Larry

I, too, recommend the Piazza San Marcos in Venice. Each evening there are three diffrent bands, playing three different styles of music alternately in a way like a battle of the bands. Very relaxing.

Maestro, Please

I loved hearing “The Four Seasons” in Venice’s San Rocco surrounded by all those Tintorettos. And Orsanmichele in Florence has incredible acoustics, great chamber music, and very modest prices.

clairobscur

Amongst many others churches, there are
a lot of concerts in St-Germain des Pres
church, in Paris, and the acoustic is good, IMHO. Just check the advertisement hoarding at the entrance for the next concerts.

St-Eustache church, near les Halles, is also well known for concerts (there are also organ's concerts on a regular basis, there), but I've been so dissapointed by the acoustics the first time I went there that I never came back. However, a lot of people seems to think the acoustics are excellent, so...

Ardis

So interesting how diverse these responses are. I personally thought the concert at the St. Chapele in Paris to be so "touristic". Granted the stained glass windows are magnificent, but, the music, so ordinaire.
And, how someone called Westminster "touristy" and Rex says it is for serious "worshippers" only. I found it the same as Rex, and it was definetly NOT "touristy".
Then, there is St. Martin's in the Field, it is so hard to believe that they put out mediocre performances when they have a recordings that are world renowned.
It is all in the "ear" of the beholder?

clairobscur

Ardis :

It's probably also in the "ear" of the beholder, but mainly it depends on the musicians, IMO. Perhaps there's sometimes excellent orchestras in the St-Chapelle and sometimes poor one.

I never went to the Ste Chapelle for a concert(I know...I should) but I remember that friends of mine praised a concert they attend to in St-Louis en l'Ile church (close to Berthillon, by the way). So, some time later I went there to listen to Bach's two violins concerto. Saying that the musicians were very poor would be a compliment. I still wonder why people had to pay for that.

I suspect you must be careful when choosing a concert, whatever could be the location (though perhaps in some places they pay more attention to the quality of the musicians/singers...but I don't know where).

Melinda

I once walked into the Pantheon in Rome at 4 p.m. just as Schubert's Ave Maria was beginning. It was being sung by a soprano-don't know whether it was a recording or what or whether it is a regular occurance, but it was so beautiful and moving I still get chills about it 30 years later.

jhm

I feel bad, but now I am supercynical and wondering if this is research for a magazine article (T&L? Conde Nast?). So prove me wrong, Music Man. Where are you headed, that you want to discover great European musical venues? I won't see a magazine article using other people's "discoveries" without credit, will I? Sorry to feel puckish.

Tammy

Here's additional votes in favor of Evensong at Westminster Abbey, St. Martins in the Field (only caught the rehearsal), and Ste Chapelle (make sure and go during the day also). And for something unexpected, you might be lucky enough to stumble upon wonderful musicians in the Paris metro. Not all are great, but every so often you hear something magical, or at least I did on my trip to Paris in January.

MusicMan

Jim:

No, I’m no magazine travel writer. Or travel agent. Just a fellow who likes to ask what I hope are interesting questions. I also asked a few hours ago where people would like to have their ashes scattered. And a week or so ago I asked people what they put in their travel journals. You get a fascinating range of responses.

I work at home and occasionally take a break by taking a peek at the forum and sometimes contributing.

jhm

I humbly ask your pardon.

KT

The Academy of St. Martin's in the Fields (the orchestra) is a touring orchestra, although I believe it originated at the church many years ago and has played there sometimes since then. They are not the musicians who play the usual round of concerts at the church which are, as Ben Haines pointed out, notoriously mediocre. That explains the seeming anomaly.