Musikverein

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Musikverein, 2004

Wiener Musikverein, English: "Viennese Music Association"), commonly just quoted The Musikverein, has a twofold meaning: it is the name of its famous Vienna Konzerthaus concert hall, as well as the short name for the music society, Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde [Society of Music Lovers] which owns the building.

This building is located on Dumbastraße behind the Imperial Hotel, between Bösendorferstraße and Karlsplatz. However, because Bösendorferstraße is so small a street, the building is better known as being between Karlsplatz and Kärntner Ring (part of Ringstraße loop). The back of the building faces Canovagasse [Canova lane].

The concert hall was built by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, on a piece of land given by Emperor Franz Joseph, and it was opened on January 6, 1870. A historic organ was installed in it by the Austrian firm Rieger, in 1907. The Musikverein is famous for its acoustics and is considered to be one of the three finest concert halls in the world, along with Boston's Symphony Hall and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw.^{[citation needed]} It is the home to the Vienna Philharmonic.

The Musikverein at night, January 2005

Goldener Saal

The Große Musikvereinssaal, or Goldene Saal (Golden Hall), is forty-eight metres long, nineteen metres wide, and eighteen metres high. It has 1,744 seats and standing room for 300. Every year, the Vienna New Year's Concert is held here.

Since 2001, the building has been undergoing renovation, and several new rehearsal and concert halls have been installed.

Concert Hall	Size	Height	Seats
Großer Musikvereinssaal (Goldener Saal)	48,8 x 19,1 m	17,75 m	1744 seats and ca. 300 for standing
Brahmssaal	32,5 x 10,3 m	11 m	600 seats
Gläserner Saal/Magna Auditorium	22 x 12,5 m	8 m	380 seats
Metallener Saal	10,5 x 10,8 m	3,2 m	70 seats
Steinerner Saal/Host Haschek Auditorium	13 x ~8,6 m	~3,3m	60 seats