Cincinnati's Music Hall; a Century of Continuity and Change

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Nearly 6,000 people crowded into the auditorium of Music Hall for the opening ceremonies in May, J-878, The hall provided Cincinnati with the most elaborate and extensive facilities for musical performances then existing in the country. Cincinnati's Music Hall; A Century of Continuity and Change

by Robert T. Gifford

hen the third May Music Festival began on May 14, 1878, Cincinnati's Wimpressive new Music Hall was dedicated. Outside the hall, a crowd of over 10,000 people stood around "gazing at the great brilliantly lighted structure and watching the cars and carriages as they deposited their gaily-dressed loads at the entrance of the hall."1 Nearly 6,000 people crowded into the auditorium for the opening ceremonies at which Reuben Springer, who had initiated the project in 1875, received a tumultuous ovation. The new building provided Cincinnati with the most elaborate and extensive facilities for musical performances then existing in the United States. Music Hall was tangible evidence of the city's social, economic, and cultural growth. Its completion marked the beginning of a one hundred year tradition of continuous service and usefulness that has been characterized by both continuity and change. Throughout its long and colorful history, Music Hall has been suc- cessfully adapted to the changing needs of succeeding generations of Cin- cinnatians through sensitive remodeling and renovation which has retained the best of the old, while incorporating the new. After one hundred years, Music Hall remains America's third largest concert hall and opera house, and one of its very finest.2 By the spring of 1878, the great gabled central section of Music Hall had been completed. Constructed in the amazingly short time of one year, the "modified, modernized Gothic" facade towered over the surrounding buildings, and stretched 178 feet along Elm Street.3 Massive and impressive as the building was in 1878, it became even more so when the adjoining North and South wings were completed in 1879, and the building assumed its full 372 foot length. Because of its large scale, and the prominence of its 150 foot high central gable, Music Hall became an immediate landmark for the entire area.

Seen from the neighboring hilltops, the Cincinnati Music Hall looms up over all other buildings of the city, and reaches above some of the church spires. It is a grand pile that impresses one, even at a distance, with a sense of its dignity and purpose.4

It was not only the exterior of the building that impressed the visitor in 1878,

79 but the interior as well. The prime focus for attention was the main auditorium with its handsome entrance vestibules and broad, commodious circulation spaces. For generations of Cincinnatians, these have continued to be the most familiar areas of the complex. While the North and South wings have played an important role in increasing the versatility and usefulness of the complex, the heart of Music Hall has always been the main auditorium. It is here that the May Music Festivals, Symphony concerts, and, more recently, the Summer Opera performances have occurred. And it is here, also, that one finds the most striking examples of the continuity and change that have characterized the entire later history of the Music Hall complex. One of Music Hall's primary beauties in 1878 was its spacious and elegant forty-two foot high grand vestibule. With its encircling gallery, tiled floor, handsome paneling, and Corinthian columns raised on pedestals, it was a room that would have been the pride of any city in the country. It was adjoined at either side by twenty foot high north and south vestibules which contained the stairways to the upper floors, and which also led to the eighteen foot wide corridors that ran along each side of the auditorium. These entrance areas were wisely planned to accommodate the immense crowds of people who flocked into Music Hall that May. The 1878 Festival program described the vestibule as "a royal approach to the auditorium beyond," and further suggested that it

will more than all else be a source of surprise to the visitor. This beautiful room is simply a lobby, a waiting place in which to take off your wraps, in which to pass to the part of the hall where you intend to sit, and so avoid the disagreeable crossing and confusion of the interior. It is a room where between the parts persons may promenade. In its size and fittings it is certainly unique, but eminently characteristic of the whole structure and its conception.5

Indeed, the vestibule received unanimous praise during the Festival. It "seemed, even when throgged, as broad as a public square."6 The Chicago Tribune found it to be "one of the charms of the hall, not only for its great size, but for the good taste which characterizes it in embellishment and design."7 As a confirmation of that judgement, the vestibule remains today almost exactly as it appeared in 1878. The auditorium, in the meantime, has undergone very substantial alteration, and bears little resemblance to its 1878 counterpart. As completed in 1878, the Music Hall auditorium was a large, rather se- verely decorated hall, 112 feet wide, 192 feet long and 64 feet high. Deliberately designed to accommodate both music festivals and industrial expositions, it featured a raised stage at its west end which was 56 feet deep and 112 feet wide. The focal point of the hall was the great Hook & Hastings organ which occupied center stage, and around which the seats for the chorus and orchestra

80 The soundness of architect Samuel Hannaford's original design has been proven again and again.

A small hall, located on the third floor directly above the two story vestibule, could accommodate 1,200 people. It was named Dexter Hall, after Julius Dexter, Chairman of the Building Committee. Dexter Hall was also used by the College of Music for recitals and other musical performances. were arranged. It had been decided to use temporary seats rather than permanent risers and platforms so that the stage would be flat and free for other uses. For similar reasons, the auditorium floor was given a very shallow rise of four feet eight inches from front to rear. In addition to movable seats for the audience on the main floor, the hall contained a dress circle, which curved around the sides and rear, and a balcony at the east end. Free standing iron columns, painted reddish-brown, were ranged along the sides of the hall. At the top of each, arched brackets curved inwardly to form a coved ceiling which was broken up in a rectangular pattern of beams and cross-beams. As the columns projected only five feet from the walls, the view from none of the seats was obstructed, and nowhere was one "made uncomfortable and disgusted by gazing at a pillar instead of the stage."8 Daylight flooded in through windows placed between the columns. At night the hall was lighted by gas. Perhaps the most unusual feature of the auditorium was its interior surface treatment. It was completely panelled with wood of the "despised" yellow poplar or tulip tree which, when oiled, produced "a lovely soft-toned brown that looks somewhat like oiled white walnut."9 A description of the auditorium, published in the New York Daily Tribune as a prelude to the Festival opening, mentioned both the wood interior and the organ:

The most striking feature about the hall is, perhaps, its color: it is entirely lined with the wood of the tulip tree, which is oiled, not varnished, and its color is very effective. The organ, which is in the centre of the stage, is brilliantly decorated; the pipes which show are in silver and gold, decorated in blue and the case is of wild cherry, elaborately carved. . . . It is the most effective thing about the hall, and adds wonderfully to its appearance.10

An additional feature of the new Music Hall which provoked a good deal of comment at the time was the "small" hall that was located on the third floor of the building, directly above the two story vestibule. Forty-six feet wide, one hundred and sixteen feet long, and thirty feet high, it had a simple stage at the south end, and could accommodate 1,200 people.11 It became known as Dexter Hall, after Julius Dexter who was secretary of the Board of Trustees and chairman of the Building Committee. If Cincinnati has been "Unprecedentedly Agog and Gotten Up To Kill" for the 1875 May Festival, the situation in 1878 made the earlier effort pale by comparison.12 Indeed, as the Chicago Tribune suggested, "preparations have been made upon such a scale as to indicate that the two former Festivals were experiments, or, we might say, rehearsals."13 Daily coverage of the Festival concerts was carried in newspapers all over the country. Reviews were universally enthusiastic, and the Cincinnati triumph was heralded on all fronts.

82 The critic from the New York World acknowledged the Festival as "the most notable event that has occurred in the musical history of this country," while the Chicago Tribune proclaimed '"the astonishing artistic success of the Cin- cinnati May Festival."14 Additional comments about the auditorium were frequently offered as the concerts continued. Acoustically, the hall was judged "a magnificent success."15 It was found that "the softest passages from the instruments and soloists are as distinctly audible in the balcony as anywhere else."16 This success was attributed by one critic to "the experiment of lining the whole auditorium with wood, to act as a sounding board."17 With its 4,428 seats, the hall was described as "in many ways the best on this continent, as well as incomparably the largest." 18 Some critics, however, found the starkness of the wood panelling a bit overwhelming:

As you step into the hall the first view is somewhat disappointing—not in its proportions, which are noble and grand, or in its outlines, which are broad and majestic, but in its color, which is the natural tint of the wood, and which meets your eye at every turn, unrelieved by even an indication of any other color. It is so neutral and sombre as to be monotonous A9

Criticisms aside, however, it was conceded that:

Cincinnati has the most elegant music hall in the country, and the most complete and convenient in all its equipment and surroundings. With its additional hall on the upper floor, which is an elegant room of itself, its spacious and well arranged corridors, promenades, anterooms, dressing rooms, and offices, it is perfectly adapted to the purpose for which it will be used.20

With the May Festival triumphantly concluded, attention could once again return to the construction of the Exposition buildings that were to adjoin Music Hall. On December 30, 1878, it was announced that "$105,433 had been raised by the Commissioners, over $5,000 more than the amount required, and that there were other sums yet to be reported."21 The news of the completed fund was happily proclaimed. The New York Times reported it "insures an exposition in 1879," and that "ground will be broken for the erection of new buildings as soon as weather permits."22 Construction began in March, 1879. As had been the case with Music Hall, an incredibly short time was allowed for the completion of the buildings. By this time, apparently, Cincinnati was ac- customed to getting things done in a hurry. By September 10, 1879, the North and South wings were completed for the opening festivities of the seventh Industrial Exposition which included a pa- rade with elephants, and a speech by President Rutherford B. Hayes. Con-

83 Reuben R. Springer's direct contribution to Music Hall amounted to $185,000. The remainder of the funds necessary for the building of the hall was subscribed by many individual citizens and Cincinnati firms.

John Rettig, a Cincinnati stage designer and artist, designed an elaborate proscenium arch, flanked by three tiers of round-arched stage boxes. This new stage arrangement, though temporary, was completed in 1881 in time for the first Cincinnati Opera Festival. structed at a cost of $451,294, the Music Hall complex had achieved its final exterior form.23 In the perspective of later developments, it is the versatility and adaptability of the buildings that have proven to be among their most important virtues. For within the completed buildings it has been possible to accommodate the numerous interior alterations that have been necessitated by changed uses and new needs in the intervening years. The soundness of architect Samuel Hannaford's original design—with its large spaces and carefully planned circulation patterns—has been proven again and again. Although the stage arrangement of the Music Hall auditorium was suitable for large scale music festivals, orchestra concerts, and other types of vocal and instrumental ensembles, it had severe limitations. Since there were no proscenium arch, curtain, or regular stage facilities, it was not possible to present opera, drama, or any event which required the use of scenery. This problem was brought home to the city only two years after the hall was completed. On August 3, 1880, the Music Hall trustees received a letter from George Ward Nichols, President of the College of Music, requesting the use of Music Hall during the spring of 1881 for an opera festival.24 In order to make this event possible, the stage had to be adapted. John Rettig, a Cincinnati stage designer and artist, subsequently designed an elaborate proscenium arch, flanked by three tiers of round-arched stage boxes, which extended across the entire width of the auditorium at the front of the existing stage area. The proscenium was 112 feet wide, and rose to the full height of the hall. The boxes were decorated in gold, and an orchestra pit was provided at the front of the stage.25 No alterations were made in the remainder of the auditorium, and the new stage arrangements were completed in time for the first Cincinnati Opera Festival which began on February 22, 1881. It was presented by the touring company of Colonel James Henry Mapleson, one of the century's great impresarios.26 The temporary proscenium was apparently very successful. Colonel Maple- son noted that "large as the stage was there was plenty of room for all and to spare . . . and the volume of tone resounding through the vast building was truly grand."27 The festival itself was a great success, and was repeated in 1882 and 1883, again under the aegis of Colonel Mapleson. For the 1882 festival, the slant of the auditorium floor was increased from four feet eight inches to nine feet to provide a better view of the stage.28 At the conclusion of this festival, Colonel Mapleson confirmed again the acoustic excellence of Music Hall:

The acoustic properties of the hall were simply perfect. Even in the extreme rear of the gallery, from where the artists on the stage appeared the size of Lilliputians, the softest tones could be distinctly heard.29 For the 1884 festival, the opera company of Henry E. Abbey, director of the recently opened Metropolitan Opera in New York, took the stage, and presented twelve performances in two weeks.30 In spite of the success of the first four opera festivals, difficulties on many fronts prevented their continuation on a regular basis. No festival was held in 1885, and the last in the series were presented in 1886 and 1887. John Rettig's proscenium was reconstructed for the 1886 festival, and a row of twenty-two boxes was installed which extended across the central part of the auditorium.31 The opera festivals had shown that the Music Hall stage arrangement was not adequate for all the purposes—musical alone—that the auditorium would have to serve. At the same time, the yearly Industrial Expositions were con- tinuing to make their demands on the hall for exhibition space. It was becoming increasingly clear that the main auditorium could not effectively meet all these diversified needs. The Music Hall trustees had been quite correct in 1877, when they suggested that a hall "perfectly adapted to the contrary uses of music or sound, and expositions or display is impossible of construction."32 Even earlier, in 1876, Julius Dexter had candidly admitted that "if the trustees of Music Hall had contemplated a building for musical entertainments alone, they would have adopted different plans."33 The need to use the auditorium as an exhibition space ended, of course, when the last Industrial Exposition was held in 1888. But the problem of the stage remained. It was the desire to solve this problem, along with others, that led to a major renovation of the auditorium interior in 1895 and 1896, at the conclusion of which it had taken its present form. In their i8g5 Annual Report, the Music Hall trustees called attention "to the diminished use of Music Hall," and suggested that it had become a "grave and urgent matter to ascertain the cause therefor, and, if possible, to provide a remedy."34 It was felt that defects in the auditorium were the main cause for the decline, and that if they were corrected the hall would regain its former usefulness and popularity. Many specific problems were mentioned, including unsatisfactory heating and ventilation, and an inadequate slope to the orchestra floor.35 The tulip wood walls and ceiling had "grown dark and gloomy with age," and were "not susceptible to any intelligent scheme of decoration."36 Most surprisingly, it was stated that "the acoustic properties of the hall are bad."37 If this was the case in 1895, earlier praise for the auditorium's acoustics from many sources had been overly enthusiastic. Perhaps the trustees were confusing acoustics with the admittedly cavernous character of the hall, whose extreme length prevented any real feeling of intimacy between audience and performers. The lack of suitable stage arrangements was also at the heart of the matter. It was pointed out that two prominent opera companies had been anxious to perform in Cincinnati that season, but had "found it impossible to procure a suitable place in which to give their performances, finding all other places

86 too small, and the expense of fitting up Music Hall for their purposes too great."38 To correct these difficulties, the trustees suggested "bringing the stage forward, reducing the height of the space above it, and constructing a proscenium arch."39 To further substantiate the need, the trustees stated that the criticisms of the hall "were shared by the architects who originally designed the buildings."40 Although the immediate concern was the main auditorium, the trustees noted that many changes could also be made in the Exposition buildings "which would largely add to their usefulness and to the public enjoyment."41 As it turned out, however, major improvements for the North and South wings were not to be forthcoming for over thirty years. Proposals for the Music Hall renovation were prepared by Samuel Hannaford & Sons and Alfred O. Elzner, another leading architect of the city, and sub- mitted in the spring of 1895. Elzner's proposal involved very substantial alterations that would have dramatically changed the character of the entrance areas, as well as the main auditorium.42 His plan was rejected by the Music Hall trustees in favor of the Samuel Hannaf ord design, which was much less radical, and confined almost exclusively to the main auditorium and backstage areas, leaving the existing vestibules and corridors intact. Even so, the total cost of the remodeling came to $120,000. Certainly the fact that Samuel Hannaford had been the architect of the original structure influenced the decision to award the commission to his firm.43 But perhaps even more important was the desire to proceed cautiously, and retain as much as possible of the old interior, which, by 1895, had devel- oped a tradition all its own. As expressed at the time:

The Board of Trustees were not unmindful of the grave responsibility which they assumed in remodeling the hall, which had become dear by association, and about which, in the minds of many, a strong sentiment existed.44

Work on the remodeling was begun on October 21, 1895, and completed in time for the May Music Festival of 1896.45 It was necessary to make sweeping changes in the main auditorium to bring it up to date. A proscenium wall was built across the hall, eight feet in front of the old stage line, with the stage itself extending fourteen feet forward. To increase the depth of the stage, the organ was moved back twelve feet, to the extreme rear wall of the auditorium. These changes increased the total stage depth from fifty-six to seventy feet. The curtain line was fifty-six feet from the rear, and the total width of the stage remained 112 feet as before.46 Two places were provided for the orchestra: a pit between the footlights and curtain, measuring fourteen by fifty feet; and an area in front of the stage which was separated from the audience by a brass rail.47 When not being used, the pit was covered,

87 and became part of the main stage floor. A double proscenium arch was installed. The main arch was seventy-two feet wide and fifty-fivefee t high. At the rear of the arch—at the curtain line— hydraulically powered panels could be extended and lowered to reduce the width to fifty feet, and the height to thirty-five feet.48 This was an important feature since it made the stage adaptable for large-scale music festivals, as well as productions using scenery. The stage itself was fitted out with a rigging loft or gridiron seventy-two feet high, fly galleries, and a full range of other appa- ratus, all of which was not installed by May, 1896. The areas at the sides of the stage, on the first and second floors, were remodeled to provide increased dressing room facilities. As a whole, the auditorium was provided with one of the largest and best equipped stages in the country which, with some later improvements, has continued to meet the needs of performers to the present time. The seating area of the auditorium was, for all practical purposes, gutted. The wood paneling on the walls was removed, the existing dress circle and balcony taken out, the ceiling lowered five feet, and the slope of the orchestra floor heightened to eight feet. A new dress circle and balcony were constructed, both of which curved around three sides of the hall, and which were sup- ported by thin metal columns. New, fully upholstered chairs were installed, and the seating capacity reduced from 4,428 to 3,623.49 The new walls and ceiling of the auditorium were plastered, as all the other interior walls of the Music Hall had been since 1878. The side walls of the auditorium above the balcony contained round-arched windows, separated by pilasters. The ceiling was articulated by deeply coffered panels—a large panel at the center, surrounded by smaller panels with decorative bosses at their centers. Coffering, on a much reduced scale, was also used to decorate the underside of the main proscenium arch. The new interior design echoed that of the original main vestibule, and visual continuity throughout the interior was thus increased. The acoustics of the hall were a matter of great concern throughout the renovation process. At the conclusion of the remodeling the trustees "confi- dently believed that the acoustic properties have been much improved, and that experience will demonstrate this fact."50 They were, of course, happily correct. Music Hall's magnificent acoustics are renowned throughout the country. Many other smaller changes were made throughout Music Hall. A new heating and ventilation system, and new plumbing were installed. The organ was cleaned and tuned, and floors and roofs were repaired. Electric wiring was installed, together with new gas and electric fixtures. The old stage in Dexter Hall was removed, and the walls and ceiling redecorated. The hall was to retain its original uses, but also to serve as a foyer for the new balcony.51 The 1896 remodeling transformed the main auditorium from a starkly se-

88 In 1895 A. O. Elzner presented a proposal for substantial alterations which would have dramatically changed the grand vestibule. The Music Hall trustees rejected Elzner''s plan in favor of a renovation plan proposed by the original architect, Samuel Hannaford. The remodeling begun in October i8gs was complete in time for the 1896 May Festival. A double proscenium arch was installed, the stage extended fourteen feet forward, and the organ moved back twelve feet. A new dress circle and balcony were constructed both of which curved around three sides of the hall. Newly fully upholstered chairs were installed and seating capacity reduced by 800 seats. Its handsome entrance vestibules and broad commodious circulation spaces continued intact. It still remained "a room where between the parts persons may promenade." Today the vestibule is almost exactly as it appeared in 1878. vere multi-purpose hall into a beautifully proportioned, handsomely detailed, and eminently functional concert hall and theater which was, for the first time, an appropriate complement to the gracefully elegant entrance vestibule. The new auditorium was certainly among the most beautiful in the United States when it was completed. Compared with the garish opulence of many recent concert halls, its understated grandeur appears all the finer today. The renovation of Music Hall's North and South wings, which was first suggested by the Trustees in 1895, was not actually begun until 1927. At its completion, the North wing had become a 6,000 seat sports arena as well as an exhibition space. The South wing was remodeled to provide exhibition space on the first floor, and a ballroom with banquet facilities on the second floor. The wings were redesigned to serve a wide variety of purposes, and could be used either individually or in conjunction with Music Hall. Their spaciousness and adaptability made them a natural focus for an ongoing series of civic events.52 The Central Parkway facade of the complex was also remodeled. The major visual change was the removal of the handsome mansard roofs and projecting gables that graced the corner pavilions of the wings, and their replacement by parapets with low gabled sections at the center. In addition, entrance lobbies to both Music Hall and the wings were provided by constructing projecting entrances in front of what was formerly the space between the buildings which, in the rear half of the complex, had been enclosed to serve as corridors at an earlier date. Interior redecoration of the buildings occurred in 1936-37 and again in 1955, but in neither case were structural changes made to alter the interiors as they were established in 1878, 1896 and 1927.5s The Elm Street facade remains almost exactly as it appeared in 1879, something of a minor miracle in itself. The most recent renovation of the Music Hall complex was begun in the summer of 1969, and completed in 1973. Exterior work included sandblasting, which revealed the magnificent polychrome brickwork, and the construction of a projecting canopy in front of the five entrances of the central section on Elm Street. The first phase of the renovation was concluded in June, 1970, and also consisted of extensive interior improvements. Air conditioning, new wiring and lighting, plumbing and restroom fixtures were installed. A new Green Room, library, conductor's suite and additional dressing rooms were provided on the first floor of the South wing, as well as offices for the symphony, opera and ballet. The second floor ballroom continues in active use. An escalator to the second and third floors was unobtrusively placed in Music Hall's south vestibule, and carpeting installed in all the corridors. The auditorium and all public spaces were redecorated in red, white and gold, and new chandeliers and velours draperies installed.54

93 The major purpose for the second phase of the renovatipn was to revamp the stage facilities for the Cincinnati Summer Opera which, for fifty years, had been performing at the Cincinnati Zoo. While the 1896 remodeling had gone a long way toward updating the stage, additional improvements were needed to provide a fully equipped opera theater. As Music Hall is the home of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, it was not desired to have a permanent orchestra pit separating the stage from the audience. The problem was solved by extending the stage further into the auditorium, and installing a hydraulic lift under most of it—thus allowing either a sunken pit or full concert stage. A sophisticated electronic system of stage lighting was installed, as well as new rigging and other equipment to provide complete facilities for the most elaborate production needs. In the renovation process, the North wing was converted from athletic arena to rehearsal hall for the Cincinnati Symphony, as well as a carpenter shop and scenery storage area, with space for storing the sets for more than forty operas. Cincinnati's exhibition and convention needs, which the Music Hall complex had met since 1879, were taken over by the new Convention and Exposition Center which was completed in 1967.55 Also completely refurbished was the former Dexter Hall on Music Hall's third floor,whic h is now appropriately known as the Corbett Tower to recognize the important role that Mr. and Mrs. J. Ralph Corbett have played in making the renovation possible. At the completion of the renovation, Music Hall's long and varied history of successful adaptation to new needs was fittingly climaxed. While the uses for which the North and South wings were originally planned have changed considerably through the years, they have continued to perform an important role in increasing the overall flexibility and versatility of the complex, and have provided for activities which Music Hall alone could not have accommodated. As adjunct facilities for the increasingly vital Music Hall, the wings will con- tinue to play an active, albeit less public, role in supporting the Cincinnati Symphony, Summer Opera, May Festivals, and the other activities that main- tain and enhance Cincinnati's longstanding tradition of musical leadership and excellence. The significance of the Music Hall complex extends considerably beyond its somewhat hallowed associations in Cincinnati. Although its marvelously eclectic architecture has provoked many gently disparaging comments through the years, the building's exterior must be recognized as one of the outstanding examples of High Victorian Gothic architecture in the United States, and certainly one of the largest. The Music Hall facade is an intricate combination of architectural forms and decorative motifs—and a most successful one. Gables, towers and wings merge into a unified whole, with even the smallest details contributing markedly to the richness of the overall effect. The transition from the lofty expanse of the central gable to the almost domestically scaled side wings is beautifully ef-

94 Although the Elm Street side of Music Hall is, in 1978, almost exactly as it appeared in 1879, the Central Parkway facade was remodeled in 192,7. This renovation involved removing the mansard roofs and projecting cables and replacing them with parapets with low gabled sections at the center. FIRST FLOOR PLAN CINCINNATI MUSIC HALL

The 192,7 renovation included the North and South wings of the building. The North wing became a sports arena as well as an exhibition space. SECOND FLOOR PLAN CINCINNATI MUSIC HALL

The South wing provided exhibition space on the first floor and a ballroom with banquet facilities on the second floor. In the early twentieth century industrial shows and home beautiful expositions used the North Hall and ballroom floor for all types of displays. fected by the towers and the repetition of the gable motif across the facade. The bold projection and recession of the individual sections produce lively patterns of light and shadow which emphasize the building's massive solidity. Black brick and white stone are used lavishly to create richly decorative wall surfaces. They define window openings, doorways and other details, and ex- tend across the entire red brick facade at several levels as horizontal string courses. The consistency of this coloristic surface treatment plays a decisive role in unifying the sections of the building, and provides considerable visual delight when examined closely. Indeed, as suggested in 1878, "the success of Mr. Hannaford, who made this design, is a very marked one."56 It is "a fine specimen of artistic work . . . beautiful in its unity and rarity of effects and delightful in the brilliant color of the material."57 The Music Hall buildings are also significant in the history of performing arts architecture in the United States. Their multi-functional spaces established, at an early date, the parameters of what has later become the performing arts center—a non-profit facility, consisting of a single building or group of buildings, which provides for a wide range of cultural activities. In 1879, the Music Hall and Exposition buildings contained two concert halls, art galleries, and other large spaces that could adapt to any number of uses, and which could function either individually or together. The complex appears to have been America's earliest municipally owned arts center—a building type that has only recently appeared on the American scene in large numbers. Music Hall's unique, publically owned, non-profit status was recognized in 1894 by Henry E. Krehbiel, one of America's outstanding music critics, who suggested:

This Music Hall, it should be borne in mind, is a public institution, a gift to the city, though under the control of a self-perpetuative and incorpo- rated organization of citizens; it is not a private enterprise like the Music Hall built by Mr. Carnegie in New York.58

It is unusual to find any nineteenth century American concert hall which was not, in some measure, a profit-making venture. In no other case was there a complex of buildings erected as a public amenity, whose sole purpose was serving the performing arts, social and cultural needs of a city.59 As indicated earlier, the main auditorium in Music Hall, with 4,428 seats, was the largest permanent concert hall in the United States when completed in 1878. Its closest competitors, the Academy of Music in Philadelphia and the Boston Music Hall, seated 3,ooo.60 Even the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, completed in 1883, seated only 3,500. Music Hall remained the largest American concert hall until 1896, when its seating capacity was reduced to 3,623, and it was surpassed by the 4,237 seats in Chicago's Audi- torium Theater which opened in 1889. Auditorium size, of course, is not the

99 ABOVE FOTEI

The most recent renovation of Music Hall began in the summer of 1969 and concluded in 1973. It consisted of extensive interior improvements. A major purpose of this renovation was to revamp the stage facilities for the Cincinnati Summer Opera. Dexter Hall on the third floor was completely refurbished and named Corbett Tower to recognize the important role Mr. and Mrs. J. Ralph Corbett played in this project. most important criterion. No matter how large or small a concert hall, it will not be successful unless its acoustics are excellent. The comments of the Music Hall trustees in 1895 notwithstanding, it appears that the hall's acoustics were very excellent even before the major renovation of 1896. Since that time, they have been universally acclaimed as outstanding. As the acoustical problems that have befallen many recent concert halls have demonstrated, even the most carefully planned schemes can go astray.61 Acoustic excellence is a prized commodity whenever it occurs. From its very beginning, the Music Hall project possessed the broad base of public support and interest which is essential for the survival of any cultural institution. Built by the people and owned by the people, it was designed to function in the best interests of all the citizens of Cincinnati. The city's love affair with Music Hall has not been without its moments of disillusionment, but throughout its long history, Cincinnatians have wisely recognized the many virtues of the building, and resisted the temptation to abandon it for a new facility when it was not adequately meeting current needs. The ongoing program of remodeling that has occurred since 1878 has represented historic preservation efforts at their very finest although the refurbishing of the complex has never been couched in those terms.62 As Music Hall begins its second century of continuous service, the recent renovation of the building has opened up a new chapter of usefulness which will insure its continued viability in the future. Music Hall is as important to Cincinnati today as it was in 1878, and repre- sents one of the finest traditions of a tradition loving city. In providing for the needs of important institutions in the life of the city, it has become an institution itself. At the conclusion of the 1878 May Festival, Cincinnati was basking in the warm glow of successful accomplishment, and expressing hopes for the future of the newly dedicated Music Hall:

Though the festival is ended, the hall remains, as commodious, as nearly perfect acoustically and architecturally as before the first note was struck. And we all unite in the hope that it may call us all together again from year to year, to richer and yet richer feasts of music.63

One hundred years later, Music Hall continues to do just that.

ROBERT T. GIFFORD received a Master of Arts degree in architectural history at Cornell University in 1973. His thesis was "The Cincinnati Music Hall and Exposition Buildings." He lives and teaches in Montreal, Canada.

C1) "Feast of Song-The Music Hall Dedi- 1878, p. 3. cated," Cincinnati Commercial, May 15, (2) With a current seating capacity of 3,642,

IOI Music Hall is surpassed only by Louis (21) "Our Next Exposition: Nearly Sullivan's Auditorium Theater in Chicago $107,000 Raised, and Reuben Springer's with 4,237 seats, and the Metropolitan Opera $50,000 Secured," Cincinnati Daily Gazette, House at Lincoln Center which seats 3,800. December 31, 1878, p. 10. (3) "Cincinnati Music Hall and Proposed (22) "Cincinnati Proposes an Exposition," Additions for Exposition Halls," Cincinnati New York Times, December 31, 1878, p. 2. Daily Gazette, January 21, 1878, p. 1. (23) Cincinnati Music Hall Association. (4) "The Music Hall Facade: A Study of Its Annual Report for the Year Ending April Architectural Design and Ornamentation," 2.9, 1882. (Cincinnati: Bloch & Co., Printers, Cincinnati Daily Gazette, March 12,1878, 1882), pp. 13-14. p. 8. (24) Cincinnati Music Hall Association. (5) Music Festival Association, The Cin- Golden Jubilee, Cincinnati Music Hall: cinnati Music Hall and May Festival, 1878 1878-1928 (Cincinnati: Cincinnati Music (Cincinnati: Music Festival Association, Hall Association, 1928)^.33. 1878), p. 12. (25) Joseph E. Holliday, "Cincinnati Opera (6) "The Cincinnati Music Festival," Cin- Festivals During the Gilded Age," Bulletin cinnati Commercial, May 20, 1878, p. 8. of the Cincinnati Historical Society, Vol. (7) "The Cincinnati Festival Opens With a 24, No. 2 (April, 1966) p. 136. Successful Concert," Chicago Tribune, (26) Golden Jubilee, p. 39. May 15, 1878, p. 5. (27) James Henry Mapleson, The Mapleson (8) "The Cincinnati Music Hall-The Audi- Memoirs—The Career of an Operatic torium," Cincinnati Commercial, March 19, Impresario: 1858-1888. Edited and anno- 1878, p. 8. tated by Harold Rosenthal (London: (9) Music Festival Association, The Cin- Putnam and Company Ltd., 1966) p. 142. cinnati Music Hall and May Festival, (28) Holliday, "Cincinnati Opera Festivals," 1878, p. 16. p. 136. (10) "Cincinnati's Musical Festival—A (29) Mapleson, The Mapleson Memoirs, Description of the Great Hall and Its p. 151. Beautiful Decoration," New York Daily (30) The Metropolitan Opera House opened Tribune, May 14, 1878, p. 5. on October 22, 1883. Holliday, "Cincinnati (11) "The Music Hall," Cincinnati Daily Opera Festivals," pp. 144-145. Gazette, April 14, 1877, p. 10. (31) Ibid., pp. 147-148. The proscenium was (12) "Cincinnati Unprecedented Agog and a temporary affair that could be relatively Gotten Up to Kill," Chicago Tribune, easily reconstructed each time it was needed May 12,1875, p. 3. for the opera festivals. (13) "The Cincinnati Festival," Chicago (32) Cincinnati Music Hall Association. Tribune, April 21, 1878, p. 4. First Annual Report for the Year Ending (14) "The Cincinnati Festival," New York April 30,1877 (Cincinnati: Printed for the World, May 15, 1878, p. 5. "Astonishing Association, 1877) p. 24. Artistic Success of the Cincinnati May (33) "The Late Exposition Buildings," Festival," Chicago Tribune, May 17, Cincinnati Daily Gazette, November 27, 1878, p. 5. 1876, p. 8. (15) "The Festival," Cincinnati Daily (34) Cincinnati Music Hall Association. Gazette, May 15, 1878, p. 1. Annual Report for the Year Ending April (16) Ibid. 30, 1895 (Cincinnati: Keating & Co. 1895) (17) "The Musical Festival-A Day of p. 10. Triumphs in Cincinnati," New York Daily (35) Apparently, the increased slope of the Tribune, May 15, 1878, p. 5. floor that had been provided for the 1882 (18) Ibid. Opera Festival was a temporary improve- (19) Chicago Tribune, May 15, 1878, p. 5. ment. Indeed, with the increased slope, the (20) Ibid. auditorium floor would have been unsuitable

IO2 for the Expositions. nati: Cincinnati Music Hall Association, (36) 1895 Annual Report, p. 12. 1955) P- 3- (37) Ibid. (54) Music Hall Renovation Committee. (38) Ibid., p. 11. Music Hall, June, 1970. Music Hall Dedica- (39) Ibid., p. 12. tion Weekend, June 5, 6, 7,1970 (Cincin- (40) Ibid. An additional reason for the reno- nati: Music Hall Renovation Committee, vation may have been to provide a more 1970) unpaged. suitable home for the Cincinnati Symphony ( 55 ) "The Best of Both Worlds," Progres- Orchestra which was permanently organized sive Architecture, November, 1972, p. 97. in 1895, after a previous history which dated Claudette Nebelsick McCarty, A History of back to the late 1870's and the orchestra Music Hall and Tour Guide (Cincinnati: that Theodore Thomas directed at the Under the Auspices of the Women's Com- College of Music. mittee of the Cincinnati Summer Opera (41) Ibid. Association, 1973) pp. 18-19. (42) "First of the Plans Proposed for Re- (56) Cincinnati Daily Gazette, March 12, modeling Music Hall and Making It 1878, p. 8. Available for Modern Uses," Cincinnati (57) Cincinnati Commercial, March 19, Commercial Gazette, March 7, 1895, p. 9. 1878, p. 8. (43) Samuel Hannaford was born in ( 58 ) Henry Edward Krehbiel, "Cincinnati Devonshire, England on April 7, 1835, and and Its Music Festivals," Harper's Weekly, moved to the United States with his family May 12, 1894, p. 442. Carnegie Hall was in 1844, where they settled on a farm near opened on May 5, 1891 and seats approxi- Cincinnati. He received his architectural mately 3,000. Even with the completion of training in Cincinnati, and opened his own Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center in office in 1857. He retired about 1896, and September, 1962, it remains New York's his sons took over the firm. As Music Hall largest concert hall. Like the Metropolitan was one of his major early commissions, it Opera House and Chicago's Auditorium was appropriate that he should cap his Theater, it contained income producing active practice by supervising its renovation. stores and studios. Hannaford died on January 7, 1911. (59) Although the exact ownership arrange- (44) Cincinnati Music Hall Association. ments and status are unclear, it appears Annual Report for the Year Ending April that both the Philadelphia Academy of 30, 1896 (Cincinnati: Keating & Co., 1896) Music and the Boston Music Hall were p. 41. non-profit institutions. (45) Ibid. The remodeling plans are in the (60) The Academy of Music was opened collection of the Cincinnati Historical on January 21, 1857. The Boston Music Hall Society. was erected in 1859. (46) Ibid., p. 12. (61) Philharmonic Hall, now Avery Fisher (47) Cincinnati Music Hall Association. Hall, at Lincoln Center is a prime example Annual Report for the Year Ending April The 2,900 seat hall was an acoustical dis- 30, 1897 (Cincinnati: Webb Stationary & aster. Repeated attempts to improve the Printing Co., 1897) p. 33. situation led to a complete reconstruction of (48) Ibid., p. 32. the interior in 1976, at the conclusion of (49) 1896 Annual Report, pp. 13-14. which acoustic success was finally achieved. (50) Ibid., p. 15. (62) In January, 1970, Music Hall was (51) Ibid., p. 14. added to the National Register of Historic (52) Golden Jubilee, pp. 50-52. Places of the United States Department of (53) Cincinnati Music Hall Association. the Interior. Cincinnati Music Hall, 1878-1955, in Its (63) "The Festival: The Greatest Art Suc- 77th Year of Service to the Citizens of cess in America," Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Cincinnati and Their Neighbors (Cincin- May 18, 1878, p. 1.

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