Musikverein

Wiener Musikverein, (German pronunciation: [ˌviːnɐ̯ muˌziːkfɛʁˈʔaɪ̯n]; English: "Viennese Music Association"), commonly shortened to The Musikverein, has a twofold meaning: it is the name of a famous Vienna concert hall, as well as the short name for the music society, Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde [Society of Music Friends], that owns the building.

This building is located on Dumbastraße behind the Imperial Hotel, between Bösendorferstraße and Karlsplatz. However, because Bösendorferstraße is so small a street, the building is better known as being between Karlsplatz and Kärntner Ring (part of Ringstraße loop). The back of the building faces Canovagasse [Canova lane].

The concert hall was built by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, on a piece of land given by Emperor Franz Joseph, and it was opened on January 6, 1870. A historic organ was installed in it by the Austrian firm Rieger, in 1907. The Musikverein is famous for its acoustics and is considered to be one of the five finest concert/opera venues in the world.[1] None of these halls was built in the modern era with the application of acoustics science, and, with the partial exception of the horseshoe-shaped Colon, all share a long, tall, and narrow shape. It is the home to the Vienna Philharmonic.

The Große Musikvereinssaal, or Goldene Saal (Golden Hall), is forty-eight metres long, nineteen metres wide, and eighteen metres high. It has 1,744 seats and standing room for 300. Every year, the Vienna New Year's Concert is held here.

Contents

Conductors

Since 2001, the building has been undergoing renovation, and several new rehearsal and concert halls have been installed.

Concert Hall Size Height Seats
Großer Musikvereinssaal (Goldener Saal) 48,8 x 19,1 m 17,75 m 1744 seats and ca. 300 for standing
Brahmssaal 32,5 x 10,3 m 11 m 600 seats
Gläserner Saal/Magna Auditorium 22 x 12,5 m 8 m 380 seats
Metallener Saal 10,5 x 10,8 m 3,2 m 70 seats
Steinerner Saal/Host Haschek Auditorium 13 x ~8,6 m ~3,3m 60 seats

The names of the five halls stand for Golden, Brahms, Glass, Metal, and Stone Hall, respectively.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Long, Marshall, "What is So Special About Shoebox Halls? Envelopment, Envelopment, Envelopment", Acoustics Today, April 2009, pp.21-25 The other venues are Berlin's Konzerthaus, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Boston's Symphony Hall, and the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires.

External links