By Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
It was a pivotal moment in history. Industrialization had taken hold of the United States. New York City was emerging as an international capital. And in 1891, its cultural gem—Carnegie Hall—opened its doors with a superstar of classical music on its stage.
Dramatis Personae
Four individuals were indispensably key to Carnegie Hall's conception, design, and execution.
Andrew Carnegie: Gilded Age Philanthropist
On a cruise to Scotland for his honeymoon with new wife Louise, Andrew Carnegie met the conductor of the Oratorio Society of New York, Walter Damrosch, who wanted a new home for his organization.
The meeting, probably more than fortuitous, resulted in Carnegie inviting the young conductor to Skibo, his estate in Scotland, to discuss plans for a new concert hall in New York City.
Before he was commissioned to build one, Tuthill had never designed a concert hall. Nevertheless, he conceived an elegant building and also—and most notably—gave Carnegie Hall its legendary sound.
The Building
Built too far Uptown, designed by an architect who had never previously drafted a music hall and never would again, and with a design that went against all conventional thought on the subject, Carnegie Hall was surely doomed to failure.
Etching of the eventual site of Carnegie Hall, 1868Carnegie Hall
The chosen site for the new concert hall was then known as "Hogtown" and seen as being too far from Midtown to be a success—Midtown, at that time, being centered around 14th Street.
Look carefully for the "hog" in Hogtown.
Laying the cornerstone, 1890Carnegie Hall
Louise Carnegie cemented the cornerstone of the Music Hall—renamed Carnegie Hall in 1894—into place during a ceremony on May 13, 1890. The total cost of the building project, mostly financed personally by Carnegie, was $1.1 million.
Cutaway drawing of Carnegie Hall by architect William Burnet Tuthill, 1889Carnegie Hall
Construction of the original roof, 1890Carnegie Hall
Construction of the Hall took less than one year. The steel for the trusses from which the ceiling of the main auditorium is suspended was milled in Carnegie's Pennsylvania and New Jersey mills.
Central Park, opened only 35 years earlier, can be seen in the background.
Sketch of the main lobby under construction, 1890Carnegie Hall
The sketch of the main lobby's construction is very similar to what audiences still see today.
The ceiling of the vaulted lobby was lined with Guastavino tiles.
Tap to explore
This is how the lobby appears today. Use this as a starting point for your virtual tour of Carnegie Hall.
The Music and the Opening
Though Carnegie Hall did not officially open until May 1891, concerts were performed in one of the smaller halls in the months preceding a week-long extravaganza in the main auditorium that began on May 5 and featured some of the leading figures in classical music.
Letter announcing an open rehearsal of the New York Oratorio Society in the Recital Hall, 1891 by Carnegie Hall ArchiveCarnegie Hall
Fittingly, the Oratorio Society—for which the Hall was built—produced the first music in the new venue with an open rehearsal in the Recital Hall almost two full months before the official opening.
Program from pianist Arthur Friedhelm's performances in the Recital Hall, April 1891Carnegie Hall
Although the Hall did not officially open until May 5, 1891—and no performances took place in the big hall—the Recital Hall was host to several concerts throughout the preceding April.
Work continued on the building while concerts took place in the Recital Hall.
Opening Festival Poster, May 5-9, 1891Carnegie Hall
Andrew Carnegie’s new Music Hall opened with a star-studded five-day music festival that began on May 5, 1891.
Walter Damrosch's place in New York City music circles and in the realization of Carnegie Hall is reflected in his prime position on the poster for the opening-week festivities.
Tchaikovsky traveled from St. Petersburg, Russia, at great expense.
Italo Campanini was a leading Italian tenor of the day who, having made his name in London in the 1870s, had attained a similar level of fame in New York by 1891.
His invitation to perform on opening night in 1891 began a century-long connection between Tchaikovsky and Carnegie Hall, as explained in this video.
This rare and valuable item from Carnegie Hall's Archives—Tchaikovsky's autograph complete with a musical sketch—dates from a week before his opening-night appearance. Although he signed many, few survive.
The Birth of Carnegie Hall (May 5) by Carnegie HallCarnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall Archives and Rose Museum Director Gino Francesconi provides a fascinating and entertaining insight into the Hall's first opening night, using some of the earliest and rarest artifacts.
Tchaikovsky's Marche Solennelle Revealed (2011-09-29) by Carnegie HallCarnegie Hall
Tchaikovsky conducted his "Marche Solennelle" at the opening night concert on May 5, 1891. Although told the contrary, he was impressed that US audiences were so familiar with his music.
Carnegie Hall, 1891Carnegie Hall
This is the earliest photograph of the completed Hall as it looked in 1891.
Tap to explore
Images courtesy of the Carnegie Hall Archives.
