Carnegie Hall

Andrew Carnegie, 1913

Carnegie Hall is a concert hall in New York City. The money for building it was given by Andrew Carnegie, a very rich businessman from Scotland. Carnegie Hall was built in 1891. It is the most famous concert hall in the world.

Carnegie Hall has three separate concert halls: the Main Hall, the Recital Hall and the Chamber Music Hall.

The Main Hall (Isaac Stern Auditorium)

Isaac Stern Auditorium

Carnegie Hall's main auditorium is big enough to seat 2,840 people. There are five levels. The main hall was named after the violinist Isaac Stern in 1997. The Main Hall is very tall, and visitors to the top balcony must climb 105 steps.

For many years the world-famous New York Philharmonic Orchestra gave their concerts there. They moved out to a new concert hall in the Lincoln Center in 1962. Many of the greatest performers of classical music have performed in the hall. Concerts continue to be given there including, more recently, concerts of popular music.

The Recital Hall (Zankel Hall)

Zankel Hall, which seats 599, is now named after Judy and Arthur Zankel. At first it was simply called Recital Hall, then in 1896 it was renamed Carnegie Lyceum. It was used by the American Academy of Dramatic Arts from 1898. In 1959 it was changed into a cinema. Since 1997 it has been a hall for recitals.

Chamber Music Hall (Weill Recital Hall)

The Weill Recital Hall is a small concert hall seating just 268 people. Since 1986 it has been named after Sanford I. Weill, the chairman of Carnegie Hall's board, and his wife, Joan. At first it was called Chamber Music Hall, later Carnegie Chamber Music Hall).

Famous concerts

The official opening night was on May 5, with an orchestral concert conducted by Walter Damrosch and the composer Tchaikovsky. Many famous works were given their world premiere (first ever performance) at the Carnegie Hall, including Symphony No. 9, opus 95, "From the New World" by Antonín Dvořák on December 16, 1893, the Sinfonia Domestica by Richard Strauss - March 21, 1904, conducted by the composer, Concerto in F by George Gershwin on December 3, 1925, with the composer playing the piano, and Variations on a Theme of Corelli by Sergei Rachmaninoff - November 7, 1931, with the composer playing the piano.

The world premiere of Disney's animated film Fantasia 2000 took place at Carnegie Hall on December 17, 1999.