Massey Hall was one of the acoustical wonders of the world. A quiet murmur from the stage could be heard from the last of the uppermost rows. It rivaled the acoustics of Carnegie Hall in NYC, and was the darling of great performers from all over the world. There performers did not need amplification to project the sound.

Times have changed. We now have different performers. No longer is there any use for an acoustical hall. As a matter of fact, great acoustics is a hindrance to electrified music making. The hall is now "too live" for amplified sound. All reverberations must be eliminated.

One understands the need for this to happen. No longer do the vibrations come from the performer's instrument itself, but from the electronic machines which amplify sounds which no longer project. The art of acoustical singing has been eclipsed by an imitation of the real thing. However, the need to fill the hall is crucial for its survival.

There are few left who can remember the thrill of artists who needed no amplification to make the hall come alive. Back then, one would be bathed in the sound and uplifted as a result of Massey Hall's amazing acoustics.

AMEN

Tom Schilling, May 12, 2020

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