301 Massachusetts Ave.
Boston
617-266-1492
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Boston's
Symphony Hall dates to 1900 when the acoustic masterpiece opened
as the first performance venue designed to meet aural standards
developed by college physics professor Wallace Sabine. Financed
by Boston philanthropist Henry Lee Higginson who commissioned
the services of the McKim, Mead, & White - the heralded New
York architectural firm also responsible for the design of
Boston Public Library and a number of buildings at Harvard
University - Symphony Hall enjoys an international reputation as
one of the best musical performance halls in the world.
An amateur musician and Civil War veteran, Higginson founded the
Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1881. In a 1994 book titled
"Boston Sites and Insights," author Susan Wilson
reports that Higginson began developing plans
to build a new home for the BSO when he heard rumors that its
existing venue on Hamilton Place was set for demolition. Since
the original structure was called the Music Hall, Higginson
planned to name the new building Boston Music Hall. One thing
led to another. The Music Hall was not razed. Higginson realized
naming the new structure Boston Music Hall would likely cause
confusion among patrons. He settled on the name Symphony Hall,
but only after railings decorated with BMH medallions were
installed along the new buildings marble staircases.
In addition to the Boston Symphony Orchestra which is in
residence each year from October through April, Symphony Hall is
also home to the acclaimed Boston Pops. Led from relative
obscurity by the incomparable Arthur Fiedler in the 1970s, the
Boston Pops - under the subsequent direction of Oscar-winning
composer John Williams and now at the hand of their charismatic
musical director Keith Lockhart - continue to enjoy widespread
popularity.
Their annual Fourth of July concert on the Boston Esplanade is
broadcast nationwide on the A&E network.
Often described as "shoebox-shaped," Symphony Hall is
an example of unassuming elegance. Its relatively simple shape
contributes to its acoustic excellence by providing space for a
"buffer" of hallways and offices
surrounding the interior main hall. Once inside the symphonic
hall, concert-goers discover a courtly venue complete with
crimson walls, gold leaf, oak, and leather - all used sparingly
to avoid compromising the acoustic integrity of the hall. In
fact, regular concert-goers have complained (goood-naturedly)
for years about the hard wooden seats which are covered with
only a thin layer of leather.
Hours:
Box Office Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission/Fees:
Varies by performance
Tours by advance arrangement
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