Deryk Barker wrote:

>But I agree about the Concertgebouw - fabulous hall.

I'll pipe in with a "me, too." I *loved* the Concertgebouw - the sound,
the beautiful outside, the quirky inside.

I've sung as a chorister in various halls.  Some of the ones I've enjoyed
include the old Academy of Music in Philadelphia, with a very bright,
ringing sound.  You didn't have to work very hard to make a great sonic
effect.  I sang in the old Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, which had
a very bad rep.  George Szell, asked for his opinion about the sound by a
reporter, said that they ought to tear the place to the ground and start
again from scratch.  I must say rehearsals went fine.  We couldn't figure
out why the hall had been so hated.  Then came the performance, when people
were actually in the seats.  The sound changed completely to something so
muffled, we had trouble hearing ourselves on the stage.  I've also heard
the new hall.  The NY Phil sounded better than I ever heard them - indeed,
finally world-class - but I have no idea what the stage acoustics are like.

One hall that might get mentioned in years to come is Severance Hall.
I grew up attending concerts in the old hall.  It was fine, but not
remarkable.  The new hall, which also happens to be an architectural
treasure, is downright fabulous, sonically speaking.  It would get racing
the blood of a Stokowski.

Peace from he who is
Schwartzo