The $550 Million Question: How Does David Geffen Hall Sound?
The New York Philharmonic’s home underwent an extensive renovation that was finished two years ago. But that was only the beginning of the quest for the perfect sound.
The New York Philharmonic’s home underwent an extensive renovation that was finished two years ago. But that was only the beginning of the quest for the perfect sound.
The newly renovated David Geffen Hall has beechwood panels along the walls, embellished to help reduce the edge of higher frequencies. Credit... Todd Heisler/The New York Times
When the New York Philharmonic English horn player and oboist Ryan Roberts performs at the renovated David Geffen Hall these days, he feels naked and exposed, as if he were appearing on a high-definition television screen.
The star violinist Hilary Hahn, a frequent soloist, has a sense of comfort. “You can trust your sound will project,” she said.
And John Adams, the composer and conductor, said that gone were the days of a concert hall that felt like Yankee Stadium. “It’s such a breath of fresh air,” he said. “You can go for much greater delicacy and subtlety.”
