Wigmore Hall facts for kids
The Wigmore Hall is a famous concert hall in London, England. It's known as a "recital hall" because it's specially designed for concerts given by just one musician, or sometimes a small group of musicians playing chamber music (music for a small group). You can find it on Wigmore Street, right in the center of London, a bit north of Oxford Street.
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A Look Back: Its History
The Wigmore Hall has a long and interesting history. It was built a long time ago, in 1901.
Built by Piano Makers
The hall was originally built by a German company called Bechstein. They were famous for making pianos. Because of this, it was first called Bechstein Hall. The company's piano showrooms were right next door!
The building was designed in an old, grand style called Renaissance. Inside, the walls were made of beautiful, shiny stones like alabaster and marble. The main hall is shaped like a rectangle, with a small stage that's a bit higher than the audience. Above the stage, the ceiling is shaped like a dome, called a cupola. This dome has a special painting that shows the "Soul of Music" looking up at the "Genius of Harmony." It's like a picture about how music inspires people.
When Bechstein Hall opened on May 31, 1901, a very talented pianist and composer named Ferruccio Busoni and violinist Eugène Ysaÿe performed there. Many other famous musicians played there in the early days, including Artur Schnabel, Pablo de Sarasate, Percy Grainger, Myra Hess, Arthur Rubinstein, and Camille Saint-Saëns.
A New Name During Wartime
During World War I, because the hall was owned by a German company, the British government took control of it. This was because Germany was an "enemy" country at the time. The hall, along with over 130 pianos, was sold at an auction (a public sale where things go to the highest bidder) for a very low price. In 1917, it was reopened with its new name: Wigmore Hall.
Since then, many more amazing musicians have performed there. Some of these include Sviatoslav Richter, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Victoria de los Ángeles, Sergei Prokofiev, Shura Cherkassky, Paul Hindemith, Andrés Segovia, Benjamin Britten, and Francis Poulenc.
Music and Performers Today
Today, the Wigmore Hall can seat 540 people. It's still a very important place for music.
Listening to Concerts
Many concerts from Wigmore Hall are broadcast on BBC Radio 3, a famous radio station in the UK. Both world-famous musicians and talented young artists who are just starting their careers perform there.
Recording Great Music
The Wigmore Hall also has its own record label (a company that releases music recordings) called "Wigmore Hall Live." They release recordings of concerts given by famous musicians. The pianos used in the hall today are made by Steinway, another very famous piano maker.
Who Leads Wigmore Hall?
The director of the Wigmore Hall is John Gilhooly. He has plans for the future, including featuring lots of music written by composers who are still alive today.
See also
In Spanish: Wigmore Hall para niños
