Harold Bauer: Life, performance, and pedagogical legacy within early twentieth-century pianism

The life of the London-born American pianist Harold Bauer has been largely neglected in the scope of early twentieth-century pianism. Records of his life and recordings have been restricted to sources that have yet to be coalesced. His autobiography written in 1948, his personal collection located in the Library of Congress, the complete recordings issued by APR in 2009, and a number of books mentioning Bauer in passing constitute the information available. The goal of this doctoral essay is therefore to combine the material into a cohesive whole and give the reader a broad outlook upon his contribution in the context of early twentieth-century pianism. Tracing the steps back to his youth in England, this paper seeks to outline his life, from his early musical training, the travels and concert tours that catapulted his reputation to international acclaim, his relationships with prominent musicians at the turn of the nineteenth century, the recording projects embarked upon during the early stages of sound recording, and finally, his efforts in pedagogy and encouraging music education in American culture.