Symphony Hall--Home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
One of the most powerful cultural attractions in Boston is the world-famous Boston Symphony Orchestra. A must-see for classical music lovers, the Symphony’s city concert season begins in early October and continues through early May, bringing great conductors and soloists to the stage in unforgettable performances.
Organized in 1881, the “BSO,” under the musical direction of conductor James Levine, is housed in Boston’s acclaimed Symphony Hall, regarded as one of the three greatest concert halls in the world--the triumph of turn-of-the-century symphony organizers led by financier, Henry Lee Higginson, and architect, Charles Follen McKim.
Completed in 1900, Boston’s “Temple of Music” is an architectural masterpiece, and though its exterior is more austere than the initial design, the hall itself is a jewel box of acoustical and aesthetic perfection.
Despite the exterior ornamentation called for in the original blueprint, Bostonians skipped the frills and stuck with a plain and simple, though august, exterior--the kind of quintessential Yankee preference that reminded architectural writer Robert Campbell of “those Boston ladies who hid their new gowns from Paris in the closet for a year, so they wouldn’t look too fashionable.”
Today, Symphony Hall boasts some of the best acoustics in the world and hosts the cream of legendary world-class musicians, conductors and classical performances of all kinds.
During restorative work in 2006, workmen carefully replicated the materials and techniques used when Symphony Hall was constructed in 1900. The original stage floor was a hard maple wood, milled with a tongue-and-groove construction. The new floor is made of the same type of wood, and, not unlike the construction of a priceless violin, care was taken to replicate the construction techniques of more than a century ago.
As noted in “Symphony Hall—The First 100 Years,” (available in the Symphony’s Gift Shop at): http://www.bso.org/shop/productCategories.jhtml?id=1200025&area=shp&subshop=bso
custom-made wood-cutting knives were used to duplicate the original design of the floorboards. The specially selected wood was brought in and given time to acclimate to Symphony Hall before installation began, further contributing to the acclaimed resonance of the hall.
A concert at Symphony Hall is a spectacular example of the best in Boston’s cultural life—not to be missed.
In the spring, and during the holidays, the renowned Boston Pops holds special performances here with everything from show music to light classics, punctuated by the witty repartee of Pops conductor favorite, Keith Lockhart.
For ticket information, contact the Boston Symphony Box Office at:
www.bostonsymphonyhall.org.
General information: 617-266-1492
To get to Symphony Hall via subway: take the “E” (Green) line from Park Street and get out at the “Symphony” stop. The “E” line also takes you to the Museum of Fine Arts, just a few stops past Symphony.
- Barbara Sealock
