Background
Harold Bauer was born in Kingston upon Thames. 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.
Harold Bauer was born in Kingston upon Thames. 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.
In 1892, however, he went to Paris and studied the piano under Ignacy January Paderewski for a year, though still maintaining his interest in the violin.
He made his debut as a violinist in London in 1883, and for nine years toured England. 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 minor.
During 1893-1894 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.
On 18 December 1908, he gave the world premiere performance of Claude Debussy"s piano suite Children"s Corner in Paris. In later life, he became the principal piano teacher at the well known Manhattan School of Music, and was known for his master classes.
Today, the Harold Bauer Award is given to promising pianists at the school.
From 1941 until his death, Bauer taught winter master classes at the University of Miami. Bauer was married twice. He had been married to Marie Knapp (1873–1940) until her death.
He had no children by either marriage.
After that he settled in the United States, and was a founder of the Beethoven Association.
