Acoustical history Symphony Center

orchestra hall @ symphony center in chicago awaiting ricardo muti on opening evening of 2017-18 season.

sub-optimal acoustics within orchestra hall have been ongoing concern throughout history, , have been adjusted in major overhauls of main hall in both 1960s , part of symphony center transformation between 1995 , 1997.

critical reaction 1995-97 acoustical revamp largely successful, though room further improvement, particularly in upper registers. reviews @ time noted ...[the hall] sounded altogether new, depth , spaciousness never before heard here. ... low strings, especially, had new warmth , solidity, , whole bass , baritonal range of orchestra provided firmer basis , mellower foil sound above it, has been brash , brilliant. ... not perfect. high frequencies can still sound glassy, , high strings have not yet benefited as brethren. [supervising acoustician r. lawrence kirkegaard] had begun work on problem after private concert on tuesday evening , continues so. , orchestra has mellow bass sound didn t exist before. bass drums, source of loud, dry thwacks, have new resonance , texture. violins have richer color. , , s fair orchestra hall is, overall, vastly improved. reverberation time, nonexistent before, lengthened. strings, particularly in lower ranges, far more audible once case, , of instruments resound far more bloom, warmth, , brilliance. sound deal better in other traditional trouble spot, main floor beneath balcony overhang, superb in lower balcony , altogether glorious in gallery. .

in review of piano recital, not orchestral concert, chicago tribune music critic john von rhein wrote ...everything registered impact of old hall, better. there more warmth, more space, around keyboard. similar reports came listeners in gallery. . however, same critic noted shortly after renovation of now, low end has been dramatically enhanced, perhaps so. lower strings , lower brass going have modify sound output new sensitivities of acoustics. in many ways, then, orchestra hall work in progress. coming weeks , months require adjustments players , audience members alike. lawrence kirkegaard ... said , associates intensively involved in minor adjustments last week , continue tinker sound sporadically throughout season. , , years after transformation, critics @ chicago tribune newspaper expressed dissatisfaction orchestra hall acoustics.