
(2 Votes, average 5.00)
Vienna Musikverein

Vienna Musikverein [1]

If you were to take a straw poll among acoustic engineers to find the best concert hall in World, then the Musikverein would come pretty close to the top: it might even top the list. It’s one of four concert halls around the World that are commonly cited as sound exemplars, with extraordinary acoustics against which all new designs ‘should’ be compared. Like all good concert halls, the Musikverein provide reflections from the walls, floor, ceiling, etc. which enrich the orchestral sound. Without these reflections, the music would sound rather thin and distant.

Scientists have spent many decades trying to unlock the secrets of the hall, and perhaps the most important feature is its diminutive floor size. People are packed together in a way which wouldn’t be allowed in a new building because of modern fire regulations. This results in a very lively sound; the music reverberates and echoes for a long time, bouncing around the hall, creating sound that seems to envelope the listener. It’s ideally suited to the music of Brahms, Bruckner, and Mahler; these famous composers all had music premiered here.

Location and logistics

Website: Book a concert, or second best, go on a tour.

Sources and credits

  1. indigotimbre (c) some rights reserved