The Effect of Concert Hall Acoustics on the Work of a Conductor
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The effect of concert hall acoustics on the work of a conductor Eero Lehtimäki School of Electrical Engineering Thesis submitted for examination for the degree of Master of Science in Technology. Helsinki May 2, 2019 Supervisor Prof. Tapio Lokki Advisor Dr Jukka Pätynen Copyright c 2019 Eero Lehtimäki • Aalto University, P.O. BOX 11000, 00076 AALTO www.aalto.fi Abstract of the master’s thesis Author Eero Lehtimäki Title The effect of concert hall acoustics on the work of a conductor Degree programme Computer, Communication and Information Sciences Major Acoustics and Audio Technology Code of major ELEC3030 Supervisor Prof. Tapio Lokki Advisor Dr Jukka Pätynen Date May 2, 2019 Number of pages 52 Language English Abstract Concert hall acoustics has been studied with listening tests to understand subjective listening experiences and with acoustical measurements to study the physics of sound. On-stage conditions have been studied to find out how well musicians hear themselves and each other. However, there is no research on how the balance between the members of the orchestra is achieved in concert halls. Especially, studies on the possible differences in how the balance is perceived on stage and in the audience are absent. In this thesis, the effects of concert hall acoustics on musical performances and solutions to occurring problems were investigated. A questionnaire was created to study how the acoustics affects the performance from conductors’ viewpoint and 69 orchestral conductors were personally invited to participate. The questionnaire was submitted by 25 conductors, and their answers were analysed to map dynamic and temporal problems appearing in concert halls. Many conductors report the problem of having unequal balance between positions on stage and in the audience. The participants reported that for them the most important features of concert halls are reverberation, balance and the connection between musicians. Favourite concert halls were also named, and the four most popular concert halls among the participants all represent the traditional “shoebox” design. Most of the conductors feel that they have to make compromises in their musical interpretation often due to the acoustics. Balance and dynamics were the most commonly reported aspects of performance that the conductors have changed because of a concert hall. Several commonly used solutions to study the difference in the perceived acoustics between on-stage conditions and the audience were evaluated by the participants and they were also given the opportunity to present an additional solution of their own. The most preferred solution was letting the orchestra play without conductor while personally listening in the audience. A technology-based solution was also suggested but it was not well-received among the participants. Further research and measurements are needed to understand this inequality of perception and to find ways to fix it. Keywords Concert hall, acoustics, conductor, orchestra, music Aalto-yliopisto, PL 11000, 00076 AALTO www.aalto.fi Diplomityön tiivistelmä Tekijä Eero Lehtimäki Työn nimi Konserttisaliakustiikan vaikutus kapellimestarin työhön Koulutusohjelma Tieto-, tietoliikenne- ja informaatiotekniikan maisteriohjelma Pääaine Akustiikka ja äänenkäsittely Pääaineen koodi ELEC3030 Työn valvoja Prof. Tapio Lokki Työn ohjaaja TkT Jukka Pätynen Päivämäärä May 2, 2019 Sivumäärä 52 Kieli Englanti Tiivistelmä Konserttisaliakustiikkaa on tutkittu kuuntelukokeilla yleisön yksilöllisten kuuloko- kemusten selvittämiseksi sekä akustisilla mittauksilla. Esiintymislavalla on tutkittu muusikoiden keskeistä kuuluvuutta sekä sitä, miten hyvin muusikot kuulevat itsensä. Tutkimusta siitä, miten orkesterin jäsenten keskinäinen balanssi toteutuu konserttisa- leissa ei kuitenkaan ole tutkittu. Erityisesti puuttuu tutkimusta siitä, miten balanssi kuullaan mahdollisesti eri tavalla esiintymislavalla ja yleisössä. Tässä tutkielmassa selvitettiin konserttisaliakustiikan vaikutuksia musiikilliseen esiintymistilanteeseen sekä mahdollisia ongelmia ratkaisuineen kartoitettiin. Aihetta tutkittiin kapellimes- tareiden näkökulmasta luomalla kyselytutkimus, joka lähetettiin 69 kapellimestarille. Kyselyyn vastasi 25 kapellimestaria, ja vastauksia analysoimalla selvitettiin dyna- miikkaan ja ajoitukseen liittyviä ongelmia. Useat kapellimestarit raportoivat, että heille tärkeimpiä konserttisalien ominaisuuksia ovat jälkikaiunta, balanssi ja muusi- koiden välinen yhteys. He myös nimesivät suosikkikonserttisalinsa. Neljä vastaajien kesken suosituinta salia ovat kaikki perinteisiä “kenkälaatikkosaleja.” Suurin osa kapellimestareista koki joutuvansa tekemään kompromisseja musiikillisesta tulkin- nastaan usein konserttisaliakustiikan vuoksi. Balanssi ja dynamiikka olivat useimmin nimetyt esityksen osa-alueet, joita he olivat joutuneet muuttamaan akustiikan vuoksi. Vastaajat arvioivat monia usein käytettyjä ratkaisuja lavan ja yleisön väliseen kuulo- kuvan eron selvittämiseen sekä kertoivat halutessaan oman ratkaisuehdotuksensa. Suosituin ratkaisu oli antaa orkesterin soittaa ilman kapellimestaria samalla, kun kapellimestari itse käy kuuntelemassa yleisön puolella. Tähän esitettiin myös teknistä ratkaisua, mutta se ei saanut suosiota vastaajien keskuudessa. Näiden kuulokuvan erojen ymmärtämiseksi tarvitaan lisää tutkimuksia sekä akustisia mittauksia. Avainsanat Konserttisali, akustiikka, kapellimestari, orkesteri, musiikki 5 Preface I am very grateful for Professor Tapio Lokki and my instructor Dr Jukka Pätynen for gently pushing me across the finish line. Many people—myself included—already thought it would be impossible for me to finish my master’s degree in acoustics while building a career as a conductor and a musician. I am glad that they helped me prove myself wrong. I want to thank my parents Kaija and Olavi for keeping reminding me that I should one day continue studying science. They suggested it could happen when I retire. I never told them that I kept studying for my master’s degree in secret, and the moment when they will find out will be when they will see this thesis. There is a risk that orchestral conductors never retire, so I had no time to waste. My little brother Lauri deserves my biggest congratulations for graduating before I did—even though he also did a degree in music first. You know, it sucks to lose to your little brother but I am happy that he was as a good example for me and dragged me behind. And last but not least, I want to thank my fiancée and soon-to-be-wife Anniina for being my inspiration and support. She once promised, as a joke, that she would make a sandwich cake for my graduation party if I ever graduate as a master of science. At the time, she probably did not see that the risk could ever be realized. Helsinki, May 2, 2019 Eero A. Lehtimäki 6 Contents Abstract 3 Abstract (in Finnish) 4 Preface 5 Contents 6 Abbreviations 8 1 Introduction 9 1.1 The aim of the thesis ........................... 9 2 Background 11 2.1 History of conducting ........................... 12 3Earlierresearch 14 3.1 Stage acoustics .............................. 14 3.2 Perceptual evaluation ........................... 14 4 Method 17 4.1 Questionnaire participants ........................ 17 4.2 Musical background ............................ 17 4.3 Concert hall acoustics .......................... 18 4.4 The effects of the hall ........................... 18 4.5 Dynamic problems ............................ 19 4.6 Temporal problems ............................ 20 4.7 Different perception of the acoustics in the audience vs. on stage ... 20 4.8 Possible solutions ............................. 21 4.9 Submission ................................ 21 5 Results 22 5.1 Questionnaire participants ........................ 22 5.2 Musical background ............................ 22 5.3 Concert hall acoustics .......................... 23 5.4 The effects of the hall ........................... 24 5.5 Dynamic problems ............................ 25 5.6 Temporal problems ............................ 26 5.7 Different perception of the acoustics in the audience vs. on stage ... 27 5.8 Possible solutions ............................. 28 6 Discussion 33 6.1 Questionnaire participants ........................ 33 6.2 Musical background ............................ 34 6.3 Concert hall acoustics .......................... 34 7 6.4 The effects of the hall ........................... 36 6.5 Dynamic problems ............................ 37 6.6 Temporal problems ............................ 40 6.7 Different perception of the acoustics in the audience vs. on stage ... 41 6.8 Possible solutions ............................. 43 7 Conclusion 47 References 48 8 Abbreviations C80 clarity EDT early delay time EEL early ensemble level G strength LFL lateral energy fraction T30 reverberation time T60 reverberation time SDI surface diffusivity index SPL sound pressure level STearly early support STlate late support 1 Introduction The concert hall is a strong symbol of classical music. It is a space which has been specially designed for audiences to optimally enjoy concert performances and acousticians are all the time searching for ways to create better and better halls. However, the quest for the best concert hall faces huge challenges arising from the subjectivity of preference. Concert events are holistic experiences and even if the acoustical part could be clinically separated, it alone consists of numerous components and attributes, e.g. envelopment, clarity, and reverberance. The shortness of human auditory memory also