The beginnings of a musical community...

Self-accompanied singing: reviving a neglected tradition in the professional practice and development of classical singers

Research project at the UCL Institute of Education, London, UK

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/ioe-faculty-education-and-society

Did you know that right up to the 1930s it was perfectly normal for a classical singer to perform to an audience whilst accompanying themselves on a keyboard or other instrument?
Big stars such as Reynaldo Hahn, Jane Bathori, George Henschel, Richard Tauber and others made records of self-accompanied songs; and self-accompanied recitals took place in concert halls and even the opera-house, performed by the likes of Jenny Lind, Adelina Patti and Maria Malibran.

Have you ever seen a pop, folk or jazz singer play an instrument and sing at the same time? Of course you have.

But how often have you seen a classical singer doing this? We would guess rarely or never; yet it used to be a normal part of many singers' working lives.

This project aims to both carry out research, and act as a forum to foster interest in, and the practice of, self-accompanied classical singing.