Duo-Art 6932