Recitals in Britain

The recital became popular among British performers. Here is a programme given by Walter Macfarren (1826—1905), brother of Sir George Macfarren (1813—87), Principal of the Royal Academy of Music:

Programme 15 Recital by Walter Macfarren, Willis's Rooms, London, 16 June 1866

Programme from the Centre for Performance History, Royal College of Music

If we skip to just past the turn of the twentieth century, we find the recital firmly established in Bechstein Hall (changed to Wigmore Hall in 1916). Here is a program by the Polish-American pianist Leopold Godowsky (1870—1938) in 1902:

Programme 16 Recital by Leopold Godowsky, Bechstein Hall, 18 October 1902

Programme from the Centre for Performance History, Royal College of Music

Any pianist will immediately declare how long and challenging this programme would be in any period. While orchestra concerts had by this time become much shorter, often the same as ours today, recitals were expected to be challenging affairs.

Some recitals were largely chronological; others alternated classical and more contemporary works. Wherever it appeared, contemporary music was given a distinctly secondary role within the piano recital. Here we see two programmes given by the distinguished British-born pianist Harold Bauer (1873—1951) in 1910:

Programme 17 Recitals by Harold Bauer, Bechstein Hall, 1910

Programme from the Centre for Performance History, Royal College of Music

Ravel dedicated Undine to him. Bauer was an important example of the increasing number of pianists who did not compose, though he often tinkered with pieces extensively.