queen hall hall edinburgh queen hall edinburgh queen hall concert hall london opened designed architect room audience people london principal concert venue home concerts founded hall cramped seating superb known musical centre british empire leading musicians late 19th early 20th century performed including 1930s hall main london base new raised standards orchestral playing london new heights hall resident orchestra founded eclipsed disbanded new attracted generation musicians europe united_states including second world war building destroyed bomb london blitz despite lobbying hall rebuilt government decided main musical functions taken new royal festival hall general concert season background site hall built bounded present day riding house street land bought crown development regent street building hall site occupied site negotiated building agreement crown providing clearing site erection new concert hall new building intended victoria concert hall queen concert hall finally chosen queen hall decided shortly hall opened historian speculates alternative victoria concert hall abandoned liable confusion formal new hall provide needed music venue centre london south small safety problems poorly unpleasant capacity music critic commented old round hall prince hall james hall warmly welcomed new building construction commissioned architect design new hall floor plan previously prepared designed hall floor area square feet audience capacity contemporary newspapers commented unusual elevation building grand tier street level stalls arena exterior carving son harrison lighting combination gas electricity original consisted grey walls venetian red seating large red suspended orchestra heads mirrors surrounding arena portraits leading composers sides platform intended colour belly london mouse said kept string dead mice paint shop order ensure correct tone arena seating brownish carpet blended dull colour walls arched ceiling elaborate painting described ceiling queen hall gesture clad centre arena fountain containing according conductor sir minutes fascinating young female fell fountain rescued happened thirty times night foreigners came parts europe building adjoining queen small hall seating chamber music concerts small scale presentations july described cigar shaped windows ceiling reminiscent ship saloon comfortable small concert rooms hall provided modern facilities open frontage carriages parking room press room public spaces bars time subsequently hall celebrated superb large hall london soon opening praised happy success followed example earlier buildings noted fine walls auditorium lined wood fixed clear walls thick coarse canvas stretched wood sealed decorated calculated surface wooden lining like body violin observer commented building resembled violin construction shape ground plan orchestra founded bell horn shortly opening appointed manager newman different careers bass concert agent rest career associated queen hall names hall manager synonymous early years queen hall opened doors november newman gave children party afternoon evening invited guests attended describes sort private view popular selections played songs piano organ solos performed known musicians performances seats arena removed lavish served guests danced november smoking concert given prince alfred second son queen_victoria patron leader performance attended duke built royal box grand circle prince alfred told newman brother sit newman demolished royal party seated stalls pictured right programme consisted orchestral works sullivan solos official opening hall took place december conducted sung choir voices assembled short notice newman hymn praise followed second programme performance emperor autumn hall adopted venue annual winter season concerts held james hall concert queen hall conducted performance received repeated popular acclaim concert season saint conducted performances works society remained queen hall concerts fill hall heat late summer period london audiences tended stay away theatres concert halls newman planned run week season concerts low priced tickets attract wider audience main season costs needed kept newman decided engage star conductor invited young little known conduct season seasons concerts london sullivan concerts 1870s particularly successful offered audiences usual light music introduced major classical works normally restricted expensive concerts presented newman aimed going run nightly concerts train public easy stages popular gradually raising standard created public classical modern music newman determination concerts attractive led permit smoking concerts formally prohibited available parts hall concerts intervals prices fifth charged classical concerts standing area balcony shillings grand circle reserved seats shillings newman needed find financial backing season wealthy ear nose throat specialist offered sponsor conditions wood conduct concert pitch orchestral instruments lowered european standard normal concert pitch england nearly higher continent regarded damaging singers voices wood singing teacher conductor agreed brass players queen hall orchestra unwilling buy new low pitched instruments imported set belgium lent players season players recognised low pitch permanently adopted bought instruments august queen hall concerts took place opened wagner rest programme comprised words historian blatant newman wood gradually balance light music mainstream classical works days opening concert excerpts wagner operas performed presented season italian fourth included violin piano season including london pieces newman wood soon felt able devote monday night season principally wagner friday night pattern endured decades presentations events presented newman hall frequently let organisations later hall wide range activities including balls military band concerts lectures public meetings morris dancing religious services january public film presented queen hall members wives maker fellow society acres colleague improved version early newman continued interested new music hall entertainer persuaded variety performances queen small hall january shows received times commented vogue classes great permanent patrons despite activities public mind queen hall quickly chiefly associated concerts newman careful balance known prestigious expensive concerts rest year foster careers promising artists successful seasons given contracts main concert series billed run budgets series newman willing pay large fees attract famous musicians included expensive jan included composers performed works hall years sullivan early 20th century newman hall manager following year investment theatrical presentations declared bankrupt music publisher took lease building retaining newman manager queen hall orchestra concerts rescued musical sir banker german origin necessary funds encouraged newman wood continue project musical education main seasons newman remained manager hall manager concerts died standard orchestral playing london adversely affected deputy system orchestral players offered better paid engagement send substitute rehearsal concert treasurer described want signs play concert sends don mind rehearsal knowledge consent sends second rehearsal able play concert sends paid shillings stay away members highly paid wood recalled memoirs rank file orchestra received week concerts rehearsals guinea symphony concert rehearsal half guinea sunday afternoon evening concerts rehearsal offered hoc engagements better pay players took advantage deputy system newman determined end rehearsal wood faced sea entirely unfamiliar faces orchestra newman came platform announce gentlemen future deputies good morning players resigned formed orchestra newman attempt bar new orchestra queen hall concert given june conducted 20th century queen hall regarded london premier concert hall acknowledged musical centre empire interior lack leg room seating attracted criticism said placing seats apparently account taken average length lower limbs appeared understanding legs left room apiece expensive difficulties room arrangements perfect promised seats room year seating capacity hall reduced war intervened question addressed world war post war outbreak world war newman wood obliged consider immediate future concert giving queen hall discussed continue planned agreed ahead months anti german feeling forced leave country seek refuge campaign ban german music concerts newman statement declaring german music played planned greatest examples music art world possessions hour left britain took financial responsibility queen hall concerts resident orchestra renamed concerts continued war years fewer major new works british pieces historian wrote concerts timed coincide clear air raids falling bombs anti aircraft fire threatening wood kept things end real play morale hall hit german air raids escaped minor damage member wood choir later recalled hit middle concert crash cracking sound shower plaster began fall roof packed bit rush centre hall moment orchestra disappeared seats sir roof wielding concert allowed leave hall orchestra returned platform struck soon dancing floor enjoying experience released till war queen hall operated years wood called somewhat blue green new new performers appeared including solomon 1920s hall proponents opponents broadcasting head effective proprietor queen hall broadcasting music recently established bbc decreed artist worked bbc allowed perform queen hall performers dilemma wished appear air right appear britain important musical venue hall temporarily unable attract finest performers day middle newman health failed died november brief illness wood wrote feared come engaged extra player having discussed newman assistant took manager orchestra concerts crucial point withdrew financial support lengthy negotiations bbc took sponsor saved hall continued play host celebrity concerts rest 1920s promoted bbc hitherto range choral societies owned title new queen hall orchestra resident orchestra change known sir years conductor gave concerts queen hall later concerts orchestra obvious comparatively poor standards london bbc sir ambitions bring london orchestral standards berlin early attempt operation bbc went separate ways bbc established founded debuts concerts queen hall bbc orchestra gave concert october conducted programme music wagner reviews new orchestra enthusiastic times commented superb conducting commented intended class orchestra idle spoke playing debut october conducted item audience went wild standing seats shout years orchestra appeared nearly times queen hall role old resident orchestra members engaged bbc disbanded orchestral standards unprecedented excellence eminent musicians europe eager perform queen hall guest hall 1930s composer included recordings hall period reissued second world war outbreak second world war september bbc immediately effect plans broadcasting away london places thought risk bombing musical department including moved bristol bbc withdrew players financial support wood determined season ahead private entrepreneur agreed week season engaged concerts continued air raids audiences stayed hall early morning musical continuing concerts finished season curtailed weeks intense bombing forced queen hall close given september december doors windows hall blown blast temporary repairs concerts continued damage april repairs quickly hall opened days afternoon concert hall conducted concert given hall comprised view times performances real distinction night intensive air raid chamber house_of_commons buildings destroyed seriously damaged single bomb hit queen hall auditorium completely fire hope replacement building ruin rubble lost thousands pounds worth instruments remained intact site bronze bust wood retrieved debris concerts continued london royal albert hall venues relocated albert hall remains principal venue royal festival hall opened succeeded queen hall main london venue symphony concerts government set committee chaired sir members examine rebuilding hall committee reported musical grounds interest general cultural life community desirable replace hall doubtful potential demand enable run seriously audiences halls existence london second hall large symphony concerts site queen hall redeveloped occupied wrote queen hall everybody heard concerts hall speaks spoke warmly atmosphere accounts perfect rebuilt war plans committees start fundraising campaign wasn london symphonic concert hall comes remotely close perfection site marked commemorative plaque unveiled november sir chief conductor
Queen's Hall