Andrew Carnegie’s new Music Hall opens
with a five-day music festival beginning on May 5.
Guest
of honor Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky conducted his Marche Solennelle on Opening Night and his Piano Concerto No. 1
several days later.
William
Tuthill’s design reflects Gilded Age architectural tastes and
engineering. Since the Hall was built shortly before the advent of
structural steel construction, its walls are made of fairly heavy brick and
masonry, to carry the full load of the structure without the lighter support
that a steel framework soon made possible. The Italian Renaissance design
of the exterior reflects the eclectic architectural tastes of the period, which
look to European models of earlier centuries for inspiration. Tuthill deliberately chose to keep the
styling and decorative elements simple, elegant, and functional, focusing his
energies on designing an excellent acoustic environment.
Next entry: 1891 Ignacy Jan Paderewski makes his US debut