Why Daniil Trifonov thinks Munich’s new hall is the best
NewsThe international pianist, in Munich this week, has shared with slippedisc his instant response to the new 1,800-seat Isar Philharmonie.
Daniil writes: ‘The hall is amazing. I am astonished by what they have achieved for 40 million Euros. With capacity for almost 2,000 people, it is incredible that with a budget of 40m it is fully equipped and already at the highest level; they sacrificed nothing.
‘Yasuhisa Toyota did the acoustics. It sounds excellent in rehearsal – and with an audience it sounds even better. With an audience it is fantastic. People around the world should know that there is a great new hall in Munich.’
Trifonov opened the hall with Beethoven’s G-major concerto, where the pianist’s entry is acoustically the most exposed in the entire canon.
In addition to the Beethoven concerto the opening concert included a world premiere ‘Arising Dances’ by Thierry Escaichs, Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé suite, Henri Dutilleux Métaboles and a movement from Rodion Schchedrin’s The Sealed Angel for chorus and flute.
We will need time to say that. Maybe Trifonov wanted to be polite. It’s only one or two years after the first concert that we know if it will OK like in Paris or if it will be stressfull like in Hamburg and Sydney for the artists.
Or maybe he, as an artist, can already tell us how comfortable he feels performing there? Granted it is only person. But one that has performed in all of the most wonderful halls already. So, not bad to hear that opinion.
Anyway not bad to see in concert Trifonov. I saw him twice it’s worth the detour. The thing I don’t understand about this new place is why there are so few places behind the orchestra like in Koln, Kopenhagen, Helsinki, Berlin or Leipzig. Ok it’s not good if there are to much rows behind. But…
No sooner than the soloist of the evening writes a glowing report, someone jumps in to bestow on us all some negative vibes. Were you actually at the opening concert Concertgebouw79?
The Isarphilharmonie is a “mere” stopgap solution (Interimsgebäude) until the Gasteig (to include the Philharmonie and other halls) has been renovated. The new building was erected in record time, and on budget. Give us a break!
By the end of 2022 the various institutions (like the Volkshochschule, Hochschule für Musik und Theater, etc.) will have moved out of the Gasteig. After that it will be 5 years minimum before it reopens, marking the end of the provisional Isarphilharmonie.
My goal is not to tarnish the reputation of this place it would be stupid and unfair because I never went there. I just say that we need a little bite of time before to say the same thing that Trifonov just said after a concert. I have to say that I realy love Munich a fantastic city with the Rundfunk an orchestra I like so much to see in concert.
Point taken!
Well, the renovation of the Gasteig won’t start until 2024 and it will minimum last until 2030, we are looking at 10 years of the HP10 as replacement…the hall is great as I attended on Saturday as well…downside are a lot less rooms backstage for musicians to practise. Moreover, parts of the administration of the Mphil are crammed into a couple of offices while some other branches are at a different location in the city…not ideal…but from a strictly musical point of view the musicians to whom I talked are very happy with the acoustics…
Herr Rattle shall be pleased.
. . . “will” not “shall” (futurity vs. volition, 3rd per., sing.) unless he is determined to like it 🙂
He will…
I don’t think he will regret the Barbican.
Well, Mr. Rattle won’t be conducting there more than a handful of times. The resident orchestra of this hall is the Munich Phil, not the BRSO. They’ll have to make due with the Herkulessaal until a solution will have been found, playing 6-8 programs at the Isarphilharmonie.
It‘s important and wonderful, if a performer feels acoustically well on stage. But that‘s only part of the equation. The good acoustics have also to reach the audience, arguably the most important part of concert hall acoustics.
Yet THAT is where so many of Toyota‘s designs fall terribly short. Not how it sounds on stage, but what eventually reaches the majority of the audience.
Having said that, the hall likely will sound decent enough for piano and other chamber music.
It‘s the more complex situation on stage, big orchestras, many different instruments with their unique sound radiation patterns, also low bass response and projection, which challenge the acoustic design and where Toyota disappoints regularly with his fetish.
The big test is Eine Alpensinfonie. Before you do that it’s difficult to test completly a new concert hall.
Or Turangalila.
A moot point, granted. Perhaps someone here knows people who attended.
Agree on the audience acoustics being important, of course, but FWIW Disney Hall in L.A. remains my favorite concert hall and I have never ever been let down by it’s Toyota-designed acoustics.
Toyota-designed Disney Hall in L.A. is my favorite concert hall.
I believe him. It’s great. I was just in Detroit for their season opening – now THERE’S an auditorium with sensational sound! With a capacity of around 2000…………..
In Munchen steht ein Hofbrau-haus; ein, zwei, zuffa!
em-barr-assing
Why? – it probably has good acoustics! . . . if you could hear above the crowd noise.
Franzl Lang
That’s good to hear!!
The sound is warmer on the left side.