Best Seats in Amsterdam Concertgebouw?

[Dana Fisher]

I have tickets to a concert on Sept 25, 1999 at the
Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

I'm wondering where the best seats would be.

The program is Beethoven Piano Concert No. 5 in E flat
(Emperor) and Tchaikovsky Symphony 4 in F minor.
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden,
conductor, Derek Han, piano.

I asked for the best available seats that have a good
view of the pianist's hands.

The box office gave me seats BEHIND the stage, a little
above the level of the orchestra, a little stage right
from center, facing the conductor.

I'm intrigued by the location and the view of the
conductor. But I've never sat behind an orchestra
before, and I have no idea whether the acoustics are
as good from there as from more conventional seats.

Can anyone comment?

I know that the Concertgebouw is world famous for its
acoustics.

But what if the top of the piano is raised in the conventional
way, and points toward the conventional seats, away from
me? Is that going to diminish the loudness of the piano,
relative to the orchestra? (I do care more about the
Beethoven piano concerto than the Tchaikovsky symphony.)

Thanks in advance for your advice and comments.

Dana G. Fisher
Member of Technical Staff
Lucent Technologies
dfi...@lucent.com

[Samuel Vriezen]

d...@bob.lc.lucent.com (Dana Fisher):

>I have tickets to a concert on Sept 25, 1999 at the
>Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
>
>I'm wondering where the best seats would be.
>
>The program is Beethoven Piano Concert No. 5 in E flat
>(Emperor) and Tchaikovsky Symphony 4 in F minor.
>London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden,
>conductor, Derek Han, piano.
>
>I asked for the best available seats that have a good
>view of the pianist's hands.
>
>The box office gave me seats BEHIND the stage, a little
>above the level of the orchestra, a little stage right
>from center, facing the conductor.
>
>I'm intrigued by the location and the view of the
>conductor. But I've never sat behind an orchestra
>before, and I have no idea whether the acoustics are
>as good from there as from more conventional seats.
>
>Can anyone comment?

I once sat directly behind the trombones in a concertante Walkuere.
Which was survivable, though it did change my perception of the
orchestration slightly.

I think I would prefer seast slightly to the left of the centre path
about fifteenth row. Or the middle of the front row of the left
balcony.

[Mark Starr]

"R.J. Zock" wrote:

> Dana Fisher wrote:
>
> > I have tickets to a concert on Sept 25, 1999 at the
> > Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
> >
> > I'm wondering where the best seats would be.
>

> IMHO, due to the exellent acoustics, the seats are not so bad for the
> sound as they would be in many other halls.

Personally, I dislike the acoustics of the Concertgebouw.
Much too much echo.

Regards,
Mark Starr

[R.J. Zock]

Dana Fisher wrote:

> I have tickets to a concert on Sept 25, 1999 at the
> Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
>
> I'm wondering where the best seats would be.

IMHO, due to the exellent acoustics, the seats are not so bad for the
sound as they would be in many other halls.

If you mean by stage right: seen from the hall, not from the seat
itself, then you cannot see the hands of the soloist (when on the
keyboard that is, and not waving around ...;) ) evennot much of him at
all.

I myself have formed an preference for the row of seats preferable
against the back wall and if pushed the side wall under the balconies.
This is a single row and offers lots of legroom, which is sadly lacking
in other places.

The wall and balcony seem to form a sort of shell with you in the
middle, which focuses the sound.

I hope this is of any help,

Rob Zock