Simon Rattle and the new London concert hall...

[jean]

A symphony orchestra in a lighthouse? Is that even possible?

[Stanfordian]

Is that 'flying over' like pigs on the wing?

Hiya GongGong,

I report regularly from both the Hallé and BBC Philharmonic concerts at the Bridgewater and I'd be very hard pressed to choose between the orchestras as both are excellent and have the benefit of inspiring music directors, as do the nearby Liverpool Philharmonic.

[french frank]

Karabits (on Music Matters) seems to be suggesting a similar line at Bournemouth which, I believe, lacks a replacement for the Winter Gardens, hence use of the Lighthouse in Poole.

Colston Hall in Bristol used to be their 'home' until they moved on to the Lighthouse. Sorry to mention we don't have an orchestra as well as a concert hall. (That said, we do have several [pro-am] orchestras which are more than respectable - but they don't compare with an orchestra that will pull in the crowds and doesn't have to rely on friends and family selling tickets).

[Darkbloom]

A symphony orchestra in a lighthouse? Is that even possible?

Of course, just like the Anvil in Basingstoke is a real anvil. It must be a very big anvil, though...or very small musicians.

[MrGongGong]

More guff?

http://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2015/feb/20/simon-rattle-hall-barbican-london-symphony-orchestra-george-osborne-bristol-colston?CMP=share_btn_fb

This

This commitment from the Chancellor to put new money into a feasibility study for a world-class music centre that serves London, Londoners and the nation as a whole, is a hugely exciting prospect.

Culture is ever more important in defining our great cities, and this is a once-in-a-generation chance to explore how we could work with the City of London to create a state-of-the-art performance and education facility for the digital age that offers outstanding learning opportunities for all.

Makes me livid

What a pile of tosh

When the LSO created St Lukes it was for much of this and a fine resource it is indeed and i've always enjoyed working and going there
BUT to pretend that some overpriced orchestral vanity project for London will serve " Londoners and the nation as a whole," is b*llsh*t.

All this making it 'digital' nonsense as well, which means exactly WHAT?
Buzz words are all well and good but really these are supposed to be intelligent people?

I suppose it's for 'hard working families'

[Stanfordian]

Colston Hall in Bristol used to be their 'home' until they moved on to the Lighthouse. Sorry to mention we don't have an orchestra as well as a concert hall. (That said, we do have several [pro-am] orchestras which are more than respectable - but they don't compare with an orchestra that will pull in the crowds and doesn't have to rely on friends and family selling tickets).

Mariss Jansons too is unhappy with the Philharmonie in Munich and is petitioning for a new concert hall. I attend concerts each year at the Philharmonie at the Gasteig and I have always been satisfied with the sound. They also have the rectangular box shaped Hercules Hall in the Residenz there but it has not got a large capacity just 1,270.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/arts/international/mariss-jansons-fights-for-new-concert-hall-in-munich.html?_r=0

Maybe conductors are looking constantly for perfection in their concert halls. A poor performance will continue to be a poor performance even in a great sounding hall. Maybe conductors should concentrate on trying to improve the standard of performance.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

BUT to pretend that some overpriced orchestral vanity project for London will serve " Londoners and the nation as a whole," is b*llsh*t.

How can a concert hall in London benefit anyone outside the London area?

All this making it 'digital' nonsense as well, which means exactly WHAT?
Buzz words are all well and good but really these are supposed to be intelligent people?

It could mean a concert hall with analogue microphones broadcasting live concerts online. I remember seeing a set of "digital headphones". The only digits were on the price label.

[MrGongGong]

How can a concert hall in London benefit anyone outside the London area?

It can't (apart from if we go and do a gig there?)

I really enjoyed paying for some folks to run very fast in Stratford the other year, I feel it benefitted me enormously, I felt happy that they can run fast and throw stuff. I guess I will fee the same as folks used to about monks in enclosed communities? It's great they are getting up early and singing so that my potatoes will grow and I will go to heaven.
So for the folks in Birmingham they can be happy that people in London have another concert hall to go to.

It could mean a concert hall with analogue microphones broadcasting live concerts online. I remember seeing a set of "digital headphones". The only digits were on the price label.

I think the 'digits' required are the traditional two fingers

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

How can a concert hall in London benefit anyone outside the London area?

Anyone outside the London area - not to mention the concert halls and opera hoses of the capital itself - will far better be served by a railway service that runs trains from London to all parts of the country after 11:00pm!

[MrGongGong]

No one has told me what exactly is WRONG with the RFH acoustic?

This might interest some of you

http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/publications/rdreport_1951_15

[Nick Armstrong]

No one has told me what exactly is WRONG with the RFH acoustic?

I've never had a problem with it, other than the 'bizarre spot' in the front stalls which makes the piano in a concerto sound crap.

It's the Barbican that needs decommissioning.

[MrGongGong]

I've never had a problem with it, other than the 'bizarre spot' in the front stalls which makes the piano in a concerto sound crap.

Aaah
But those are the expensive seats specially designed for those with more money than sense (those who don't like the plebs sneaking in next to them after the interval)

[Nick Armstrong]

Aaah
But those are the expensive seats specially designed for those with more money than sense (those who don't like the plebs sneaking in next to them after the interval)

But there are other expensive seats where the sound is great!!!!

[jean]

I report regularly from both the Hallé and BBC Philharmonic concerts at the Bridgewater and I'd be very hard pressed to choose between the orchestras as both are excellent and have the benefit of inspiring music directors, as do the nearby Liverpool Philharmonic.

Indeed!

We were perhaps unlucky in that when the last round of new concert halls was being distributed, we already had the Philharmonic with excellent acoustics, but rather small and with poor backstage facilities and little parking (not that that should matter - people in the provinces ought to get used to travelling by public transport, as they do in London).

The inspiring music director really wanted a new hall, and I was afraid he might leave if we didn't give him one. But he didn't.

[Alison]

I'd like a new hall in the City, would welcome Sir Simon for several concerts each season but would rather see someone like Petrenko or Ticciati take over at the LSO! Not a very likely combination ...

Rattle would make an excellent music director at Covent Garden, not that there's a vacancy!