Would it surprise you that two concert halls share the same size and shape but one hall is loved and the other is not? Or would you find it odd to learn that an American banker was responsible for the acoustics of the much loved hall in Boston?
This video looks at the physics behind the acoustics of Musikvereinssaal, Vienna; Boston Symphony Hall; Tonhallesaal, Zurich; Gewandhaus, Leipzig; Queens Hall, London; Town Hall, Birmingham; Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary; Philharmonie, Berlin; Concertgebouw, Amsterdam; and the Royal Festival Hall, London.
It dives deep into why reverberation time misses a significant part of the acoustic experience that makes performers and concert-goers fall in love with a space, and the role that binaural hearing plays in our experience of the music. It also looks at how sightlines play a significant role in the acoustic signature in a hall—and not in the way you might expect. With clear animations and overlays, world-renown acoustic designer, Nicholas Edwards, puts a complicated science in layman’s terms so that viewers can see the difference in the experience of orchestral music in some of the most loved concert halls on the planet.
