Carnegie Hall
The year 1890 marked the laying of a cornerstone by Andrew Carnegie's wife Louise on May 13. This event signaled the start of construction for what was originally called Music Hall. Architect William Burnet Tuthill designed the structure in a modified Italian Renaissance style. He was only thirty-four years old when he received the commission despite being relatively unknown at the time. His background as an amateur cellist and singer likely influenced his selection for the project. The building rose from the ground using heavy masonry bearing walls because steel frameworks were not yet widely used. Some of these walls measured three feet thick to support the massive weight above. Floor slabs were constructed from cement and hollow tiles, each measuring four inches thick. The site covered approximately 2.5 acres between 56th Street and 57th Street on Seventh Avenue. The original design included a five-story brick and limestone building with a main hall seating 3,000 guests. Plans also included smaller rooms for rehearsals, lectures, concerts, and art exhibitions. The New York Times noted that the location seemed far uptown but remained easily accessible from the living part of the city. By July 1889, additional land had been acquired with frontage extending along 57th Street. Excavations for the music hall were completed by that same month. The Henry Elias Brewery owned the corner of Seventh Avenue and 56th Street and initially refused to sell its property due to a belief in a good water source there. Plans for the Music Hall were filed in November 1889. Isaac A. Hopper and Company served as the contractor responsible for constructing the entire venue. The Real Estate Record and Guide praised the building's design as harmonious and animated without restlessness.
By April 1955, Simon negotiated with the New York Philharmonic regarding the future of the venue. The orchestra intended to move to Lincoln Center once construction was complete. Simon notified the Philharmonic that he would terminate the lease by 1959 if they did not purchase Carnegie Hall. In mid-1955, longtime employee John Totten organized a fundraising drive to prevent demolition. Meanwhile, the Academy of Dramatic Arts moved out of the basement recital hall in 1954. Their former space was rented temporarily to other tenants. Simon sold the entire stock of Carnegie Hall Inc. to a commercial developer called Glickman Corporation in July 1956 for $5 million. With the Philharmonic ready to relocate, the building was slated to be replaced by a 44-story skyscraper designed by Pomerance and Breines. The replacement tower would have featured a red facade and been constructed on stilts. Art exhibits and cultural facilities were planned for the base of this new structure. However, Glickman could not raise the $22 million required for the skyscraper's budget. This financial shortfall combined with delays in Lincoln Center's construction prompted Glickman to decline an option to buy the building itself in July 1958. Soon after the sale, Simon began planning how to preserve the hall. He approached resident artists-in-residence for assistance. Violinist Isaac Stern enlisted friends Jacob M. Kaplan and Alice Kaplan along with J.M. Kaplan Fund administrator Raymond S. Rubinow. In 1959, two hundred residents of Carnegie Hall's studios were asked if they wanted to purchase the building. Stern, the Kaplans, and Rubinow decided that city government involvement offered the best path forward. Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. created a taskforce to save Carnegie Hall in early 1960. Special legislation passed later that year allowed the city to buy the site from Simon for $5 million. 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.
The main hall reopened on the 15th of December 1986 following a seven-month renovation period. A month after reopening, New York Times music critic Bernard Holland criticized its acoustics stating they were not the same as before. Critics alleged there was concrete underneath the stage though officials denied these claims initially. Isaac Stern offered to disassemble the stage on condition critics pay for repairs if no concrete existed. Polshek Partners won an American Institute of Architects Honor Award in 1988 for their work on the renovation. The stage of the main hall began warping by the early 1990s. Officials disassembled the stage in 1995 where they discovered a slab of concrete. John L. Tishman president of Tishman Realty & Construction which renovated the stage in 1986 alleged the concrete predated his firm's work. The concrete was removed mid-1995 while Carnegie Hall closed for summer operations. Soon afterward critics described a noticeable change in acoustics generally said to be improvement. In the basement, the Carnegie Hall Cinema operated separately until 1997 when management closed it along with two shops on Seventh Avenue. Late in 1998 Carnegie Hall announced plans to turn the basement recital hall into another performance venue designed by Polshek Associates. This project cost $50 million attributed partly to excavations under the basement during ongoing concerts. Recognition came via a $10 million grant from Arthur and Judy Zankel leading to renaming the new space after them in January 1999. Auditorium proper was named after Judith Arron who donated $5 million. Construction took place without disrupting performances or nearby subway tunnels. Zankel Hall had been planned to open in early 2003 but opening date postponed due to city economic difficulties following September 11 attacks in 2001. Excavations raised budget to $69 million.
Symphony No. 9 opus 95 From the New World by Antonín Dvořák performed on the 16th of December 1893 marked the first world premiere at Carnegie Hall. By the 1900s conductors such as Richard Strauss Ruggero Leoncavallo Camille Saint-Saëns Alexander Scriabin Edward Elgar and Sergei Rachmaninoff staged their own music there. The hall hosted recitals by solo performers including pianists Arthur Rubinstein and Mieczysław Horszowski both debuting in 1906. They continued performing until 1976 and 1989 respectively. Sissieretta Jones became the first African-American to sing at Carnegie Hall on the 15th of June 1892 less than a year after opening. The hall was desegregated from its inception contrasting with other venues like the National Theatre which remained segregated well into the 20th century. Rock and roll arrived when Bill Haley & His Comets appeared in a variety benefit concert on the 6th of May 1955. Rock acts were not regularly booked until the 12th of February 1964 when The Beatles performed two shows during their first trip to the United States. Promoter Sid Bernstein convinced officials allowing a Beatles concert would further international understanding between nations. Two concerts by Led Zeppelin occurred on the 17th of October 1969. European folk dance music entered via Tanec performing the 27th of January 1956 becoming the first Yugoslav dance company to perform in America. In 2024 Puerto Rican singer Ivy Queen became the first reggaeton artist to headline a concert there.
In June 2003 tentative plans emerged for the Philharmonic to return beginning in 2006 merging business operations with venue management. These groups abandoned those plans later that same year. Zankel Hall opened in September 2003 though critics noted builders did not fully insulate it from passing train sounds. Architect Herbert Muschamp described the space as a luxury version of a black-box theater feeling partly like a broadcasting studio. At end of 2005 Carnegie Hall formed partnership with neighboring City Center allowing mutual hosting of programs. Agreement canceled early 2007. Carnegie Hall Corporation announced late 2007 eviction of all remaining upper-story studios converting them into offices. Last tenant moved out by 2010. In 2014 Carnegie Hall opened Judith and Burton Resnick Education Wing housing 24 music rooms one large enough for orchestra or chorus. The $230 million project funded through gifts from Joan and Sanford I Weill Judith and Burton Resnick Lily Safra plus city state bonds totaling over $119 million combined. American Institute of Architects gave architectural award to project in 2017. Carnegie Hall closed temporarily March 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic reopening the 6th of October 2021 with Philadelphia Orchestra performance. Returned to full schedule during 2022, 2023 season. New cafe called Weill Cafe opened January 2024. Although recording record-high box-office revenue by 2023, 2024 season inflation reduced operating surplus to $2 million compared to $10 million in 2019. Sir Clive Gillinson started serving as Executive and Artistic Director in 2005 after previously managing London Symphony Orchestra operations.
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Common questions
When was the cornerstone of Carnegie Hall laid by Andrew Carnegie's wife Louise?
The cornerstone of Carnegie Hall was laid on the 13th of May 1890. This event marked the beginning of construction for what was originally called Music Hall.
Who designed the original structure of Carnegie Hall and when did he receive the commission?
Architect William Burnet Tuthill designed the structure in a modified Italian Renaissance style. He received the commission at age thirty-four despite being relatively unknown at the time.
What year did Isaac Stern help save Carnegie Hall from demolition with city government support?
Isaac Stern helped save Carnegie Hall in 1959 when Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. created a taskforce to preserve the venue. Special legislation passed later that year allowed the city to buy the site from Simon for $5 million.
Which performance marked the first world premiere at Carnegie Hall and when did it occur?
Symphony No. 9 opus 95 From the New World by Antonín Dvořák performed on the 16th of December 1893 marked the first world premiere at Carnegie Hall. The hall hosted this historic event less than a year after its opening.
When did The Beatles perform their first shows in the United States at Carnegie Hall?
The Beatles performed two shows during their first trip to the United States on the 12th of February 1964. Promoter Sid Bernstein convinced officials allowing a Beatles concert would further international understanding between nations.