Kenneth Grigg: House Concerts

The tradition of Hausmusik, or music intended for performance in a salon, music room, or residence, has given us some of the most beautiful compositions, including Brahms' Liebeslieder and Neue Liebesliederwalzer, Chopin's Mazurkas and Nocturnes, and essentially all music for harpsichord and especially clavichord.

The intimacy of a concert in a small space—for a small audience—is something that recalls the esthetic and qualities of the times in which great music was written. Mozart, Chopin, soprano Bidu Sayao, violinist Maud Powell, and harpsichordist Wanda Landowska were particularly known for their performances in intimate settings.