Bridgewater Hall
Manchester's world
famous Hallé Orchestra performed for much of its
history in the Free Tade Hall on Peter Street. The
Hallé is Britain's longest established professional
symphony orchestra. It was founded in Manchester by
the pianist and conductor Charles Hallé in 1858 and it
gave its first concert in the Free Trade Hall that
year. The Hallé moved to the Bridgewater Hall in 1996.
The architectural practice of Renton
Howard Wood Levin designed this international concert
hall and Rob Harris of Arup Acoustics designed the
acoustics. In the image below, shown here with the
generous permission of Len Grant, you
can see the ground preparation stage for the
construction of the hall.
In all the building is said to have
cost £42 Million and is named after the 3rd Duke of
Bridgewater who commissioned the Bridgewater Canal
which crosses Manchester. Ironically, the canal basin
next to the hall is part of the Rochdale Canal. The
public area next to the hall is called Barbarolli
Square after Sir John Barbirolli, one of the Hallé's
famous conductors. ![]() A huge, highly
polished Touchstone stands close to the entrance
doorway. It was created by the sculptor Kan Yasuda.
![]() ![]() ![]() The main auditorium
sits on an earthquake-proof isolation system that
insulates the foundation from the superstructure and
serves to insulate the building from the vibration
of passing traffic and the Metrolink trams. Inside
is an auditorium that seats 2,400 that is dominated
by an amazing organ which boasts 5,500 pipes and
covers the rear wall. The Bridgewater Hall web site
describes the organ thus:
"The visual impact of the auditorium climaxes in the spectacular façade of the organ, an instrument more completely integrated into the architectural and spatial composition of the space than in any other hall yet built. This remarkable £1.2 million pipe organ was designed and built by Marcussen's, a Danish family-owned company, whose traditional working methods have scarcely changed since they were established in 1806. Every joint in the massive wooden carcass was cut by hammer and chisel, and the swell boxes and casework are as beautifully crafted as hand-made furniture. Taking three years to design
and build and eighteen weeks to voice - the
process which ensures that the pipes in each rank
speak with the same 'family accent' - The
Bridgewater Hall organ is a major work of art and
technology, More than 42 feet high and 45 feet
wide, it weighs a mighty 22 tons. With 76 stops, a
battery of Trompettes en Chamade, 5,500 pipes of
tin and lead, copper and pine ranging in size from
2 inches to 32 feet in length (the largest weighs
over 300 pounds) this splendid instrument is
destined to become one of the great recital organs
of northern Europe." ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Close Window |