The Well-Tempered Ear
Classical music: It’s time to celebrate Carnegie Hall turning 120 and to remember Tchaikovsky’s close ties and tell about our own experiences at Carnegie Hall. | October 9, 2011
By Jacob Stockinger
No matter where you go in the world, the gold standard for great achievement in the world of classical music is always the same: Carnegie Hall. It is where newcomers make their BIG public debut and where tried-and-true veterans reaffirm their talent and, like pianist Vladimir Horowitz, make major comebacks.
The famous New York City concert hall opened in 1891 (below). Since then it has been saved and refurbished and added to and re-engineered. And still it is Numero Uno.
The Russian composer Tchaikovsky (below) came over to help open the hall with his own music, and the current celebrations of the hall will feature that tuneful and beloved composer in a big way.
Here is a great story from NPR about the hall, all 120 years and many thousands of performances, and its anniversary celebrations, including a new mobile app for Carnegie (a link is below):
http://www.carnegiehall.org/About-the-Music/120th-Anniversary-Mobile-App/
I hope you enjoy the story. And let’s all forgive ourselves for the envy we feel for those music-lovers who get to Carnegie Hall often today – both to perform and to listen to the performers! (Below is an interior photo shot from Carnegie Hall’s main stage in the Isaac Stern Auditorium.)
Have you ever been to a concert in Carnegie Hall?
What made it memorable for you?
Do you know of a better concert hall in the US or the world?
The Ear wants to hear.
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The Well-Tempered Ear 
I had three memorable experiences at Carnegie Hall. The first was in the spring of 1963, when the Albion College concert choir sang in New York. I saw there was a midnight performance at Carnegie Hall by Manitas de Plata, the flamenco guitarist, and attended it with a friend. It was my introduction to the special riches of that city.
The second was a benefit concert for Tibet in about 1993. There were Tibetan monks on stage singing and playing their long horns. Really special: Paul Simon played piano while Allen Ginsberg recited his poem “Wichita Vortex Sutra.”
The third experience was a few years ago when I actually got to sing on the stage, back row center, in a performance of the Faure Requiem and some Brahms by the Albion choir, joined by with choral alumni and orchestra. Unforgettable.
Comment by Ron McCrea — October 10, 2011 @ 3:28 pm