The acoustic design of the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, and resolution of the hall’s early acoustical problems

Abstract

From the outset, acoustical considerations were a driving force in the design of the Concertgebouw. Several halls were used as acoustical models, including the Tonhalle in Düsseldorf, the Leipzig Gewandhaus, and the concert room of the Felx Meritus Society in Amsterdam. When the Concertgebouw opened in 1888, however, it had acoustical problems: the newly formed orchestra struggled with the hall’s long reverberation time, and balance between brass and strings was difficult. Various remedies were tried, including potted plants to ‘‘soak up’’ the sound. The installation of the organ in 1891 was thought by some to make the acoustics worse. Between 1895 and 1900 the problems were gradually resolved. Orchestral balance was improved in 1899 when the orchestra platform was rebuilt to reduce the steepness of the risers. Other factors included the approach of the new conductor, Willem Mengelberg, improved performance standards, and the arrival of the late Romantics, particularly Tchaikovsky, in the repertoire. Happily this coincided with improved transportation that enabled newly enthusiastic audiences to fill the hall. The paper uses plans, photographs and other historical evidence to explore the intent of the acoustic design of the Concertgebouw, and its transformation from near failure to musical and acoustical success.