Trends in preference, programming and design of concert halls for symphonic music

This paper discusses the evolution in taste regarding concert hall acoustics and how this can be reflected in the new halls being built today. The clients' and listener's preferences are not only based on listening in existing halls; but also on listening to reproduced music recorded with microphones close to the orchestra and with artificial reverberation added. The result may be a desire for higher clarity as well as a more full reverberation than what is found in most existing halls. Without being very specific in the brief regarding geometrical detailing - which is not desirable as it will limit architectural freedom and evolution - we can only specify a desire for acoustic conditions in this direction by setting targets for standardized objective room acoustic parameters. In this paper, measured ISO 3382 data are used to illustrate typical differences between "live" and recorded concert experiences, and it is seen how visionary hall designs over the last four decades tend to move the acoustics of halls in the same direction. Finally, it is suggested how target values for ISO 3382 parameters - in spite of their limitations - can be set up to drive the design in such a direction.