In the 19th and early 20th centuries it was quite common for households to host informal performances of music.  These "Parlour Concerts" evolved along side the develop of the "recital", the main difference being the later performed in large venues.  As recorded music found its way into the household in the early 20th century, live household performances fell out of favor, whereas public recitals continued to gain traction.  

However, in recent years the popularity of these house concerts is on the rise.  With online communities such as Groupmuse, musicians are find all sorts of new ways to connect and communicate with their audience.  Due to the nature of these performances, every house concert is unique and offers it's own individual experience.