Where to sit in Chicago's Orchestra Hall

[wkasimer]

I'm thinking of attending a performance while in Chicago this spring. I've never been in Chicago's Orchestra Hall - where are the best seats for acoustics for orchestral music?

[Gerry]

On Friday, February 17, 2017 at 8:47:59 AM UTC-6, wkasimer wrote:
> I'm thinking of attending a performance while in Chicago this spring. I've never been in Chicago's Orchestra Hall - where are the best seats for acoustics for orchestral music?

Orchestra Hall is a funny place. If money is no object, I'd suggest the lower balcony. Even there, however, balances are sometimes askew -- heavy of horns or heavy of lower strings depending on where you sit. Most of the seats, however, are good ones, where you get both an impactful sound and excellent sight lines. Historically, the Gallery (six floors up) has had the best sound, but the incline is steep and the seats are pretty narrow. The second balcony is overhung by the Gallery, so there have been some historical dead spots. The Main Floor also has some balance problems depending on where you sit and, in my opinion, the sound tends not to be as present and hard hitting as the upper levels. Finally, there is the Terrace section, around and behind the stage. You will get a feeling of being "in" the orchestra, but I once heard a Brahms Concerto for Violin and Horns because I was sitting right behind the horn section. Perhaps I've confused you with all this, but I'd say go for a seat in the center of the lower balcony or the Gallery as your best bets.

[OW]

I would second that, but add that the Gallery is about half the price of the first balcony and the difference in sound quality is minimal.

[wkasimer]

Many thanks to both of you -

[3Bs]

FWM and Cleveland played in Orchestra hall probably around ten years ago, and Shostakovich 8 did not sell the tickets very quickly, so near the performance date you could get them half price. That's the only time I've gotten to sit in the front center section of the lower balcony. The sound was wonderful, and the view is excellent

The Gallery is a cramped bargain, but it often gets warm up there, and I've had trouble staying awake there several times. The music wasn't bad, I just happen to be able to fall asleep very easily.

It may be a cheap thrill, but I love the Terrace, sound imbalanced or not.

[Lawrence Chalmers]

On Friday, February 17, 2017 at 6:47:59 AM UTC-8, wkasimer wrote:
> I'm thinking of attending a performance while in Chicago this spring. I've never been in Chicago's Orchestra Hall - where are the best seats for acoustics for orchestral music?

Gallery seats were the only affordable option for me during Reiner and Martinon tenures.
And those seats were very small and cramped. I think Gallery seats now are fairly pricey...

[Raymond Hall]

On Saturday, 18 February 2017 06:55:50 UTC+11, wkasimer wrote:
> Many thanks to both of you -
>
> On Friday, February 17, 2017 at 1:35:32 PM UTC-5, OW wrote:
> > On Friday, February 17, 2017 at 10:41:13 AM UTC-6, Gerry wrote:
> > > On Friday, February 17, 2017 at 8:47:59 AM UTC-6, wkasimer wrote:
> > > > I'm thinking of attending a performance while in Chicago this spring. I've never been in Chicago's Orchestra Hall - where are the best seats for acoustics for orchestral music?
>

The gallery is very steep. If you are OK with heights then a good place. Seats very close together also.

Ray Hall, Taree

[Orchman]

On Friday, February 17, 2017 at 9:47:59 AM UTC-5, wkasimer wrote:
> I'm thinking of attending a performance while in Chicago this spring. I've never been in Chicago's Orchestra Hall - where are the best seats for acoustics for orchestral music?

Lower balcony, as close to front as you can get works for me....

[Tatonik]

I've had my best experiences in the first few rows of lower balcony,
too. I would say the very first row except I hate having my knees and
toes pressed up against the concrete wall at the edge of the balcony. I
guess there was enough room, but from a pyschological perspective, I
felt trapped.

My next choice would probably be the gallery, but it just feels too far
away (last time was Osmo Vanska conducting a Sibelius symphony). The
terrace behind the stage is an interesting experience, though it was
rather loud and bright (in this case, music by Elliot Carter). The few
times I have been on the main floor I have not been pleased. In the
center about halfway back the sound came across as slightly dull (a
Mitsuko Uchida piano recital), and near the stage to the right sounded
mudddy and boomy (Barenboim conducting Brahms' Symphony No. 1).

I've never been in any of the box seats. I've heard that the sound
there isn't that great, but I have no idea if it's true.

[O]

In article
<1n1n788.1vlazvf1c9mujjN%ca...@cometothephonerightnow.invalid>, Tatonik

I'll chime in on the lower balcony. I've only been once, and asked the
same question as Bill here, and got similar answers. I got the lower
balcony (row F) and the sound was fine - didn't hear any artifacts in
the sound, and others in my group were fine too.

-Owen

[Lawrence Chalmers]

On Friday, February 17, 2017 at 6:47:59 AM UTC-8, wkasimer wrote:

> I'm thinking of attending a performance while in Chicago this spring. I've never been in Chicago's Orchestra Hall - where are the best seats for acoustics for orchestral music?

Have any of you who's been there experienced the acoustic in hall as a bit dry?

[Pete Gayde]

Lawrence Chalmers <347chalm...@gmail.com> wrote in
news:7522fbaf-91a5-4cfc...@googlegroups.com:

I've sat in the Gallery for many years. Sound is good there, but don't sit
on the extreme left or right. From those seats, parts of the orchestra
sound like they are coming from the side wall.

Single tickets in the Gallery for non-subscribers are around $44.

I've sat in the Lower Balcony a few times, and the sound is quite good from
there. Depending on which area of the LB you're in, tickets are 2 to 3
times more expensive than the Gallery.

Pete Gayde

[OW]

Yes, it's a dry acoustic, but the sound is clear and has a nice in-your-face impact, which are nice compensations, especially with brass playing. To my ears, the only real drawback of the hall is that high-end string tone seems to suffer from being somewhat dampened and weighted down. It always makes me a bit wistful when I travel a few miles north of Chicago to Northwestern University and hear the college violinists soaring easily in the more resonant Pick-Staiger Hall, while the violin sections of one of the world's great orchestras have much more of a struggle to be heard at Orchestra Hall.

[joey7c...@yahoo.com]

I'll second this. The gallery is too far away, need a pair of opera glasses up there, and the CSO ain't no opera. Lower balcony front gets the best of all worlds, sound , view, access. Make sure to purchase seats on the left side if there's a pianist on the bill.

[nmsz...@gmail.com]

I recall being able to buy student tickets for weekday matinees during the Reiner and Hendl years. I can't recall where I got seated but was always happy about the sound, having a warm and intimate characteristic. But I'm pretty sure the hall was different in those days. For one thing, I don't recall seating above the stage rear.

[Paul Goodman]

Bill,

I was a subscriber for a lot of years. I still go, but I don't have a
subscription anymore because the drive into Chicago and other logistics
just got to be too much. When I was a subscriber, my seats were on the
main floor on the left side of the hall. The sound was ok, but since
then, all of my seats have been in the lower balcony. I love it up
there and even though it is more expensive to sit there, I think it is
worth it.

--
Paul Goodman

[Mark Zimmer]

On Friday, February 17, 2017 at 8:47:59 AM UTC-6, wkasimer wrote:

> I'm thinking of attending a performance while in Chicago this spring. I've never been in Chicago's Orchestra Hall - where are the best seats for acoustics for orchestral music?

My wife got me tickets as a birthday present last year, for the fourth row of the main floor, slightly stage right of the conductor. The sound was marvelous there, FWIW. Both the first violin and the first cello were featured so it was a great spot to hear and see them both.

Mark

[Adam Dubin]

On Friday, February 17, 2017 at 8:47:59 AM UTC-6, wkasimer wrote:

> I'm thinking of attending a performance while in Chicago this spring. I've never been in Chicago's Orchestra Hall - where are the best seats for acoustics for orchestral music?

For years my subscription seats have been in the center section of the main floor, about 10th row. I love the sound from these seats. They are pricey, though, I admit.