Wigmore Hall

The Wigmore Hall is a concert hall located at 36 Wigmore Street, London. Originally called Bechstein Hall, it specialises in performances of chamber music and song. With near-perfect acoustics, the hall quickly became celebrated across Europe and featured many of the great artistes of the 20th century. Today, the hall promotes 400 concerts a year and broadcasts a weekly concert on BBC Radio 3. The hall also promotes an extensive education programme throughout London and beyond. OriginsOriginally named Bechstein Hall, it was built between 1899 and 1901 by C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik, the German piano manufacturer, whose showroom was next door. The renowned British architect Thomas Edward Collcutt was commissioned to design the space. Collcutt was also responsible for the Savoy Hotel on The Strand (since modified) and the Palace Theatre on Cambridge Circus (originally the Royal English Opera House), with which the hall shares pale terracotta ornamentation. The Bechstein Company built similar concert halls in Saint Petersburg and Paris, though like its London offices and performing space, these and the business as a whole suffered during the First World War. Bechstein was forced to cease trading in Britain on 5 June 1916 after the passing of the Trading with the Enemy Amendment Act 1916 and all property including the concert hall and the showrooms was seized and summarily closed. In 1916 the hall was sold as alien property at auction to Debenhams for £56, 500 – a figure considerably short of the £100, 000 cost of the building alone. It was then rechristened Wigmore Hall and opened under the new name in 1917.

The Wigmore Hall is a concert hall located at 36 Wigmore Street, London. Originally called Bechstein Hall, it specialises in performances of chamber music and song. With near-perfect acoustics, the hall quickly became celebrated across Europe and featured many of the great artistes of the 20th century. Today, the hall promotes 400 concerts a year and broadcasts a weekly concert on BBC Radio 3. The hall also promotes an extensive education programme throughout London and beyond. OriginsOriginally named Bechstein Hall, it was built between 1899 and 1901 by C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik, the German piano manufacturer, whose showroom was next door. The renowned British architect Thomas Edward Collcutt was commissioned to design the space. Collcutt was also responsible for the Savoy Hotel on The Strand (since modified) and the Palace Theatre on Cambridge Circus (originally the Royal English Opera House), with which the hall shares pale terracotta ornamentation. The Bechstein Company built similar concert halls in Saint Petersburg and Paris, though like its London offices and performing space, these and the business as a whole suffered during the First World War. Bechstein was forced to cease trading in Britain on 5 June 1916 after the passing of the Trading with the Enemy Amendment Act 1916 and all property including the concert hall and the showrooms was seized and summarily closed. In 1916 the hall was sold as alien property at auction to Debenhams for £56, 500 – a figure considerably short of the £100, 000 cost of the building alone. It was then rechristened Wigmore Hall and opened under the new name in 1917.