Post by Owen Y on Jun 6, 2019 14:06:54 GMT 12
One more report from the recent trip abroad, a highlight...
A few days to spare & with the help of Europe's high speed trains, I made it to Amsterdam to the famous Concertgebouw Hall to catch Yuja Wang on her 2019 tour.
Yuja Wang & Lithuanian conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla were touring with the Birmingham Synphony Orchestra & the main programme was Prokofiev's Piano Conc No.5 & Stravinsky's Firebird.
Yuja was stellar of course, but what struck me was the beautiful acoustics of the Concertgebouw. The reputation of this hall appears well deserved
Similar in interior form to Auckland's Town Hall, a classic 'shoebox' space, the Concertgebouw is not a lot bigger, similar in height & length (a touch longer?) but around 1/3 wider. The Concertgebouw also has curved stage-end wall corners.
Auckland's Town Hall sounds pretty good, but the Concertgebouw straight off, sounds strikingly better (of course). Wide bandwidth from strong, clear, bass through to brilliant sparkling highs. Warm & resonant but also individual instrumental clarity is beaut, effortless, clear.
This despite my seating up on the balcony side, half way down the hall (2nd pic below) - incidentally, Euro 82 per seat, but included were complimentary refreshment drinks beforehand & at intermission (something that Auckland Town Hall & NZ promoters could follow).
The only downside with this (late-booked) seating position was of course that the piano was a bit less clear, its lid projecting notes best out to the lower level seating.
A few days to spare & with the help of Europe's high speed trains, I made it to Amsterdam to the famous Concertgebouw Hall to catch Yuja Wang on her 2019 tour.
Yuja Wang & Lithuanian conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla were touring with the Birmingham Synphony Orchestra & the main programme was Prokofiev's Piano Conc No.5 & Stravinsky's Firebird.
Yuja was stellar of course, but what struck me was the beautiful acoustics of the Concertgebouw. The reputation of this hall appears well deserved
Similar in interior form to Auckland's Town Hall, a classic 'shoebox' space, the Concertgebouw is not a lot bigger, similar in height & length (a touch longer?) but around 1/3 wider. The Concertgebouw also has curved stage-end wall corners.
Auckland's Town Hall sounds pretty good, but the Concertgebouw straight off, sounds strikingly better (of course). Wide bandwidth from strong, clear, bass through to brilliant sparkling highs. Warm & resonant but also individual instrumental clarity is beaut, effortless, clear.
This despite my seating up on the balcony side, half way down the hall (2nd pic below) - incidentally, Euro 82 per seat, but included were complimentary refreshment drinks beforehand & at intermission (something that Auckland Town Hall & NZ promoters could follow).
The only downside with this (late-booked) seating position was of course that the piano was a bit less clear, its lid projecting notes best out to the lower level seating.
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