Simon Rattle and the new London concert hall...

[Flosshilde]

So...the LSO goes to Birmingham, still calls itself the London Symphony Orchestra and boots the CBSO out of the place? The LPO up to Newcastle? Philharmonia to Manchester? I don't think so somehow. Don't think the home teams would be thrilled.

Do you think that there aren't enough classical music enthusiasts in Birmingham & the surrounding area to support two orchestras?

[Warlock]

We need a concert hall near the centre of England served by the M1 & M6 which the rural community can reach by car and park near the hall. How about a hall at the National Exhibition Centre?

[Flosshilde]

Do you think that there aren't enough classical music enthusiasts in Birmingham & the surrounding area to support two orchestras?

Glasgow & Edinburgh, with a combined population of only 20,000 more than Birmingham, support three orchestras.

[MrGongGong]

It's interesting that many folks who are involved in Classical Music think this whole thing is also a pile of nonsense and Simon should stop talking b*ll*cks and get off his high horse.

There are LOTS of places to hear music in London
There are LOTS of places to hear orchestral music outside London, some are wonderful and some not so

But the ridiculous idea that somehow we "need" a new concert hall for overpaid superstar conductors to indulge their fantasies about what is a "good" or "bad" acoustic is utter nonsense.

I've met Larry Kirkegaard and i've met Simon Rattle and I wager (in a Beefy style) that Larry knows more about what makes a good acoustic than Simon.

Of course (he said in a "shoot in the foot fashion", as i'm writing an orchestral piece at the moment) there are simply too many symphony orchestras in London.... the Wilding report said that many years ago.

[Petrushka]

Yes it does here are a few
RFH, Kings Place, Cadogan Hall and so on

This whole thing is a pile of utter nonsense IMV

King's Place and Cadogan Hall - are they large enough for a full symphony orchestra, double chorus, organ and more than a couple of thousand punters?

I'm actually very fond of the Royal Festival Hall and don't think it's half as bad as people make out,

[Flosshilde]

Of course if another hall is built in London it will probably suck in money that should have gone to the rest of the UK, as the Olympics did, on the basis that 'it's good for the whole country'

[MrGongGong]

King's Place and Cadogan Hall - are they large enough for a full symphony orchestra, double chorus, organ and more than a couple of thousand punters?

I'm actually very fond of the Royal Festival Hall and don't think it's half as bad as people make out,

How much repertoire is that that needs this?
and the RFH is a fine hall for listening and playing.

The folks who make out that the RFH is somehow 'poor' (and this includes Simon Rattle) seem to have some fantasy idea of what it sounds like and what other places sound like. I suspect that psychology has more to do with this than acoustics.

Of course if another hall is built in London it will probably suck in money that should have gone to the rest of the UK, as the Olympics did, on the basis that 'it's good for the whole country'

Of course it will

And its a ridiculous distraction from what should be happening in music (as a rather well known "Classical" musician was saying earlier on social media )

[Warlock]

A first class conductor can provide a very enjoyable concert in any hall, church, or cinema provided he and the orchestra know one another and he has time to rehearse them - and they take notice of him. I witnessed this hundreds of times with one maestro from Philharmonie to Cheam Baths Hall.

[Barbirollians]

Perhaps those orchestras should consider moving? If a football club can, and a ballet company, surely an orchestra can.

Anyway, as has been pointed out, the south-west doesn't have a decent hall, nor East Anglia. & Oxford isn't exactly stuffed with decent venues (I expect someone will provide a list that proves me wrong )

I think that Snape is a decent hall.

[Tony Halstead]

I think that Snape is a decent hall.

Also decent ( better than 'decent') are:
The Anvil, Basingstoke
The Apex, Bury St Edmunds
Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden

[MrGongGong]

Also decent ( better than 'decent') are:
The Anvil, Basingstoke
The Apex, Bury St Edmunds
Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden

No No No
You are wrong, because Simon says so.
And as as the media keep telling us, we all want Simon to come back and if the price is gold taps and white puppies in his dressing room then so be it

(I'm with you on this though)

[Barbirollians]

There is no doubt that Symphony Hall in Birmingham and the Bridgewater in Manchester are much better than either of the two main London concert halls although the RFH is better than the Barbican. The RAH is poor and uncomfortable .

So London does not have a top class large concert hall and has not had one since 1941 !

[mercia]

I wonder why that Sibelius cycle was at Barbican instead of RFH (?)

[Nick Armstrong]

Anyway, as has been pointed out, the south-west doesn't have a decent hall

Is Basingstoke in the "south-west"? (he asked, mildly). I regularly read that it is the best acoustic - let's say, in the south-west corner of the country.


EDIT: I see Amazingstoke gets a mention from Tony too...

[french frank]

Is Basingstoke in the "south-west"? (he asked, mildly). I

It's in the suburbs of London, albeit somewhat to the south west of it

Bristol has been struggling for years to get its first decent (symphony) hall, but it seems likely it will finally get an 'arena' first, and be able to welcome all the top rock bands