The Bass Performance Hall (also known as Bass Hall ) is a performing arts venue, located in Fort Worth, Texas .
123-554: The hall was first suggested by pianist Van Cliburn to philanthropist Nancy Lee Bass and her husband, Perry Richardson Bass . It was built with limestone and designed by David M. Schwarz of Architectural Services, Inc. in 1998. An 80-foot-diameter (24 m) dome, painted by Scott and Stuart Gentling, tops the Founders Concert Theater. The façade features two 48-foot-tall (15 m) angels sculpted by Marton Varo from Texas limestone. It seats 2,056 people. Built as
246-457: A memorandum of understanding , which would permit the development of the adjacent site to the east, a parking lot. In 1981, the federal government gave Carnegie Hall $ 1.8 million for the renovation; the city and Astor Foundation had previously given $ 450,000. The first renovations started in February 1982 with the restoration and reconstruction of the recital hall and studio entrance. The lobby
369-506: A $ 10 million grant from Arthur and Judy Zankel, the new space was renamed after the Zankels in January 1999; the auditorium proper was named after Judith Arron, who donated $ 5 million. Construction took place without disrupting performances or the nearby subway tunnel. Zankel Hall had been planned to open in early 2003, but the opening date was postponed due to the city's economic difficulties after
492-470: A center stage, an end stage, or no stage. This is accomplished through the division of the floor into nine sections, each 45 feet (14 m) wide with a separate lift underneath. There are 599 seats in Zankel Hall, spread across two levels. The parterre level seats a total of 463 and the mezzanine level seats 136. Each level has several boxes perpendicular to the stage; there are 54 seats in six boxes on
615-710: A family series. In 2001, the adjacent Maddox-Muse Center officially opened; and with it, the new Van Cliburn Recital Hall and the McDavid Studio with 220 seats (renamed in 2006 from McNair Rehearsal Studio). Also housed within Maddox-Muse Center are offices for Performing Arts Fort Worth, the non-profit organization that oversees management of the Hall, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Fleetwood Mac guitarist/vocalist Lindsey Buckingham 's performance at
738-442: A gymnasium, and twelve short-term "lodge rooms" in the roof. The 56th Street side of Carnegie Hall was designed with rooms for the choruses, soloists, and conductors, as well as offices and lodge rooms. On the roof of the 56th Street section were janitors' apartments. Three elevators, two on the 57th Street side and one on the 56th Street side, originally served the building. The addition at the corner of 56th Street and Seventh Avenue
861-597: A movie theater called the Carnegie Playhouse. A screen was installed at the front of the former stage, while the balconies and side galleries were sealed. The Carnegie Hall Cinema opened in May 1961 with a showing of the film White Nights by Luchino Visconti . Carnegie Hall received a concert organ from the Netherlands in 1965, although the stage had to be renovated before the organ could be installed. The installation of
984-603: A multi-purpose facility, the Hall is able to house symphony, ballet, opera, stage, musicals, and rock concerts. It is also now the permanent home to the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra , Texas Ballet Theater , Fort Worth Opera , the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition , and Cliburn Concerts. Performing Arts Fort Worth, which manages the Hall, also hosts its own performances here, including national touring Broadway productions and
1107-535: A new organ was installed in Carnegie Hall and dedicated in December 1929. Robert Simon died in 1935. Murray Weisman succeeded Simon as president of Carnegie Hall's board of directors, while the late owner's son Robert E. Simon Jr. became the vice president. A bust of the senior Simon was installed in the lobby in 1936. The main hall was modified around 1946 during filming for the movie Carnegie Hall . A hole
1230-472: A paneled wall behind the stage, were installed after the recital hall's completion but were removed in the 1980s to improve acoustics. The room has three chandeliers, which also amplify the room's acoustics. A boiler room was placed under the sidewalk on Seventh Avenue. A small electric generation plant for 5,300 lamps was also planned. At the ground level of the main hall was a lobby with gray marble pilasters and salmon-colored walls. Stores were added to
1353-464: A pilaster. A broad terracotta frieze runs above the fourth floor, at the springing of the arches. To either side of the arcade, there are two tall round-arched windows on the second floor; those on the east flank a blind arch. There are pairs of pilasters on the fourth-floor mezzanine, above which is a string course. The Seventh Avenue facade is similar in design, but instead of window openings, there are blind openings filled with brick. Additionally,
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#17328512904631476-582: A reception at the school's president's house. He played for royalty and heads of state from dozens of countries and for every U.S. president from 1958 until his death. Cliburn received the Kennedy Center Honors on December 2, 2001. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on July 23, 2003, by President George W. Bush , and, on September 20, 2004, the Russian Order of Friendship ,
1599-521: A resident company since the New York Philharmonic moved out. Carnegie Hall was renovated multiple times throughout its history, including in the 1940s and 1980s. Carnegie Hall is on the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street and 57th Street , two blocks south of Central Park , in Midtown Manhattan , New York City. The site covers 27,618 square feet (2,565.8 m ). Its lot
1722-455: A rich, round tone and a singing-voice-like phrasing, having been taught from the start to sing each piece. Cliburn toured domestically and overseas. He played for royalty, heads of state, and every US president from Harry S. Truman to Barack Obama . Harvey Lavan Cliburn Jr. was born in Shreveport , Louisiana , the son of Rildia Bee ( née O'Bryan) and Harvey Lavan Cliburn Sr. When he
1845-480: A slab of concrete. John L. Tishman , president of Tishman Realty & Construction , which had renovated the stage in 1986, alleged that the concrete was there before the renovation. The concrete was removed in mid-1995 while Carnegie Hall was closed for the summer; soon afterward, critics described a noticeable change in the acoustics. In the basement, the Carnegie Hall Cinema operated separately from
1968-406: A total of 1,021 seats. The parquet was designed with eleven exits to a corridor that entirely surrounded it; the corridor, in turn, led to the main entrance vestibule on 57th Street. The first and second tiers consist of sixty-five boxes; the first tier has 264 seats, eight per box, and the second tier has 238 seats, six to eight per box. As designed, the first tier of boxes was entirely open, while
2091-434: A total of 268 seats. The orchestra level contains 196 seats in fourteen rows, while the balcony level contains 72 seats in five rows. The modern-day recital hall contains off-white walls and blue seats. In the mid-20th century, the recital hall was decorated with red and gold, which was replaced in the 1980s with Palladian arches similar to those in the hall's original design. A proscenium arch made of plywood, as well as
2214-445: A trial court and rejected by an appellate court, on the basis that palimony suits were not permitted in the state of Texas unless the relationship is based on a written agreement . Cliburn was known as a night owl . He often practiced the piano until 4:30 or 5:00 AM, then slept until around 1:30 PM. "You feel like you're alone and the world's asleep, and it's very inspiring." On August 27, 2012, Cliburn's publicist announced that
2337-592: A witness and a messenger. Because I believe so much in the beauty, the construction, the architecture invisible, the importance for all generations, for young people to come that it will help their minds, develop their attitudes, and give them values. That is why I'm so grateful that you have honored me in that spirit. A cover story in Time magazine proclaimed him "The Texan Who Conquered Russia". His triumph in Moscow propelled Cliburn to international prominence. Upon returning to
2460-510: Is 200 feet (61 m) wide, covering the entire width of the block between 56th Street to the south and 57th Street to the north, and extends 150 feet (46 m) eastward from Seventh Avenue. Carnegie Hall shares the city block with the Carnegie Hall Tower , Russian Tea Room , and Metropolitan Tower to the east. It is cater-corner from the Osborne apartment building. It also faces
2583-479: Is mounted from twenty-one trusses. The Joan and Sanford I. Weill Recital Hall is named after Sanford I. Weill , a former chairman of Carnegie Hall's board, as well as his wife Joan. This auditorium, in use since the hall opened in 1891, was originally called Chamber Music Hall and was placed in the "lateral building" east of the main hall. The space later became the Carnegie Chamber Music Hall, and
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#17328512904632706-522: Is now Carnegie Hall came from Leopold Damrosch , the conductor of Oratorio Society of New York and the New York Symphony Society . The Oratorio Society had been looking for a permanent performance venue ever since it was founded in 1873. Though Leopold died in 1885, his son Walter Johannes Damrosch pursued his father's vision for a new music hall. While studying music in Germany in 1887,
2829-430: Is on 161 West 56th Street. On the third and fourth floors, above the main entrance, is a two-and-a-half story arcade on 57th Street with five round-headed arches. A balcony with a balustrade is carried on console brackets in front of this arcade. Each arch has a horizontal terracotta transom bar above the third floor; two third-floor windows separated by a Corinthian column; and two fourth-floor windows separated by
2952-495: Is one of the most prestigious venues in the world for both classical music and popular music. Carnegie Hall has its own artistic programming, development, and marketing departments and presents about 250 performances each season. It is also rented out to performing groups. Carnegie Hall has 3,671 seats, divided among three auditoriums. The largest one is the Stern Auditorium, a five-story auditorium with 2,804 seats. Also part of
3075-415: Is part of a former artistic hub around a two-block section of West 57th Street between Sixth Avenue and Broadway . The hub had been developed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its opening in 1891 directly contributed to the development of the hub. The area contains several buildings constructed as residences for artists and musicians, such as 130 and 140 West 57th Street , the Osborne, and
3198-487: Is perhaps rather far uptown, but it is easily accessible from the 'living' part of the city." The Music Hall Company was incorporated on March 27, 1889, with Carnegie, Damrosch, Reno, Tuthill, and Stephen M. Kneval as trustees. Originally, the Music Hall Company intended to limit its capital stock to $ 300,000, but this was increased before the end of 1889 to $ 600,000, of which Carnegie held five-sixths. The cost of
3321-541: The New York Philharmonic , which booked a majority of the hall's concerts each year. The orchestra intended to move to Lincoln Center once it had been built (at the time, plans to build it were still at an early stage). Simon notified the Philharmonic that he would terminate the lease by 1959 if it did not purchase Carnegie Hall. In mid-1955, longtime employee John Totten organized a fundraising drive to prevent
3444-594: The Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 . In 1958, during a dinner hosted by the National Guild of Piano Teachers, President and Founder Dr. Irl Allison announced a cash prize of $ 10,000 to be used for a piano competition named in Cliburn's honor. Under the leadership of Grace Ward Lankford and with the dedicated efforts of local music teachers and volunteers, the first Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
3567-709: The Rodin Studios and 888 Seventh Avenue to the west; Alwyn Court , The Briarcliffe , the Louis H. Chalif Normal School of Dancing , and One57 to the north; the Park Central Hotel to the southwest; and CitySpire and New York City Center to the southeast. Right outside the hall is an entrance to the New York City Subway 's 57th Street–Seventh Avenue station , served by the N , Q , R , and W trains. Carnegie Hall
3690-586: The Sputnik launch in October 1957. Cliburn's performance at the competition finale of Tchaikovsky 's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Rachmaninoff 's Piano Concerto No. 3 on April 13 earned him a standing ovation lasting eight minutes. After the ovation, Van Cliburn made a brief speech in Russian and then resumed his seat at the piano and began to play—to the surprise and delight of the Russian musicians visible behind him in
3813-586: The White House to meet with President Eisenhower to discuss relations with the USSR . RCA Victor signed him to an exclusive contract, and his subsequent recording of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 won the 1958 Grammy Award for Best Classical Performance . It was certified a gold record in 1961, and it became the first classical album to go platinum , achieving that certification in 1989. It
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3936-417: The 34-year-old Tuthill was relatively unknown as an architect, he was an amateur cellist and a singer, which may have led to him getting the commission. Dankmar Adler of Adler & Sullivan, on the other hand, was an experienced designer of music halls and theaters; he served as the acoustical consultant. Carnegie Hall was constructed with heavy masonry bearing walls , as lighter structural steel framework
4059-533: The Alice and Jacob M. Kaplan Space was built within the old chapter room on the fifth floor, directly above the main hall. The Kaplan Space opened in March 1985. The corporation announced in May 1985 that the main hall and recital hall would be closed for several months. The corporation also started a fundraising drive to raise the $ 50 million needed to fund the renovation; more than half of the funding had already been raised at
4182-522: The Carnegie Hall Archives, established in 1986, and the Rose Museum , which opened in 1991. The Rose Museum is east of the first balcony of the Stern Auditorium and has dark makore and light anigre paneling with brass edges, as well as columns with brass capitals , supporting a coffered ceiling. The Rose Museum space is separated from two adjacent rooms by sliding panels. The idea for what
4305-530: The Carnegie Hall Corporation started evicting longtime tenants of the upper-story studios, particularly those who refused to pay steeply increased rents. The first phase of the renovation was completed in September 1983 for $ 20 million. A second phase included upgrades to mechanical systems, such as air-conditioning and elevators. As part of the third phase of renovations, a recording studio called
4428-544: The Carnegie family until 1925, after which Robert E. Simon and then his son, Robert E. Simon Jr., became owner. Carnegie Hall was proposed for demolition in the 1950s in advance of the New York Philharmonic relocating to Lincoln Center in 1962. Though Carnegie Hall is designated a National Historic Landmark and protected by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission , it has not had
4551-630: The Cliburn ideology of sharing the music with the larger audience", said Jacques Marquis, the Cliburn Foundation president. A highlight of Cliburn's legacy was the profoundly positive reception of his person and performances in the Soviet Union during and after the Tchaikovsky competition. The same is true of his reception during and after the Cold War in the Soviet Union. According to Life (1958),
4674-445: The Cold War was certainly one of distinct and unique merit. Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( / ˈ k ɑːr n ɪ ɡ i / KAR -nig-ee ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan , New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue , occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets . Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie , it
4797-531: The Dress Circle level; along with a corresponding arch at the rear of the auditorium, it supports the ceiling. The Ronald O. Perelman Stage is 42 feet (13 m) deep. It was originally designed with six tiers that could be raised and lowered hydraulically. The walls around the stage contain pilasters. The ceiling above the stage was designed as an ellipse, and the soffits of the ceiling were originally outfitted with lights. Originally, there were no stage wings;
4920-562: The Music Hall's stockholders planned to enlarge the hall to accommodate operatic performances, following a fire that severely damaged the Metropolitan Opera House. At the time, Morris Reno said the stage could not be modified until at least early 1893. The Music Hall Company filed plans for alterations in December 1892. The plans called a tower of about 240 feet (73 m) at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 56th Street. In addition,
5043-474: The Music Hall. The Real Estate Record and Guide praised the building's design as "harmonious, animated without restlessness, and quiet without dullness." In February 1891, Damrosch announced that he had created a subscription fund for a "permanent orchestra" that would perform mainly in the new Music Hall. The Recital Hall opened in March 1891 for recitals of the New York Oratorio Society. It
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5166-710: The Rodin Studios. In addition, the area contained the headquarters of organizations such as the American Fine Arts Society , the Lotos Club , and the American Society of Civil Engineers . By the 21st century, the artistic hub had largely been replaced with Billionaires' Row , a series of luxury skyscrapers around the southern end of Central Park . Carnegie Hall was designed by William Tuthill along with Richard Morris Hunt and Adler & Sullivan . While
5289-525: The Soviet people—and theirs for him—was notable in its warmth during a prolonged period of superpower strain." A 1972 concert performance of the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 with Kondrashin and the Moscow orchestra, as well as a studio recording of Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini , were later issued on CD by RCA Victor. On May 26, 1972, Cliburn gave a concert at Spaso House ,
5412-459: The Stern Auditorium's parquet level. The excavations descended up to 22 feet (6.7 m) below the original space's floor and came as close as 9 feet (2.7 m) to the adjacent subway tunnel. This also required the removal of twelve cast-iron columns holding up the Main Hall. In its place, a temporary framework of steel pipe columns, supporting I-beam girders and thick Neoprene insulation pads,
5535-744: The United States, Cliburn appeared in a Carnegie Hall concert with the Symphony of the Air , conducted by Kirill Kondrashin , who had led the Moscow Philharmonic in the prize-winning performances in Moscow. The performance of the Rachmaninoff 3rd Piano Concerto at this concert was subsequently released by RCA Victor on LP. Cliburn was also invited by Steve Allen to play a solo during Allen's prime time NBC television series on May 25, 1958. He later went to
5658-412: The allegations, with his attorney, Dee Kelly, stating that "Van Cliburn categorically denies the charges." Cliburn's defense team further maintained that the claims were not only false, but that they amounted to extortion. Zaremba's attorney, Mike McCurley, acknowledged that Zaremba did not have AIDS and further admitted that "he had no reason to believe that Cliburn has HIV." The claims were dismissed by
5781-483: The arcade at the center of the Seventh Avenue facade has four arches instead of five. The sixth floor, at the center of the 57th Street facade, contains five square openings, each with a pair of round-arched windows. On either side of these five openings, there are round-arched windows, arranged as in a shallow loggia . There are four arched windows on the eastern portion of the sixth floor, as well as two arches on
5904-557: The auditorium's acoustical qualities, saying "each note was heard". The Music Hall had cost $ 1.25 million to construct and was the second major performance hall in New York City, after the Metropolitan Opera House . Almost from the outset, scalpers resold tickets to the Music Hall's shows at greatly inflated prices, and ushers began selling off tickets to unoccupied seats at the start of each concert. For an inflated fee,
6027-454: The backstage entrance from 56th Street led directly to a small landing just below the stage, while the dressing room was above the stage. During a 1980s renovation, a stage wing, orchestra room, and dressing rooms were added and the access to the stage was reconfigured. Zankel Hall, on the Seventh Avenue side of the building, is named after Judy and Arthur Zankel, who funded a renovation of the venue. Originally called simply Recital Hall, this
6150-506: The barrel vault were lunettes. The walls were painted salmon and had pairs of gray-marble pilasters supporting an entablature. The cross-arches had decorated cream-colored tympana . The lobby was originally several feet above street level, but it was lowered to street level in the 1980s. The rebuilt lobby contains geometric decorations evocative by the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh , as well as Corinthian -style capitals with lighting fixtures. The design also includes ticket windows on
6273-468: The basement recital hall for the next fifty-four years. Also during the mid-1890s, the Music Hall was renamed Carnegie Hall for its main benefactor. According to Carnegie Hall archivist Gino Francesconi, the renaming occurred "so that it shouldn't be confused by European artists with a vulgar music hall". During the early 20th century, Carnegie Hall accommodated many recitals and concerts because of its acoustic qualities. Carnegie Hall officials renovated
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#17328512904636396-622: The building in 1920, replacing its porte-cochère , overhauling the Philharmonic Society's office, and removing staircases for about $ 70,000. By late 1924, the Carnegie Foundation was considering selling the hall to a private developer because of increasing financial deficits, which amounted to $ 15,000 a year. At the time, the site was valued at $ 2.5 million, and another performance venue in midtown, Aeolian Hall , had been sold for redevelopment. In February 1925, Carnegie's widow sold
6519-494: The building itself in July 1958. Meanwhile, soon after the sale, Simon started planning how to preserve the hall, and approached some of its resident artists-in-residence for help. Violinist Isaac Stern enlisted his friends Jacob M. and Alice Kaplan, as well as J. M. Kaplan Fund administrator Raymond S. Rubinow, for assistance in saving the hall. In 1959, two hundred residents of Carnegie Hall's studios were asked if they wanted to buy
6642-544: The building was slated to be replaced by a 44-story skyscraper designed by Pomerance and Breines. The replacement tower would have had a red facade and would have been constructed on stilts, with art exhibits and other cultural facilities at the base. However, Glickman was unable to come up with the $ 22 million that the construction budget for the skyscraper called for. This, combined with delays in Lincoln Center's construction, prompted Glickman to decline an option to buy
6765-401: The building was then projected to be $ 1.1 million, including the land. By July 1889, Carnegie's company had acquired additional land, with frontage of 175 feet (53 m) on 57th Street. The architectural drawings were nearly completed and excavations for the music hall had been completed. The Henry Elias Brewery owned the corner of Seventh Avenue and 56th Street and originally would not sell
6888-452: The building. Stern, the Kaplans, and Rubinow ultimately decided that the best move would be for the city government to become involved. The move gained support from mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. , who created a taskforce to save Carnegie Hall in early 1960, but Simon and his co-owners still filed eviction notices against some studio tenants. The same year, special legislation was passed allowing
7011-449: The city government to buy the site from Simon for $ 5 million, and Simon used the money to establish Reston, Virginia . The city leased the hall to the Carnegie Hall Corporation, a nonprofit organization formed to run the venue. For 15 years, the Carnegie Hall Corporation paid the New York City government $ 183,600 in cash, Afterward, the corporation started paying the city through benefit concerts and outreach programs. Carnegie Hall
7134-469: The complex are the 599-seat Zankel Hall on Seventh Avenue, as well as the 268-seat Joan and Sanford I. Weill Recital Hall on 57th Street. Besides the auditoriums, Carnegie Hall contains offices on its top stories. Carnegie Hall, originally the Music Hall, was constructed between 1889 and 1891 as a venue shared by the Oratorio Society of New York and the New York Symphony Society . The hall was owned by
7257-442: The deficits had also risen accordingly. Carnegie Hall's equipment included a rundown air-conditioning system that did not work in the summer. In 1977, the Carnegie Hall Corporation decided to stop allowing new residents for its upper-story studios; existing residents were allowed to continue living there. The studios were instead offered mainly to commercial tenants, who could afford to pay higher rents. This prompted protests from
7380-533: The demolition of Carnegie Hall. Meanwhile, the Academy of Dramatic Arts had moved out of the basement recital hall in 1954. The Academy's former space was rented for the time being to other tenants. Simon sold the entire stock of Carnegie Hall, Inc., the venue's legal owner, to a commercial developer, the Glickman Corporation, in July 1956 for $ 5 million. With the Philharmonic ready to move to Lincoln Center,
7503-553: The episode "Silence My Companion, Death My Destination". In his late seventies, he gave a limited number of performances to critical and popular acclaim. Cliburn appeared as a Pennington Great Performers series artist with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra in 2006. In 2006, he performed at Interlochen Center for the Arts , spending two hours talking to the students afterwards and signing their programs while many waited at
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#17328512904637626-417: The excitement and hype surrounding the news of Cliburn's debut in Moscow was almost too much to bear for some. They became infatuated with him and made no attempt to conceal it. "In the preliminaries, which had enlisted 50 young pianists from 19 different countries, Van was the big crowd-pleaser. Fans called him Vanyusha. Girls trailed him to the hotel. Soviet record companies pleaded with him to wax anything. In
7749-425: The existing tenants. In 1979, the board of Carnegie Hall Corporation hired James Stewart Polshek and his firm, Polshek Partnership , to create a master plan for Carnegie Hall's renovation and expansion. Polshek found that Carnegie Hall's electrical systems, exits, fire alarms, and other systems were not up to modern building codes. The next year, the Carnegie Hall Corporation and the New York City government signed
7872-454: The film made of his part in the competition—his own piano arrangement of the much-beloved song " Moscow Nights ", which further endeared him to the Russians. When it was time to announce the winner, the judges felt obliged to ask permission of the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to give the first prize to an American. "Is he the best?" Khrushchev asked. "Yes." "Then give him the prize!" Cliburn
7995-581: The finals, when he crashed out the last chords of the Rachmaninoff Third Concerto, the ecstatic audience in Moscow chanted 'first prize—first prize'." Mark MacNamara of the San Francisco Classical Voice wrote: "The 6-foot 4-inch aw-shucks kid from Shreveport was 23, the son of an oil executive and a Juilliard graduate, and by all accounts didn't have a mean bone in his body. Indeed, much of his charm, then and throughout his life,
8118-433: The hall closed completely for a seven-month renovation. The hall's plaster decorations were restored, although the carpeting and seats were replaced. That November, Carnegie Hall announced it would rename the recital hall after Joan and Sanford I. Weill, who not only were major donors to the renovation but also enlisted other donors to fund the project. The Weill family had donated $ 2.5 million, more than any other donor in
8241-505: The hall from demolition in the 1960s. The main auditorium was originally planned to fit 3,300 guests, including two tiers of boxes, two balconies, and a parquet seating 1,200. The main hall accommodated the performances of the New York Philharmonic from 1892 to 1962, when the Philharmonic moved to Lincoln Center . Its entrance is through the Box Office Lobby on 57th Street near Seventh Avenue. When planned in 1889, this entrance
8364-478: The hall on January 27, 2007 was recorded on his live album, Live at the Bass Performance Hall , which was released a year later on March 25, 2008. 32°45′18″N 97°19′48″W / 32.75492°N 97.33001°W / 32.75492; -97.33001 Van Cliburn Harvey Lavan " Van " Cliburn Jr. ( / ˈ k l aɪ b ɜːr n / ; July 12, 1934 – February 27, 2013)
8487-440: The hall to a real estate developer, Robert E. Simon. The sale agreement included a clause requiring that either Carnegie Hall would continue to operate as a performance venue for at least the next five years, or another performance venue would be erected on the site. Simon said the hall would continue to operate for as long as it was profitable, and he wished to restore the basement recital hall as well. Under Simon's ownership,
8610-656: The hall's history. The main hall (including the Stern Auditorium) was reopened on December 15, 1986, with a gala featuring Zubin Mehta , Frank Sinatra , Vladimir Horowitz , and the New York Philharmonic. The Kaplan Rehearsal Space was also created in 1986, and the Weill Recital Hall opened in January 1987. A month after the main hall reopened, New York Times music critic Bernard Holland criticized its acoustics, saying: "The acoustics of this magnificent space are not
8733-707: The highest civilian awards of the two countries. He was also awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award the same year and played at a surprise 50th birthday party for United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice . He was a member of the Alpha Chi chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia , and was awarded the fraternity's Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award in 1962. He was presented a 2010 National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama on March 2, 2011. Cliburn's 1958 piano performance in Moscow , when he won
8856-461: The land, as its proprietor believed the site had a good water source. Plans for the Music Hall were filed in November 1889. Carnegie's wife Louise laid the cornerstone for the Music Hall on May 13, 1890. Andrew Carnegie said at the time that the venue was to not only be "a shrine of the goddess of music" but also a gathering hall. Isaac A. Hopper and Company was the contractor in charge of building
8979-401: The latter's renovation. Carnegie Hall began to deteriorate due to neglect, and the corporation faced fiscal deficits. By the mid-1970s, the venue suffered from burst pipes and falling sections of the ceiling, and there were large holes in the balconies that patrons could put their feet through. At the same time, operating costs had increased from $ 3.5 million in 1977 to $ 10.3 million in 1984, and
9102-475: The lobby in the 1940s. The storefronts, as well as a restaurant at the corner of 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, were removed in a 1980s renovation. Originally, there was a 150-seat dining room on the ground level below the Chamber Music Hall. Above the dining room, but below the venue itself, were parlors, cloak rooms, and restrooms. Above the Chamber Music Hall was a large chapter-room, a meeting room,
9225-423: The name was changed to Carnegie Recital Hall in the late 1940s. The venue was renamed after Joan and Sanford I. Weill in 1986, reopening in January 1987. The recital hall is served by its own lobby, which contains a pale color palette with red geometric metalwork. Prior to a 1980s renovation, it shared a lobby with the main auditorium. The Weill Recital Hall is the smallest of the three performance spaces, with
9348-467: The organ was delayed several times, as opponents feared that the changes would damage the hall's acoustics. Meanwhile, Carnegie Hall was profitable by the late 1960s, having consistently hosted about 350 shows a year during that decade. Carnegie Hall became a more popular destination in the 1960s and 1970s, in part because of complaints over acoustics in the new Philharmonic Hall. The deficiencies with Carnegie Hall's facilities became more prominent after
9471-399: The original building's mansard roof would become a flat roof, and the seventh story would be converted into a full story. The Philharmonic Society moved into the Music Hall in November 1892, drawing further crowds. The studios atop the building were constructed shortly afterward, from 1894 to 1896. The American Academy of Dramatic Arts moved into the basement recital hall in 1896, leasing
9594-464: The parterre level and 48 seats in four boxes on the mezzanine level. The boxes on the parterre level are raised above the level of the stage. Zankel Hall is wheelchair-accessible. Its stage is 44 feet (13 m) wide and 25 feet (7.6 m) deep. Due to the limited space available on the land lot, the construction of Zankel Hall required excavating 8,000 cubic feet (230 m ) of additional basement space, at some points only 10 feet (3.0 m) under
9717-467: The performance, Tuthill looked at the crowds on the auditorium's top tiers and reportedly left the hall to consult his drawings. He was uncertain that the supporting columns would withstand the weight of the crowd in attendance, but the dimensions turned out to be sufficient to support the weight of the crowd. Tchaikovsky considered the auditorium "unusually impressive and grand" when "illuminated and filled with an audience". The New York Herald praised
9840-734: The pianist had advanced bone cancer , had undergone treatment and was "resting comfortably at home" in Fort Worth, where he received around-the-clock care. Cliburn died on February 27, 2013, at the age of 78. Cliburn was a member of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth and attended regularly when he was in town. His services were held on March 3, 2013, at the Broadway Baptist Church, with entombment at Greenwood Memorial Park Mausoleum in Fort Worth. His obituary lists as his only survivor his "friend of longstanding", Thomas L. Smith. The Wall Street Journal said on his death that Cliburn
9963-583: The prestigious Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition , has been added to the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress for long-term preservation. In 1996, Cliburn was named in a lawsuit by his domestic partner of 17 years, mortician Thomas Zaremba. In the suit, Zaremba claimed entitlement to a portion of Cliburn's income and assets and asserted that he might have been exposed to HIV , causing emotional distress. Cliburn denied
10086-450: The proposed renovation in July 1985. Renovation work began afterward. The project was complicated by the need to schedule construction around performances, the lack of a freight elevator, and the requirement that materials be replaced with close or exact replacements. In April 1986, Carnegie officials announced their intent to sublease the vacant lot to Rockrose Development for the construction of Carnegie Hall Tower. The following month,
10209-458: The public and judged by a distinguished international jury. Since its third cycle, the Cliburn has qualified to be a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions . (Sage Journals 2009) For many young pianists, Cliburn is not only a symbol of talent and inspiration, but a friend to the arts that shows how appreciation for music is powerful, and his impact on the tensions of
10332-561: The residence of the United States Ambassador to Russia , for an audience that included President Richard Nixon , Secretary of State William P. Rogers , and Soviet government officials. Cliburn performed and recorded through the 1970s, but in 1978, after the deaths of his father and of his manager, Sol Hurok , he began a hiatus from public life. In 1987, he was invited to perform at the White House for President Ronald Reagan and Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev and afterward
10455-472: The rest of Carnegie Hall until 1997, when the hall's management closed the cinema, along with two shops on Seventh Avenue. In late 1998, Carnegie Hall announced that it would turn the basement recital hall into another performance venue, designed by Polshek Associates. The project was to cost $ 50 million; the high cost was attributed to the fact that the work would require excavations under the basement while concerts and other events were ongoing. In recognition of
10578-536: The same year. Though the East and Club rooms were in Carnegie Hall Tower, they were connected to the original Carnegie Hall. This represented the first new space added to Carnegie Hall since the studios were added in the late 1890s. At the parquet level, Cafe Carnegie was also renovated. The stage of the main hall had begun to warp by the early 1990s, and officials disassembled the stage in 1995, where they discovered
10701-429: The same." The Weill Recital Hall also received complaints about its acoustics, prompting Carnegie Hall officials to test out noise-absorbing panels in that space. Several noise-absorbing panels were installed in the main hall in 1988, but complaints continued for several years. Critics alleged there was concrete underneath the stage, but Carnegie Hall officials denied the allegations. Isaac Stern offered to disassemble
10824-487: The school being in 2006. Cliburn returned to the Soviet Union on several occasions. His performances there were usually recorded and even televised. In a 1962 Moscow appearance, Nikita Khrushchev, who met Cliburn again on this visit, and Andrei Gromyko , the Soviet Foreign Minister, were "spotted in the audience applauding enthusiastically". According to The Wall Street Journal , "Mr. Cliburn's affection for
10947-413: The second tier was partially enclosed, with open boxes on either end. The third tier above the parquet is the Dress Circle, seating 444 in six rows; the first two rows form an almost-complete semicircle. The fourth and the highest tier, the balcony, seats 837. Although seats with obstructed views exist throughout the auditorium, only the Dress Circle level has structural columns. An elliptic arch rises from
11070-416: The south wall of the lobby. Past that, stairs on either side lead to the auditorium's parquet level; previously, stairs continued straight from the lobby to the parquet level. All but the top level can be reached by elevator; the top balcony is 137 steps above parquet level. The lowest level is the parquet level, which has twenty-five full rows of thirty-eight seats and four partial rows at stage level, for
11193-403: The southeast corner of Seventh Avenue and 57th Street. William Tuthill had been hired to design a "great music hall" on the site. The Music Hall, as it was called, would be a five-story brick and limestone building, containing a 3,000-seat main hall with and several smaller rooms for rehearsals, lectures, concerts, and art exhibitions. The New York Times said "The location for the music hall
11316-454: The spaces as a source of income to support the hall and its activities. After 1999, the space was re-purposed for music education and corporate offices. In 2007, the Carnegie Hall Corporation announced plans to evict the 33 remaining studio residents, including celebrity portrait photographer Editta Sherman and fashion photographer Bill Cunningham . The last resident, poet Elizabeth Sargent, moved out during 2010. The building also contains
11439-706: The stage on the condition that the critics pay for the repairs if no concrete was found. Polshek Partners won the American Institute of Architects ' Honor Award in 1988 for its renovation of the hall. During the late 1980s, Carnegie Hall had begun collecting items for the opening of a museum in the under-construction Carnegie Hall Tower. The Rose Museum was founded in April 1991, with its own entrance at 154 West 57th Street. The East Room and Club Room (later renamed Rohatyn Room and Shorin Club Room, respectively ) were created
11562-410: The street and 175 feet (53 m) along the avenue. The 16-story eastern wing contains the Weill Recital Hall and is located along 57th Street. The 13-story southern wing, at Seventh Avenue and 56th Street, contains Zankel Hall. Except at the eighth floor, all three structures have floor levels at different heights. Carnegie Hall was designed from the outset with a facade of Roman brick. The facade
11685-423: The time. A new structure designed by César Pelli , later to become the Carnegie Hall Tower , was planned for the lot immediately east of Carnegie Hall. Further upgrades, which required the main and recital halls' closure, included upgrades to both halls, the lobby, the facade, backstage areas, and offices. The lobby was lowered to street level and doubled in size. The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved
11808-677: The tradition of the great Russian romantics . In 1952, Cliburn won the International Chopin Competition at the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York City. At 20, Cliburn won the Leventritt Award and made his debut at Carnegie Hall . The first International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958 was an event designed to demonstrate Soviet cultural superiority during the Cold War after the USSR 's technological victory with
11931-472: The ushers allowed latecomers to sit down during the middle of a show, to the consternation of existing ticket holders. In May 1892, the stockholders of the Music Hall Company of New York discussed expanding the Music Hall into the site of a brewery at Seventh Avenue and 56th Street, which they had purchased about three months previously. The Music Hall Company also discussed enlarging the main auditorium's stage so it could accommodate operas. By September 1892,
12054-410: The west portion, which flank a blind arch. A frieze and cornice run above this floor. The seventh floor was originally a mansard roof. As part of an 1890s alteration, the mansard was replaced with a vertical wall resembling a continuous arcade. The seventh floor is topped by balustrades with decorated columns. The flat roof was converted into a roof garden with kitchen and service rooms. Carnegie Hall
12177-462: The words "Music Hall Founded by Andrew Carnegie", runs across the loggia at the springing of the arches. The center three arches lead directly to the Stern Auditorium's lobby, while the two outer arches lead to staircases to upper floors. On either side of the main entrance are smaller doorways (one on the west and two on the east), topped by blank panels at the mezzanine. There are five similar doorways on Seventh Avenue. The original backstage entrance
12300-572: The younger Damrosch was introduced to the businessman Andrew Carnegie , who served on the board of not only the Oratorio Society but also the New York Symphony. Carnegie was originally uninterested in funding a music hall in Manhattan, but he agreed to give $ 2 million after discussions with Damrosch. According to architectural writer Robert A. M. Stern , the Music Hall was "unique in that it
12423-516: Was a "cultural hero" who "rocketed to unheard-of stardom for a classical musician in the U.S." Calling him "the rare classical musician to enjoy rock star status", the Associated Press on his death noted the 1958 Time cover story that likened him to " Horowitz , Liberace , and Presley all rolled into one". A year after Cliburn's death, a free anniversary concert was held on February 27, 2014, in his honor in downtown Fort Worth. "It's part of
12546-449: Was also extended to the corner of Seventh Avenue and 56th Street, where a 13-story addition was designed in a similar style as the original building. The top of this addition contains a main dome, as well as smaller domes at its four corners. The Stern Auditorium is six stories high with 2,804 seats on five levels. Originally known as the main auditorium, it was renamed after violinist Isaac Stern in 1997 to recognize his efforts to save
12669-408: Was an American pianist . At the age of 23, Cliburn achieved worldwide recognition when he won the inaugural International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958 during the Cold War . Cliburn's mother, a piano teacher and an accomplished pianist in her own right, discovered him playing at age three, mimicking one of her students, and arranged for him to start taking lessons. Cliburn developed
12792-479: Was around this time that tickets for the official opening of the Music Hall were being sold. The oratorio hall in the basement opened on April 1, 1891, with a performance by Franz Rummel . The Music Hall officially opened on May 5, 1891, with a rendition of the Old 100th hymn, a speech by Episcopal bishop Henry C. Potter , and a concert conducted by Walter Damrosch and Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky . During
12915-573: Was arranged with offices, studios, and private music rooms. The eighth floor of the main hall, which contained studios, was installed after the complex was completed. There were a total of 133 or 150 studios, many of which doubled as living quarters. Over the years, personalities such as Leonard Bernstein , Isadora Duncan , Martha Graham , and Norman Mailer lived in the studios. The spaces were designed for artistic work, with very high ceilings, skylights and large windows for natural light. Documents showed that Andrew Carnegie had always considered
13038-518: Was decorated with a large amount of Renaissance details. Most of the exterior walls are covered in reddish brown brick, though decorative elements such as band courses , pilasters , and arches are made of architectural terracotta originally by the New York Architectural Terra-Cotta Company . As originally designed, the terracotta and brick were both brown, and the pitched roof was made of corrugated black tile, but this
13161-445: Was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962. The landmark status was certified in 1964, and a National Historic Landmark plaque was placed on the building. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission also designated Carnegie Hall as a city landmark in September 1967. A minor renovation of Carnegie Hall's interior, as well as a steam-cleaning of the facade, took place in mid-1960. The basement recital hall became
13284-429: Was designed with a marble and mosaic vestibule measuring 25 feet (7.6 m) high and 70 feet (21 m) long. The entrance lobby is three stories high and had an organ loft at the top, which was converted into a lounge area by the mid-20th century. The lobby ceiling was designed as a barrel vault , containing soffits with heavy coffers and cross-arches, and was painted white with gold decorations. At either end of
13407-470: Was free of commercial sponsorship and exclusively dedicated to musical performance". At the time, New York City's performance halls were mainly clustered around 14th Street , as well as around Union Square and Herald Square . The area around 57th Street was still mostly residential. In early March 1889, Morris Reno, director of the Oratorio and New York Symphony societies acquired nine lots on and around
13530-616: Was held from September 24 to October 7, 1962, at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth . Until his death, Cliburn continued to serve as Director Emeritus for the Van Cliburn Foundation , as host of the quadrennial competition and host of other programs honoring his legacy. In 1961, he first performed at the Interlochen Center for the Arts during its summer camp. He went on to do so for eighteen more years, his last visit to
13653-453: Was installed. JaffeHolden Acoustics installed the soundproofing, which filters out noise from both the street and the subway. An elliptical concrete wall, measuring 12 inches (300 mm) wide, surrounds Zankel Hall and supports the Stern Auditorium. The elliptical enclosure measures 114 feet (35 m) long and 76 feet (23 m) wide. The walls are sloped at a 7-degree angle and contain sycamore paneling. The lighting and sound equipment
13776-622: Was invited to open the 100th anniversary season of Carnegie Hall . He embarked on a 16-city tour in 1994, commencing with a performance of the Tchaikovsky concerto at the Hollywood Bowl . That same year Cliburn performed the National Anthem along with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra at the First Official Opening Day at Choctaw Stadium . Also in 1994, Cliburn made a guest appearance in the cartoon Iron Man , playing himself in
13899-501: Was later replaced with the eighth floor. The original section of the building is divided into three horizontal sections. The lowest section of the building comprises the first floor and the first-floor mezzanine, above which is a heavy cornice with modillions . The main entrance of Carnegie Hall is placed in what was originally the center of the primary facade on 57th Street. It consists of an arcade with five large arches, originally separated by granite pilasters. An entablature, with
14022-456: Was lowered to street level, the box office was relocated behind the main auditorium, and two archways were added to the 57th Street facade. A new lobby and dedicated elevator for the recital hall was also created. The Carnegie Hall Corporation was also looking to develop a vacant lot immediately east of Carnegie Hall. The renovation was complicated by the fact that some parts of the original plans had been lost. A controversy also emerged when
14145-416: Was made in the stage's ceiling to allow the installation of ventilation and lights for the film. Canvas panels and curtains were placed over the hole, but the acoustics in the front rows became noticeably different. In 1947, Robert E. Simon Jr. renovated the hall to designs by Kahn and Jacobs . By the 1950s, changes in the music business prompted Simon to sell the hall. In April 1955, Simon negotiated with
14268-516: Was not widely used when the building was completed. The building was designed in a modified Italian Renaissance style. Carnegie Hall is composed of three structures arranged in an "L" shape; each structure contains one of the hall's performance spaces. The original building, which houses the Isaac Stern Auditorium, is an eight-story rectangular building at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 57th Street, measuring 150 feet (46 m) along
14391-493: Was renamed Carnegie Lyceum. It was leased to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1896, then converted into the Carnegie Hall Cinema in May 1961. The venue became a performance space in 1997. The completely reconstructed Zankel Hall opened in September 2003. It is accessed from Seventh Avenue, where there is a marquee. Two escalators lead to the balcony and orchestra levels. The venue could be arranged with either
14514-498: Was that he seemed so genuinely unaware of intrigue and enmity. Cliburn's talents were astounding, and he had a heart that loved people and music. This is a legacy that lasts." As of the last International Tchaikovsky Competition (2023), Van Cliburn is still the only American to win the competition in piano. Three Americans have won the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in its 58-year history. Cliburn's contributions to society were many and one of his greatest contributions
14637-576: Was the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Lisa McCormick, writing in Sage Journals (2009), explains the competition this way: Founded in 1958, the Cliburn is held every four years and is open to pianists between the ages of 18 and 30. Through screening auditions held in five cities around the world, 35 pianists are chosen to participate in the competition in Fort Worth, Texas, where their performances are open to
14760-496: Was the best-selling classical album in the world for more than a decade. It eventually went triple-platinum. In 2004, this recording was re-mastered from the original studio analogue tapes, and released on a Super Audio CD . Other standard repertoire Cliburn recorded include the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 , Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor , Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor , Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 , Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 and No. 5 "Emperor" , and
14883-459: Was the first auditorium to open to the public in April 1891. It had a balcony, elevated side galleries, a beamed ceiling, and removable seats. The space was an oratorio hall capable of accommodating over 1,000 people, and it could double as a banquet hall. There was a full kitchen service, as well as a dais on either side. The space was originally designed with dimensions of 90 by 96 feet (27 by 29 m). Following renovations made in 1896, it
15006-645: Was three, he began taking piano lessons from his mother, who had studied under Arthur Friedheim , a pupil of Franz Liszt . When Cliburn was six, his father, who worked in the oil industry, moved the family to Kilgore, Texas . At 12, Cliburn won a statewide piano competition, which led to his debut with the Houston Symphony Orchestra . He entered the Juilliard School in New York City at 17 and studied under Rosina Lhévinne , who trained him in
15129-450: Was to maintain a lasting relationship with the Soviet leader. Cliburn returned home to a ticker-tape parade in New York City, the only time the honor has been accorded a classical musician. Arriving at City Hall after the parade, Cliburn told the audience: I appreciate more than you will ever know that you are honoring me, but the thing that thrills me the most is that you are honoring classical music. Because I'm only one of many. I'm only
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