Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Top music Halls?

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Top music Halls?

Hi everyone! I am planning another trip to Europe, or possibly the Middle East. I am a music student and would like to spend some time while abroad going to both professional and student concerts. If anyone could be so kind as to mention some of the top music halls and universities in some of the larger cities in, for instance, Italy, Germany, England, France, Austria, etc...and also Istanbul, Turkey and Israel, I would be most grateful! :) As I still haven't made up my mind where I'm going, this will be kind of a free for all, and if you can think of any other music venues that I shouldn't miss out on, please mention those as well. I'm just trying to get a feeling for what's out there. Many thanks to everyone! Patricia

Even more UK halls and music schools Symphony Hall Birmingham http://www.necgroup.co.uk/symphony/ Bridgewater Hall Manchester http://www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk/ Chethams School of Music http://www.chethams.com/ Royal Northern College of Music http://www.rncm.ac.uk/ Philharmonic Hall Liverpool http://www.rlps.co.uk/hall/hall1.htm

There are loads of concert halls all over Europe. In London Barbican Centre Silk Street, EC2 (Area: City) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7638 8891/7638 4141 – for info. Tube: Barbican, Moorgate (tube/rail) Box office: Mon-Sat 0900 – 20.00 The Barbican is home to the London Symphony Orchestra, and the long-running Great Orchestras of the World series. It showcases some of the best ensembles from around the globe. Tere's also free music in the foyer, weekdays at 17.30 and weekends at lunchtime. London Coliseum St Martin's Lane, WC2 (Area: Covent Garden/Bloomsbury) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7632 8300 (Box Office) or +44 (0) 20 7379 1264 (credit card fax booking) Tube: Leicester Square, Charing Cross (tube/rail) Box office: Mon-Sat 10.00 – 20.00. The elegant and impressive Coliseum is the home of the English National Opera. Ticket prices are reasonable and all the works are sung in English. Royal Albert Hall Kensington Gore, SW7 (Area: Knightsbridge / South Kensington) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7589 8212 (Box Office) Tube: Gloucester Road, South Kensington (both, about a 15 minute walk away) Box office: Daily 09.00 – 21.00 This is London's most important concert hall venue. Apart from classical recitals, it hosts a wide range of events including rock and pop concerts and conferences. It's probably most famous for the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, better known as the Proms. This is one of the biggest music festivals in the world - running each year from July to September - and undoubtedly one of the best. Ensembles from the UK and elsewhere perform a wide selection of music, with something to appeal to almost every taste.

More London! South Bank Centre South Bank, Belvedere Road, SE1 (Area: South BanK) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7960 4242 - Box Office / +44 (0) 20 7633 0932 - recorded info Tube: Embankment / Waterloo (tube/rail) Box office: Daily 10.00 – 21.00 Built in the late 1950s this concrete complex, which looks drab and unappealing from the outside, is actually very pleasant inside and a very good venue for classical music. The Royal Festival Hall is the largest of the three auditoriums staging mainly symphony concerts and events at the more popular end of the spectrum. The Royal Philharmonic performs here, as well as many other world-class orchestras. Next door, the smaller Queen Elizabeth Hall is used for chamber recitals, semi-staged operas and the occasional theatrical event. The more intimate Purcell Room is used for small recitals. All the halls are comfortable and with its relaxed, friendly atmosphere and wonderful views across the river Thames, the South Bank Centre is well worth a visit. St James's Piccadilly, W1 (Area: West End) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7437 5053 (Box Office) Tube: Piccadilly Circus Box office: Mon - Fri 12.00 – 17.00 This unusual little Wren church not far from busy Piccadilly Circus has an interesting and varied programme of events. Apart from the daily lunchtime concerts given by young musicians, there's also a series of talks and lectures each month and occasional evening concerts. St John's Smith Square Smith Square, SW1 (Area: West End) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7222 1061 Tube: Westminster Box office: Mon - Fri 10.00 – 17.00 This converted church is just around the corner from the Houses of Parliament. The acoustics aren't ideal for large concerts and the seats are somewhat uncomfortable. However, for recitals and chamber concerts it's a very atmospheric place, with a great restaurant. The Monday lunchtime concerts (recorded for BBC Radio 3) are excellent value. St Martin-in-the-Fields Trafalgar Square, WC2 (Area: Covent Garden / Bloomsbury) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7930 0089/1862 Tube: Charing Cross (tube/rail) A haven of peace in Trafalgar Square with excellent lunchtime recitals (Mon, Tue, Fri) as well as evening concerts by candlelight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 19.30. Relaxing music, expertly played. The Café-in -the-Crypt is very good too. Wigmore Hall 36 Wigmore Street, W1 (Area: West End) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7935 2141 Tube: Bond Street Box office: opening times vary, call for information This very traditional venue produces concerts of a consistently high standard and, being recently refurbished, it's a very comfortable place to listen to music. The friendly staff and reasonable ticket prices also add to the Wigmore's appeal - well worth a visit.

In Paris, Ste. Chapelle is a a 1400's church inside the Palace of Justice fence. The acoustics are highly resonant and it makes string music sound like something you would not believe. In Vienna, Die Volksoper is a decent hall. The concert room at the Orangerie at Schönbrunn Castle is a bowling alley. The night we were there it was hot!! In Salzburg, I was disappointed in the concert room at Mirabell Palace known as the Marmorsaal. We heard the Voces Quartet from Romania. It was a great performance in a poor room. Seating was atrocious, it was hot, and the acoustics were less than idea. Plenty of American students around, however. As indicated up above London is full of them. Sweden has some great venues, too.

In London, the leading schools of music,with free concerts, are The Royal Academy of Music, near Baker Street The Royal College of Music, near South Kensington The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, near Barbican London concert halls are legion. Near Waterloo: Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room. The Barbican. Near Westminster, St Johns Smith Square. There is distinguished music and music teaching in Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh. If you can spare a few weeks in high summer you can join the music studies at Dartington Hall, where professionals and amateurs of a decent standard study together under leading teachers. Oxford offers similar weeks in Renaissance music, and in Poland Jaroslaw has a week on plainsong and other medieval music. Each of these has a website. I'm afraid I can't remember the detail for Paris, but have good memories. In Berlin leading concert halls are the Philharmonie and the Staatsteater near Unter den Linden. The school of music is at top level. In Vienna the leading halls are the Kleine Saal and the Grosse Saal in the building of the Musikverein. In Budapest the Vigado concert hall is very fine indeed, and the Liszt Academy of Music is not bad. In Prague main halls are the Rudolfinum and the Smetana Hall. The concert hall on Taksim Square in Istanbul is no special building, and the resident orchestra is no special orchestra. But in Turkey you'll surely want to hear Turkish music and gyspsy music ? Again, in Israel you can look for Synagogue music, Klezmer, and classical Arab music in Palestine. Thse are all beginning to matter in current "classical" composition. And even in London and Hungary I hope you'll keep an ear open for recitals by trios and ensembles. In seventeenth churches in the old City of London (that is, the Roman city area) they play such music well, at lunchtime. 1 to 20 December is a peak period for this. In western Hungary, near Sopron, lies Fertod, where Haydn worked, with a fine summer palace where they play him and his contemporaries weekly in summer. There's a good deal "out there". Please write if I can help further. Ben Haines, London [email protected]

You didn't mention Spain, but the Palace of Music in Barcelona is one of the most beautiful places we've ever been, and I've been told it's an excellent venue in terms of acoustics and the quality of the local and visiting artists.