Pierre-Arnaud Dablemont, pianist » concert hall

Is it necessary to give Classical Music a facelift? (part 1)

Pierre-Arnaud — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 06:00:39 +0000

Today, in order to attract young audiences (or maybe quite simply an audience) all efforts are oriented in the same direction: to show you that classical music is not boring nor rigid, and that you, too, are likely to appreciate it. Shortened concerts, lunchtime concerts (a little bit of Beethoven between sandwich and office), concert programs with two doses of film music for one of classical, standardization of programs so the audience does not feel “lost” (It has often been proved that the public comes to see what they already know), and so on. Well, I’m telling you, this is all wrong: classical music is not cool.

I will devote some posts to review the attempts at a makeover administered to our old friend. My objective: to show you that all this is useless and does more harm than good. Today, in this first part, I will focus on the dress code issue.

The concert ritual is often considered as being too strict, notably concerning the dress code. The public must feel comfortable, I agree with it, but one should not forget what clothing as a social code represents.

Imagine one moment you are in the artist’s shoes. You enter the stage and find the concert hall with most of the spectators wearing torn jeans, jogging suits and mini-skirts. Horreur! It would certainly make you wonder what’s happening here and why are you wearing a tuxedo. We could reverse the roles: you are in the audience and the artist enters the stage in a sloppy dress, almost in pajamas, what would be your reaction? And yes, you cannot deny it, you would be shocked (there has been precedents).

Indeed, as a pianist, I like people dressed “like penguins”. It is not bourgeois folklore, but simply a mark of respect to the artist. One cannot either deny the aesthetic side: a well-dressed public is much nicer from the stage.

The dress, be it the artist or the public, is a way to communicate. Both communicate their mutual respect to each other through the sartorial code. When one knows how easy it is to slip into a dress or a suit, it would be a shame not to do so.

In the next episode of Is it necessary to give Classical Music a facelift? We will talk about programming. See you soon!

A new hall for České Budějovice

Pierre-Arnaud — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:00:00 +0000

In a previous post I talked about concert halls in Prague. I insisted on the necessity of building a modern infrastructure in the Czech capital city. Well, this modern infrastructure won’t be built in Prague, but in the South Bohemian main city of České Budějovice (95000 inhabitants).

After the famous “Kaplický affair” and his project of national library in Prague, accepted then moved to be finally cancelled (according the day), the Czech architect has been assigned by the City of České Budějovice, to carry out the project of its future concert hall.

Kaplický’s project is already compared to a sea devil. The new building, which should carry the name of Antonín Dvořák, will host two concert and congress halls, with a capacity of 1000 guests seated for the largest room and 400 for the second one.

Kaplický claims he brought a particular care to the acoustic, having closely worked with musicians and studied parameters of halls known for their phonic properties.

The building will be black: “The black color is the color of grandness and increases uniqueness. Musicians are also dressed in black” explains Kaplický, adding that spectators often wear dark colors. The outside will be black and the inside will be shimmering, in orange and red.

If all happens as planned, construction works will start in 2010 for completion in 2013.

The final cost hasn’t been precisely set yet, but would certainly exceed 1 billion Czech Crowns (45 million Euros). České Budějovice expects a financial help from Brussels to bring its project to fruition.

One question however: why České Budějovice?

A modern concert hall in Prague?

Pierre-Arnaud — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:50:33 +0000

There is question raising in Prague: Is it necessary to build a large concert hall in Prague? Musicians want it, directors of Prague Spring Festival too. But is it worth it? Is it “reasonable” as say politicians?

Overview of existing halls

Let’s start with the largest one: Kongresové centrum Praha

As you can suspect, it is the largest hall for congresses in Prague. It can welcome up to 2764 listeners, and its scene is enough large to produce large orchestras. It is said that its accoustics is very good (corrected in 2000). It does not have specialized equipment, it is not flexible and really aesthetically repelling. And more especially: this center have no vocation for music!

Obecní dům – Smetanová síň

Achieved in 1912, the “communal house” contains a large hall of 1139 places. This hall was not built to be exclusively a concert hall, but more as a hall where could be held all types of public events. The accoustics is problematic there.

Third by its capacity:The Rudolfinum

Currently Headquarters of the Czech philharmonic, its large concert hall adds up 1100 places (Dvořáková síň). The Rudolfinum is a complex of three concert halls, a gallery and a bar. Many concerts are held in a smaller hall (Suková síň) with a capacity of 220 seats. The accoustics is excellent there and the quality of instruments is remarkable. The main problem is its limited gauge and the absence of modulability. If there were possibilities to make adaptations at the time of the last reconstruction in 1992, this hall is far from the current standards of modernity and remains, despite everything made for improvements, an old concert hall.

Except these ones above, the others halls have lower gauges (about 300-400 places and less), are not equipped and are often not easely accessible or even impossible to find.

Let’s speak about contemporary music: none of these halls are suitable. How is it possible to play Murail or Lindberg in a decoration or accoustics from the end of XIX^th century. How to play contemporary music in a hall of 2700 places? If you enter in Prague concert halls, you realize that most of these spaces were not conceived for this purpose, and assume only very badly the role of concert hall.

Why Prague should build a modern concert hall?

While all big europeans cities are building important and modern centers for music, Prague ignores it. Despite several attempts in 1941 and 1996, nothing is planned today to improve the Prague musical life.

If Prague, as wishes its mayor Pavel Bem, is intending to reinforce its position as an European artistic center, it seems then that the construction of a big capacity hall equipped with modern technologies is essential.

Inviting foreign orchestras is also one of the priorities of an important musical center. But this kind of invitation is expensive and is not profitable in halls of small gauge. In order not to slow down the frequentation rise by increasing the tickets prices, it is necessary to increase the number of sold places, which is currently not possible, and many potential spectators cannot get tickets because seats are lacking.

If we compare with the rest of Europe, Prague does not modernize its infrastructures, and for a 1,25 million inhabitants city, a maximum capacity of 1000 seats is a bit too short. Let’s take some examples:


Kursaal San Sebastián, Espagne. 2 auditoriums 1800 and 624 seats Donostia-San Sebastián: 183 308 inhabitants.	Matsumoto Performing Arts center. Matsumoto: 227 579 inhabitants.
	The new philharmonic hall Paris, France. Concert hall with 2400 places, foyers et rehearsal rooms, offices for several orchestras, galeries, a restaurant, parking …

After the new library by Jan Kaplicky which created a surrealistic debate because of its modernity, too “pronounced” according to governmental tastes, it should be time to build a concert hall if Prague does not want to show a cultural delay and lag behind.

Prague today could be an European artistic center, but must look towards the future and not draw on its knowledge and its past. It can take advantage of its tourist assets and find a place for cultural tourism, within the development of musical creation. But, above all, it must show its desires and its dynamism by building an adapted modern center.