Symphony Hall Research Articles

Philharmonic (concert) hall as a component of the infrastructure of musical life

Relevance of the study. The study of the infrastructure of musical life is a very important part of modern historical musicology. In this essay, I summarized information about philharmonic (concert) halls. These locations are the basic components of the musical life infrastructure.
 The purpose of the study. The main goal of the research is to reveal the fundamental differences between the philharmonic hall and the opera house (at the stage of its formation), the ways of evolution and the factors that led to the transformation of the philharmonic (concert) hall in our time. The goal defined in this way determines a set of local tasks, the solution of which will allow it to be achieved. This is, in particular, a parametric, morphological and functional comparison of the philharmonic and opera halls; determination of the direction and dynamics of the object's evolution until the moment of stabilization; historical and cultural factors that influenced the change in the configuration and functioning of the hall in the second half of the 20th - the first decades of the 21st century. Research methods are determined by the set goal and tasks and include both a quantitative approach (for parametric characterization of objects) and comparative and historical-cultural types of analysis.
 The results and conclusions. Appearing a century later than publicly accessible opera houses, a philharmonic became a stage of stabilization of the new European intonation concept. Belonging to the enterprises of the artistic sphere, it was influenced by the processes of democratization caused by the revolutionary movements of the 19th century. Experiments with increasing the size of the hall made it possible to draw a conclusion about the parametric limitations caused by the anthropocentrism of the new European culture. In the last third of the 19th century, a set of requirements for the philharmonic was formed, which were embodied in the halls of Vienna, Leipzig, Amsterdam, New York and Boston. In the 20th-21st centuries, due to the spread of non-academic intonation practices and the appearance of sound-amplifying equipment, a philharmonic hall underwent significant transformations, in particular, a sharp increase in size. At the same time, the desire to preserve the very phenomenon of an acoustic concert caused the appearance of halls of a new configuration, not a traditional "shoe box", but a "vineyard". Therefore, the ways of development of concert halls in our time are characterized by adaptation to market conditions and reflect two diametrically opposite trends: orientation either to enterprises in the artistic sphere or to creative industries.

Modern instrumental and orchestral art of the Bukovyna region

Statement of the problem. The modern instrumental and orchestral art of Bukovyna, which has deep historical roots dating back to Proto-Slavic times, stands out for its bright originality. The creation of a musical-instrumental collective involves the search for a creative personality with the appropriate professional level, musical and organizational and communication skills, and the ability to communicate tolerantly with all members of the ensemble. That is why there is a need to highlight the artistic activities of both the instrumental groups themselves and their leaders. Because it is thanks to their creative restlessness that today Bukovyna is proud of a significant number of highly professional ensembles and orchestras of instrumental music. Objectives, scientific novelty, and methods of the research. The purpose of the study is to highlight the process of developing the instrumental collectives, whose activities contributed to the shaping of the modern Bukovyna musical culture. The special task of the research and its innovative component is to consider the role of outstanding figures of the leaders of these collectives in the cultural development of Bukovina. Historical, biographical, musicological and cultural approaches were chosen to reveal the stated topic, analytical and generalizing methods were used in the processing of reference sources and scientific literature. Results of the research. Bukovyna is historically multinational region, where the Ukrainian, in particular Hutsul, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian influences is felt. So, the creative activity and repertoire of the folk groups and academic instrumental ensembles are very diverse. The music art of instrumental ensembles has been always gaining interest and respect from the listeners, due to its distinguished professionalism and ease of perception. The artistic and educational activities of such instrumental ensembles as «Triple musicians», «Plai», Chamber and Academic Symphonic orchestra of the Chernivtsi Regional Philharmonic hall, folk music ensemble «Bukovyna» and the Brass Orchestra «Dixie-Band» of the Central Palace of Culture, the orchestra group of the Honoured Academic Bukovynyan song and dance ensemble named after A. Kushnirenko was highlighted. The active educational position of the leaders of these groups as an outstanding extraordinary personalities, their importance in the formation and development of cultural and educational processes in Bukovyna, popularization of the folk music of the Bukovyna region were emphasized. Such leaders are: People’s Artists of Ukraine – Andrii Kushnirenko, Yurii Gina, Pavlo Chebotov; Honored Artists of Ukraine – Mykola Hakman, Yuriy Bleshchuk, Yevhen Tarnavskyi, Oleksandr Zhukov; Honored Art Workers of Ukraine – Viktor Kostryzh, Yosyp Sozanskyi; Honored Cultural Workers of Ukraine – Illia Miskyi, Heorhii Novakovskyi. A significant number of famous vocalists from Bukovyna have worked with the orchestras at different times, such as Honoured Artists of Ukraine Mariia Melnychuk, Nina Kapliienko, Vasyl Pyndyk, Oksana Savchuk, Iryna Styts-Kulikovska, Honoured Worker of Culture of Ukraine Vasyl Fedoriuk, a poet-songwriter Mykola Bakai and others. Instrumental ensembles are regular participants of regional art festivals “Bukovynska vesna” (“Bukovyna Spring”), “Vizerunky Bukovyny” (“Patterns of Bukovyna”), “Bukovynski zustritchi” (“Bukovyna meetings”), “Chervona Ruta” (“Red rue”), “Bukovyna Suvenir”, and others. In the best traditions of brass music, brass band marches and brass concerts are constantly held in Chernivtsi, which turn into real festivals of folk music art. Conclusion. In this context, we consider the active concerts and competition activities of these groups to be important, because the instrumental art of the Bukovyna musicians are known far beyond the borders of Ukraine. The orchestras are multiple time participants of AllUkrainian and International competitions, and showcased their art to the audience of Europe, Canada, Australia and other parts of the world contributing in the constant growth of authority and world recognition of Ukrainian music.

Chamber music hall acoustics: Measurements and perceptual differences.

This study investigates the room acoustics of seven chamber music halls of various modern and historical architecture by means of objective room acoustic measures and a subjective listening experiment. The acoustic measurements were performed with heavy cloth covering the audience areas to simulate occupancy in the halls. A loudspeaker quartet was used for auralizations, which were reproduced in a surrounding loudspeaker array. The perceptual differences between the halls were evaluated in terms of envelopment, warmth, clarity, proximity, and preference by using a paired comparison paradigm. The subjective evaluations were conducted in two different laboratories and latent class analysis was used to study the agreement between laboratories and the emergence of different listener groups in the ratings of each attribute. Concerning preference, the emergence of two groups found in the study of large symphony halls was confirmed, where one group prefers rich, enveloping sound and one group prefers high clarity. The perceptual ratings were not clearly associated with a specific hall shape, but rather depended on the distribution of early and late sound energy. Thus, the distinction between rectangular and non-rectangular floor plans previously found for large symphony halls was not observed with these smaller halls.

The Extraordinary Life and Work of Arata Isozaki (1931–2022): Seven Decades of Visionary Architecture

In December 2022, the Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect, Arata Isozaki, passed away at his home in Okinawa, aged 91. Known as a theorist as well as a practitioner, Isozaki leaves behind a seven-decade career in architecture, with more than 300 designs and 100 built structures on five continents. This article analyzes the extraordinary life and work of the Japanese grandmaster and presents a portrait of his innovative urban design concepts and buildings. Despite its diversity, the author suggests that his oeuvre can be categorized into four distinctly different phases, exemplifying how Isozaki constantly reinvented and challenged himself. Isozaki combined Eastern and Western philosophies like no other architect before him and had a significant influence on Chinese architecture. He also practiced in China, where he had an office in Shanghai (since 2000) and realized a series of important buildings, including the Shenzhen Cultural Center and Library, the Museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, and the Shanghai Symphony Hall. The author is a former collaborator and project partner of Isozaki during the 1990s, and draws from close knowledge, first-hand observations, and conversations to comment the most relevant projects and adds background information. Isozaki’s work was concerned with formal and intellectual expressions; it is complex and highly personal in its interdisciplinary approach and absorption of a wide range of influences. For Isozaki, architecture was predominantly a cultural practice. Given that Isozaki has recently passed away and his oeuvre is now closed, the changed circumstances ask for a renewed focus and deeper interpretation of his remarkable, unusual legacy. He created original ideas, formal innovations, and versatile concepts for spaces that defy characterization as belonging to any single tendency or school of thought.

Concert hall reputations versus reality over time, for better or worse?

The acoustical reputations of many concert halls provide a curious study of human nature as illuminating as their acoustical attributes. This paper reveals how the reputations of 7 prominent halls that opened between 1880 and 1973 have morphed and offers conjecture as to the reasons. Discussed briefly, are Troy Music Hall (1875), Carnegie Hall (1891), Boston Symphony Hall (1900), Philharmonic Hall (1962), and Phoenix Symphony Hall (1973) among others. Each has undergone renovations and met with varying public reaction.

Undersized music ensemble rooms: Challenges and case study design approaches

Music ensemble rooms require sufficient volume to develop adequate and appropriate reverberation, facilitate ensemble balance, and avoid excess loudness. Typical design practice begins with establishing minimum volume requirements based on expected ensemble sizes and types. When faced with inadequate room volume (e.g., due to existing building limitations, or otherwise), creative design solutions must be employed to achieve the best possible hearing conditions—and to avoid excess loudness in particular, which can be an occupational hazard for musicians. Case studies will illustrate a variety of design approaches: adding volume to existing spaces at the Crane School of Music (SUNY Potsdam), electronic reverberation enhancement (also at Crane), adding absorptive materials to an existing space and master-planning for larger spaces at Arkansas Tech, creative diffusive and absorptive material for the chorus rehearsal room at Boston Symphony Hall, and programming work to match ensembles to the most appropriate rooms available at a variety of educational institutions.

The icon as a collaborative performance: non-standard solutions, invisible work and networks of trust in the construction of the Elbe Philharmonic Hall, Hamburg

PurposeThe main goal of this paper is to shift the focus from the symbolic and aesthetic features of iconic projects to the complex process of their actual materialisation. Hereby, the authors conceptualise iconic projects as the “collaborative performance” of a wide range of built environment professionals. The authors seek to unravel the complexity of organisational action, professional practices, knowledge and expertise, and the inter-firm networks required for the creation of iconic architecture.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis is based on an in-depth case study of the Elbe Philharmonic Hall, Hamburg's new icon. This included 26 semi-structured interviews with a broad range of interview partners, which were conducted by an interdisciplinary team.FindingsBesides by spectacular architectural design, iconic buildings are characterised by the meticulous execution of even the smallest details as well as of more hidden building elements unlikely to be seen by the public. Execution is usually contingent on the specific building processes and construction practices and requires the continuous engagement of project architects, as well as trusting collaborations with their partners in the construction industry. Yet the making of iconic projects is challenging and (financially) risky, and the interfaces between project partners cannot be easily translated into contractual agreements, which potentially compromises the collaboration between architects and construction firms.Originality/valueThis paper advances a cross-sectoral view on professional practices by providing in-depth insight into the work of less prominent project architects and their partners in the construction industry. This paper hereby bridges design and construction practices and provides a more holistic understanding of how iconic projects are constructed on the ground.

Exploring Sonic Meaning and Embodiment in Human Cultural Transmission From a Pedagogical Perspective

The authors explore how sonic materials, specifically everyday sounds and songs, create and communicate personal, sociocultural, and ecological meanings. From the lulling passages of a pastoral movement streaming through a symphony hall to the rollicking screams at stadium concerts to the roaring rhetoric and social distortions of divisive political-speak, sound and music signal frequencies and frictions at play in the human experience. Literacies are cultivated, sounds embodied, and ways of sensing, knowing, and being in the world are sonically communicated and established. What happens when sounds encountered in one’s everyday experience are excavated, sampled, and remixed?. What new meanings may be derived? What old meanings might be challenged and reconstituted and reconstructed into new forms of knowing and being? What happens when songs or timeless tunes are analyzed and detangled from their ordinary meanings? How might listeners make the familiar strange and thus renew knowings? And what does any of this mean for the flux and firmness of human cultures in motion?

The role of E. Mravinsky in the triumph of Shostakovich’s Symphony No 5

The author reconsiders the interpretation of the concept of Shostakovich’s Symphony No 5 based on the fact that the composition was created during Stalin’s Great Terror of the 1930s and after a harsh criticism of his compositions by the Communist Party and the USSR government in the early 1930s. During the creation of the Symphony No 5, the Soviet music experts defined its concept as a celebration of a “happy” life of Soviet people, However, in the author’s opinion, the symphony has another idea. The researcher notes that the triumph of the Symphony No 5 in the global culture had happened only owing to the director’s interpretation by Yevgeny Mravinsky during the premiere at Leningrad Philharmonic Hall on November 21, 1937, after which the Symphony was performed all over the world and became the gold standard of the Soviet music. Probably, Shostakovich intended to create an optimistic finale for the Symphony. But there are many examples when the composer’s goal doesn’t correspond with the final result. The author provides the conclusion that almost all music experts, who analyze this symphony, use abstract phrases: contrast themes, lyrical image, enemy, etc. But the only proven fact is that a “mechanistic” march is a heavy and ponderous advance of the power of a tyrant eliminating everything he wants based on the principle “who is not with us is against us”. This idea pierces into the Forth and later the Seventh Symphonies by Shostakovich. Today, the Symphony is still a music masterpiece and a part of the global music heritage, but the new socio-cultural interpretations of modern directors each time reveal the new faces of this composition.  

Intelligence-Based Design Illustrated with Examples of ACROS Fukuoka, KKL Luzern and MICA Changsha Buildings—A Multicriterial Case Study

The article concerns the issue of intelligence-based design, which, during the design process undertaken by architects, signifies (according to the authors of the article) thinking about perceptual involvement in the built environment, designing together with people and for people and not forgetting about conveniences brought by technological progress. The way to smart cities, in respect of architectural solutions, leads (to a significant extent) through the smart design of multifunctional buildings based on the idea of sustainable development. The article-related research involved multiple case studies including three buildings, i.e., Asian Cross Road Over the Sea (ACROS) in Fukuoka, Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Luzern (KKL) in Luzern and Changsha Meixihu International Contemporary Art Museum (MICA) in Changsha. The above-named buildings, located in different countries, i.e., Japan, Switzerland and China, respectively, and erected within various time spans, i.e., the 1990s–2020, are characterized by primary common features—multifunctionality, large cubature and comparable program elements. The research presented in this article aimed to find and present the elements of intelligence-based design in the buildings and perform their comparative analysis taking into consideration the fact that the buildings were erected within the span of 30 years. The article presents a graphic comparative analysis of the intelligence-based design, a multicriterial case study (encompassing the concept, functional and spatial solutions and structure) of selected architectural objects. The article includes also a graphic comparative analysis of the very objects and concert halls: Fukuoka Symphony Hall (ACROS), Salle Blanche (KKL) and Hunan Grand Theatre (MICA).

Pre-Sabine Room Acoustic Guidelines on Audience Rake, Stage Acoustics, and Dimension Ratios

Prior to Sabine’s work on the Fogg Art Museum and Boston Symphony Hall, several numerical guidelines had been developed and applied to the design of rooms with specific acoustic demands such as theatres, concert halls, and opera houses. Previous papers have discussed guidelines based on the following principles: voice directivity, which was employed in the design of at least 11 rooms; “echo theory”, which quantifies the perception threshold between direct sound and first order reflections in order to prevent echoes from occurring, aiding in the design of at least 7 rooms and leading to the first known use of an acoustic scale model; and notions of reverberation, which influenced the design of at least 14 rooms. This paper discusses three additional pre-Sabine numerical guidelines that were used in room acoustic design: (1) audience rake, (2) stage acoustics and proscenium design, and (3) length, width, and height ratios. The origin of these theories, as well as examples of rooms in which they were applied, are discussed and compared to current practices in room acoustic design.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Performs Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Performs Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet Issam Zineh (bio) Was it forbidding as much as it was foreboding?For those in the symphony hall tonight, what feltlike contemplation actually surrender? It began disharmoniously, and then, some of uscould see it coming on—that love could be a kindof abdication of responsibility. Harlem Phillips was 7 months old when she waspronounced dead on Christmas day. When she was brought in,we were told she fell off the couch. Autopsy showed her body showed signs of being shaken.At last check, there were 217 kids killed since we startedcounting. We have a database and our deaths are color-coded. □ shooting (crimson), □ stabbing (raven), □ blunt force (parakeet), □ asphyxiation (iris), □ other (lemon), □ unknown (white) There's one part where Romeo stabs Tybalt, where the tympanidrums are just beyond. We weren't sure whether to clap at the end.The percussionists would eventually get a standing ovation. Blunt force seems inadequate. On the other hand, bleedinginto the eyeballs, fractured baby arms and baby legs, damagedtissues that connect us, support us, a bloody brain, is a mouthful. Prokofiev was essentially an only child—his parents having losttwo daughters earlier. His mother was a serious amateurpianist, practiced hours every day. He wrote his first opera at 9 for his family to perform. What a sight that must have been.Come closer. Sit on the couch.The conductor, in her set up, talked about the many beautiful things [End Page 120] yet to be written in C major. That all Prokofiev ever wanted wasunconditional acceptance. That he needed to be seen. That he died onthe same day as Stalin, and so, not a single flower could be found for his funeral. What about the others,the unknowns? Imagine some death not knowable in knowable terms.On closer look, here, one of three children, drowned by their father in an area hotel room. Knowable. Did he do it simultaneouslyor did he take turns? Knowable. She talked about how C majoris like home for human beings. On the drive back we pass a billboard that reads "If you lived here, you'd be homeby now." The whole rest of the way, looking back, wonderingwhether we were the only ones who saw poison as a kind of privilege. [End Page 121] Issam Zineh Issam Zineh is the author of Unceded Land (forthcoming, Trio House Press), which was a finalist for the Trio Award, and the chapbook The Moment of Greatest Alienation (Ethel, 2021). His poems most recent poems appear or are forthcoming in AGNI, Tahoma Literary Review, Tinderbox, and elsewhere. Find him at issamzineh.com or on Twitter @izineh. Footnotes Poem Note: This poem hopes to memorialize Harlem Phillips who died from "shaken baby syndrome"/blunt force trauma (2019) and Anthony (6 years old), Austin (4 years old), and Athena Castillo (2 years old), who were drowned by their father in a Baltimore hotel room. Baltimore homicide statistics are at https://homicides.news.baltimoresun.com. Copyright © 2021 Pleiades and Pleiades Press

Acoustic optimization of curved architecture in practice: The new Strait Cultural Arts Center in Fuzhou

Curved surfaces are increasingly part of the architectural language used in buildings for the performing arts, yet have known challenges both in reality and in ray-tracing-based computer simulations. The designs of the 1000-seat symphony hall, the 1600-seat opera house and the 800-seat multi-purpose hall in Fuzhou, China, were all based on curved surfaces, both convex and concave, often covered with local ceramic tiles. Providing the right amount, distribution and quality of early reflections thus required a precise analysis of the acoustic behavior of curved surfaces. The acoustic design interacted with the architecture in precisely shaping those curves in 3D. In order to explore the acoustic potential and detect problems related to the architectural concept of both rooms, novel geometrical acoustics analysis algorithms were developed within NURBS modeling software rather than relying on commercial ray-tracing algorithms. Optimization of the curved surfaces is obtained when the output of these algorithms, the interpretation of the acoustic consultant, and the required integration of acoustic solutions within the global architectural concept are all aligned – a “meeting of minds” between acoustics and architecture. The analysis procedure and geometrical acoustics algorithms used will be presented in detail, as well as the related decision-making process, the acoustic predictions and the measurement results of the three built halls.

Simulated acoustic characteristics of stage displacements in a shoebox hall: A case study in Cultural Centre Concert Hall in Taipei

Since Berlin Philharmonic Hall opened in 1963, surround hall configuration has been preferred and used worldwide by architects for its dramatic visual appearance and the proximity to stage. However, according to Beranek’s study, the top three concert halls in the world that have the best acoustics are in shoebox shape. To study the acoustic characteristics of stage displacement in a shoebox hall is the objective of this study. A simplified wired-frame model of Cultural Centre Concert Hall in Taipei is used as an example in this study. It is a stunning performing-arts building as mentioned by Beranek. Its seating capacity is 2077 and it is a shoebox hall. Five different stage displacements along the central axis have been used. The original ceiling configuration is used and moved with each stage displacements. Fixed materials and the relevant absorption coefficients are used in the study as well. Acoustic parameters such as music clarity, lateral refraction, early decay time as well as reverberation time (T30) are simulated. The results showed that for the best proximity, as stage and stage ceiling are moved toward the centre of shoebox hall, the simulated T30 could be increased to approximately 1.7 seconds in 1000 Hz. To meet the original T30 design goal in 2.25 s at 1000 Hz, about 600 m2 of NRC 0.88 acoustic panel were used.

Matters of Place and Space in School-Based Performances of World Music

Christopher Small (1998) famously explored the role of the performance venue in framing the music experiences of audience members. While Small observed how audiences consume music in the classical symphony hall, we might also consider how performance venues frame global music experiences as well. In this article, I suggest that considering the space where music takes place can offer insights into the deeper social and cultural contexts of any given music practice. Specifically, music teachers can foster meaningful world music experiences by embracing the participatory or presentational nature of the music and seeking to reproduce these performance contexts as closely as possible. I explore ways that these ideas might play out among teachers who wish to maximize both the authenticity and integrity of their music performances, and I discuss strategies for music teachers to incorporate these suggestions into their own teaching.

Forum-Pre-Sabine room acoustic assumptions on reverberation and their influence on room acoustic design.

With his work on the Fogg Art Museum and Boston Symphony Hall between 1895 and 1900, Wallace C. Sabine laid a foundation for the field of architectural acoustics as a science. Prior to that, architects employed various quantifiable notions in acoustic design. Previous studies have reviewed metric guidelines based on the directivity of the human voice, which was utilized in at least 11 rooms in pre-Sabine times. Others studies have reviewed pre-Sabine design guidelines that were based on the quantification of the perception threshold between direct sound and first order reflections and which were followed in several rooms with acoustical performance needs. As the first studies concerned the direct sound and the second set concerned first order reflections, this study reviews opinions and knowledge regarding the later part of the acoustic response, also known as reverberation, during the 19th century. This effort brings to light a room acoustic design evolution showing why concert halls at the end of the 19th century mainly had surface finishes of wood and plaster as well as limited ceiling heights. While not equal to Sabine's thoroughness and completeness, numerous early experimental and theoretical reverberation approaches were found to hint at similar notions with both qualitative and quantitative efforts.

The Dudley Bus

The Dudley Bus Martha Collins (bio) cambridge 2019 Harvard Shirt Shop 1885 Tobaccowalkers cell phones tourists now the bus: a dozen preschool kidsboard we circle Harvard Yard turn and pass where I once lived samebuilding bar and into Central more people on the sidewalk here on and offthe bus MIT and over the river and up to Haviland Street where I once lived baron the corner then Dunkin' Donuts now later forgot to mention no mentioned deletedthe people in Harvard Square looked mostly white some Asian occasional Black deletedthe preschool kids looked white-Black-Asian— but maybe noticed more that day because I knewmy ride would end at the first place I'd ever been [End Page 15] where my friend and I were the onlypeople we saw who looked like us— boston 1967 Because we lived just off Mass. Ave., just overthe river, just past the bus stop, because we were youngand new to the city, because we'd had some drinks,we decided to see where Dudley Station wasand got on the bus and rode to the end of the route. And although when we got off the bus we sawno people who looked like us, we found a barand ordered drinks, and when a man politely askedto join us and asked us to come to a party, becausewe were young and new to the city, we said Yes. And because we were young and new, we lovedthe party—the soul food, music, dancing—and stayed till dawn when someone burst in and saida friend had been stabbed, and the party was over. boston 2019 up to Symphony Hall where we used to up to the Orange Line T a Pride flag donde trabajan the woman beside to the Dunkin' Donuts Dunkin' Donuts once run-down those townhouses now so Medical Center more people off and [End Page 16] soon I'm the only person who looks like Roca: Less Jail, More Future and we are there dudley 2019 got off the bus and walked a littlepast Dunkin' Donuts The SilverSlipper (could it have been here . . . ?)and found the Dudley Cafe since 2015 and ordered a bowl and looked aroundthree women Black with computersconferring two women chattingwho looked like me a dozen teenagedkids Black-white-Asian around one table Need a Printer? Use Ours Black TriviaTuesdays 8–10 and outside the windowbundles balanced on two women's headsa sheer dress an elegant hijab her goldsandals his orange sneakers and shades— boston 2019 Waiting for the return bus I'm again the onlyexcept for a pale woman disheveled uncombed— then a man not sober not young: Anyone botheryou Lady I'll take care— and I'm back on the bus and back at Haviland Street where one night a whiteman followed me home and a Black prostitute put an arm around me: Anyone bother you Honeywe'll take care— on the steps of that building [End Page 17] where Berklee College Professional Writingnow occupies the space where I lived in my young white skin— how well did Itake care how well do I take care of whom Note: In December 2019, the residents of Roxbury voted overwhelmingly to have the name of Dudley Square changed to Nubian Square. [End Page 18] Martha Collins Martha Collins's most recent book of poetry is Because What Else Could I Do (Pittsburgh). She has published nine earlier volumes of poetry, including Admit One: An American Scrapbook (Pittsburgh), White Papers (Pittsburgh), and Blue Front (Graywolf), as well as four volumes of co-translated Vietnamese poetry. Collins founded the Creative Writing Program at University of Massachusetts-Boston and taught Creative Writing at Oberlin College for ten years. Copyright © 2020 University of Nebraska Press

Developments in Concert Hall Acoustics in the 1960s: Theory and Practice

After the war, there was a general understanding of reverberation time (RT), including how to measure it and its significance, as well as its link to a state of diffusion. Reverberation refers to a property of late sound; there was an appreciation that early sound must be significant, but in what way? Research had begun in the 1950s using simulation systems in anechoic chambers, with the Haas effect of 1951 being the most prominent result. Thiele’s Deutlichkeit, or early energy fraction, was important from 1953 and indirectly found expression in Beranek’s initial time delay gap (ITDG) from 1962. The 1960s produced a possible explanation for RTs in halls being shorter than calculations predicted, the importance of early sound for the sense of reverberation (EDT), the nature of directional sensitivity, conditions for echo disturbance, and the importance of early lateral reflections. Much of the research in the 1960s laid the foundations for research investigating the relative importance of the various subjective effects for concert hall listening. Important concert halls built during the period include Philharmonic Hall, New York (1962); Fairfield Hall, Croydon, London (1962); the Philharmonie, Berlin (1963); and De Doelen Hall, Rotterdam (1966). The parallel-sided halls of the past were rarely copied, however, due to architectural fashion. These various halls will be discussed as they make a fascinating group.

Multi-family Buildings - Architectural Trends of the Last Three Decades in Poland

During last almost three decades’ architecture in Poland is developing in a very dynamic way, some Polish new projects became famous and have won international competitions (e.g. sport arenas in Warsaw, Gdansk, Art Garden in Cracow, Philharmonic Hall in Szczecin, Cultural Centre in Szczecin, Opera House in Bialystok, etc.). But in the transformation period in Poland we can find also many significant examples of housing architecture as well one family houses as multi-family (residential) buildings. In the article the author is taking the trial of synthetic analysis of the evolution of multi-family buildings architectural forms in Poland after 1989. Based on the analysis of a few hundred housing projects, the author identifies the main - in his opinion - trends of creating the forms mentioned above, ideas of design these buildings and elements of their architecture – the architectural game. The author used the following methods during the research - case studies analysis, made in the chronological way, which was predicted by collecting materials, identification of new concepts using the analysis of architectural composition of elevations and details. As the result of research they have been identified following trends and styles as the most important: creative pluralism, traditionalism, postmodernism, new modernism, architectural game of elevation details, concepts - “idea of the form”. These trends create a kind of evolution line corresponding chronological development. The research proved that the quality concepts of architecture of multi-family buildings in Poland in the mentioned period of time increased very much and now they represent high quality European level. Some of Polish housing projects realized during last 28 years became famous and have been marked in the history of Polish and European architecture. Presented in the article creative attitudes and projects are not the closed list, they will be developed and completed during next research.

ПРАЗДНИК МУЗЫКИ И СЛОВА В ФИЛАРМОНИИ

ПРАЗДНИК МУЗЫКИ И СЛОВА В ФИЛАРМОНИИ