The Usher Hall is a concert hall located on Lothian Road, Edinburgh, Scotland. A Concert hall is a cultural building, which serves as performance venue, chiefly for classical instrumental music. ... , Edinburgh (() pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second largest city. ... This article is about the country. ...

A landmark in the heart of Scotland's capital, for the best part of a century it has hosted some of the greatest concerts and events in the city. The building of the concert hall was funded by Andrew Usher, a whisky distiller (his father had developed blended whisky). Andrew Usher donated £100,000 to the city for the construction of a concert hall in 1896. It seats 2,900. Andrew Usher. ... A glass of whisky Whisky (Scottish Gaelic: }, or whiskey (Irish: ), refers to a broad category of alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented grain mash and aged in wooden casks (generally oak). ... A blended whiskey (or whisky) comes from one of many distilleries, but is drawn from whiskeys of differing vintages and/or manufacturers. ...

The Architecture

The design and location of the site of the new building was left to the City Fathers and although, at 70, Andrew Usher wanted the "satisfaction of seeing it completed" his death in 1898 was still sixteen years before the hall was finally built. The choice of site had caused early delays but in 1910 an architectural competition was announced, seeking "dignified but simple" proposals for the hall. Image File history File links Usherhall. ... Andrew Usher. ...

The winning entry was a joint bid by Stockdale Harrison & Howard H Thomson of Leicester, selected from 133 entries. The style of the project was part of the contemporary backlash against the Victorian Gothic with a return to the classical features owing much to the Beaux-Arts style. On 19th July 1911, King George V and Queen Mary laid two memorial stones on the occasion of their first state visit after their coronation. This was a huge event attended by over a thousand people with scaffolding erected for spectators. The finished building was officially opened on 16th March 1914 with a celebratory concert featuring music from Handel and Bach, Hamish MacCunn, Wagner and Beethoven. The final cost of building the Usher Hall was £134,000. Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands. ... ... Beaux-Arts architecture[1] denotes the academic classical architectural style that was taught at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. ... George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was the first British monarch belonging to the House of Windsor, which he created from the British branch of the German House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ... Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes; 26 May 1867 – 24 March 1953) was the Queen Consort of George V. Queen Mary was also the Empress of India and Queen of Ireland. ... George Frideric Handel, 1733 George Frideric Handel (23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-born British Baroque composer who was a leading composer of concerti grossi, operas and oratorios. ... Bach in a 1748 portrait by Haussmann Places in which Bach resided throughout his life Johann Sebastian Bach (pronounced ) (21 March 1685 O.S. – 28 July 1750 N.S.) was a prolific German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra and solo instruments drew together the... Hamish MacCunn (March 22, 1868 – August 2, 1916), Scottish romantic composer, was born in Greenock, the son of a shipowner, and was educated at the Royal College of Music, where his teachers included Parry and Stanford. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as he later came to call them). ... A portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820 Ludwig van Beethoven (IPA: ), (baptized December 17, 1770[1] – March 26, 1827) was a German composer and one of the pillars of European classical music. ...

The Usher Hall was, from the first, a striking, elegant and well loved building. Its curved walls were a fairly new architectural departure and this U-plan was only made possible by early 20th century developments in reinforced concrete. Up until the turn of the century, concert halls had been long rectangular boxes. Carnegie Hall in New York, designed in 1889 was a major innovation with the galleries wrapped around the interior. The famous dome was designed to reflect the curvature of the walls, not to give a domed interior which would have been disastrous acoustically. Reinforced concrete at Sainte Jeanne dArc Church (Nice, France): architect Jacques Dror, 1926–1933 Reinforced concrete, also called ferroconcrete in some countries, is concrete in which reinforcement bars (rebars) or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen a material that would otherwise be brittle. ... Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street. ... NY redirects here. ...

The interior of the hall is adorned with decorative plaster panels and gilded medallions - the work of an Edinburgh sculptor, Harry Gamley. The figures represented reflect the Hall's Scottish character and honour figures in the world of music. The poets and songwriters include Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Allan Ramsay and R L Stevenson with the musical world represented by, among others, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Brahms, Grieg and Rubinstein. Harry Gamley's work also features on the outside of the building with two colossal figures representing Musical Inspiration and Achievement. Four figures by Crossland McClure depict, "Municipal Beneficence The Soul of Music" (carrying a lyre), "The Music of the Sea" (with a shell to her ear) and "The Music of the Woods" (with a bird in her hand). , Edinburgh (() pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second largest city. ... For the first Premier of Saskatchewan see Thomas Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott (August 14, 1771 - September 21, 1832) was a prolific Scottish historical novelist and poet popular throughout Europe. ... Robert Burns, foremost Scottish poet Robert Burns (January 25, 1759 – July 21, 1796) was a poet and a lyricist. ... Allan Ramsay (October 15, 1686 – January 7, 1758) was a Scottish poet. ... Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis (Balfour) Stevenson (November 13, 1850-December 3, 1894), was a novelist, poet, and travel writer. ... Bach in a 1748 portrait by Haussmann Places in which Bach resided throughout his life Johann Sebastian Bach (pronounced ) (21 March 1685 O.S. – 28 July 1750 N.S.) was a prolific German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra and solo instruments drew together the... George Frideric Handel, 1733 George Frideric Handel (23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-born British Baroque composer who was a leading composer of concerti grossi, operas and oratorios. ... “Mozart” redirects here. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Edvard Grieg Edvard Hagerup Grieg (15 June 1843 – 4 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist who composed in the romantic period. ... Rubinsteins portrait by Ilya Repin. ...

Social History

From the start, the Usher Hall was used for more than concerts. The letting record through the years reflects the concerns of the day. Politics and religion caused much anxiety over the years with arguments erupting over Sunday usage, suitability of event organisers and sectarian issues. In 1914 Prime Minister H. H. Asquith gave a speech entitled The War, using the occasion to recruit from the all-male audience. May Day celebrations in 1921 were not allowed to take place for fear of the Red Menace, as the assembled audience would have been singing The Red Flag. Also in 1921 a refusal for an appearance from the Archbishop of Melbourne resulted in 4000 people assembling in protest at St Patrick's Church in the Cowgate. The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions. ... Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC (12 September 1852 – 15 February 1928) served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. ... May Day is May 1, and refers to any of several holidays celebrated on this day. ... The red flag is a socialist emblem associated in particular with the revolutionary left as well as with social democratic and labour traditions having been a banner used by parties such as Labour in Britain, the Socialist Party in France and other social democratic and democratic socialist groups throughout the... Melbourne (pronounced ) is the second most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3. ... The Cowgate, viewed from George IV Bridge The Cowgate is a street in Edinburgh located about 5 minutes walk from Edinburgh Castle. ...

At various times the musical and the political overlapped, on occasions such as fundraising concerts for the Republican movement in Spain in the 1930s and at sexcentenary celebrations of the foundation of the City Of Edinburgh in 1929. The end to political rallies in the Usher Hall came after a serious incident in 1934. On 1st June 2800 people had come to hear Sir Oswald Mosely speak. The crowds included 387 blackshirts. Between five and six thousand people protested outside and the occasion reached near riot proportions. Buses on the Lothian Road were stoned and one blackshirt lost an eye. In 1958 the Labour Party considered holding their conference at the Usher Hall but were put off by the anti-smoking policy! My Life, the autobiography of Oswald Mosley Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (November 16, 1896 – December 3, 1980), was a British politician principally known as the founder of the British Union of Fascists. ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ...

A variety of other uses have been considered for the Hall over the years. Sport has often featured as a possibility. In the early 1950s, end of season concerts for Hearts and Hibs football fans were held (one featuring Johnny Beattie) but the Hall was also considered as a venue for wrestling competitions. In 1986 the Commonwealth Games came to Edinburgh with the Usher Hall providing the venue for the Boxing Tournament. Current flag of the Commonwealth Games Federation Locations of the games, and participating countries Commonwealth Games Federation seal, adopted in 2001 The Commonwealth Games is a multinational, multi-sport event. ... , Edinburgh (() pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second largest city. ...

Various proposals to use the Hall as a cinema were considered but it seems that no action was taken. The earliest example was the request to screen Cecil B. De Mille's The King of Kings in 1928, a silent film accompanied by an orchestra. The extensive basement rooms of the Usher Hall made the building ideal for use as an air-raid shelter and the venue was equipped for use during the war years. However, there are no records of it being used as such, but painted signs on internal doors, such as "No Dogs" indicate that preparations were made. Cecil Blount DeMille (August 12, 1881 - January 21, 1959) was one of the most successful filmmakers during the first half of the 20th century. ... The King of Kings The King of Kings is a movie directed by Cecil B. DeMille. ... Air raid shelters are structures for the protection of the civil population as well as military personnel against enemy attacks (Bombing) from the air. ...

Still owned and managed by the City of Edinburgh Council, the Usher Hall continues to play a key role in the city's civic life. Recently, the Holocaust Memorial Ceremony and the Colin O'Riordan Memorial Concert have taken place here along with occasions such as the Scottish Business Achievement Awards lunch attended by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne. Freedom of the City ceremonies have taken place at the hall over the years, with the most recent being for film star and Scottish icon Sir Sean Connery in 1991. City of Edinburgh (Mòr-bhaile Dhùn Èideann in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland. ... Princess Anne may refer to more than one person: Anne, Princess Royal (born 15 August 1950), daughter of Elizabeth II of the UK Anne, Princess of Orange (1709‑1759), daughter of George II of Great Britain Anne (1637‑1759), daughter of Charles I of England Princess Anne may refer to... Freedom of the City is an award made by some municipalities in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, South Africa, the United States and Italy to esteemed members of its community; such people may then be termed Freemen or Freewomen of the City. ... Connery as James Bond in Goldfinger. ...

Musical History

For the best part of a century, a galaxy of stars have dazzled Usher Hall audiences. Everyone from Herbert von Karajan to Claudio Abbado, from Ella Fitzgerald to Elton John and from Stephane Grapelli to Simple Minds have graced the stage. The Hall echoes not only with music, but with stories of comedians and divas, rock chicks and impressarios. From Bing Crosby who turned up with his golf trolley, Jesseye Norman who got stuck in the dressing room bath, conductors who needed electric heaters warming their every step to soloists commanding audiences to keep quiet, the Hall has seen them all. Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 – July 16, 1989) was an Austrian conductor. ... Claudio Abbado (born June 26, 1933) is a noted Italian conductor. ... Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella and the First Lady of Song, is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century. ... Sir Elton Hercules[1] John CBE[2] (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is a five-time Grammy and one-time Academy Award-winning English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist. ... Stephane Grappelli (January 26, 1908 - December 1, 1997) was a pioneer jazz violinist who founded the quintet of the Quintette du Hot Club de France with Django Reinhardt. ... Simple Minds is a rock band from Scotland, which had its greatest worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early-1990s. ... Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ...

Paul McCartney, Diana Ross, Joan Armstrong and Jools Holland are only a handful of performers who have brought glamour to the city and been attracted by the warmth of Edinburgh audiences. In March 1972 the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the Hall. The New Seekers provided the British entry and were mobbed by fans on Lothian Road. Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942) is an Academy Award and Grammy Award winning English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who first gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles. ... Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross[1] on March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress, whose musical repertoire spans R&B, soul, disco, jazz, and pop. ... Julian Miles Holland, OBE, DL (born 24 January 1958 in Blackheath, South East London) is an English virtuoso pianist, bandleader, television presenter, architectural eccentric and pop music enthusiast. ... , Edinburgh (() pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second largest city. ... The modern logo was introduced for the 2004 Contest (in Istanbul) to create a consistent visual identity. ... The New Seekers was an Australian pop group, formed in 1969 by Keith Potger after the break-up of his group, The Seekers. ... The A702 is a major road in Scotland, that runs from Edinburgh to St. ...

The Usher Hall's prestige as a platform for internationally renowned classical music owes much to its link with the Edinburgh International Festival. From Vienna Philharmonic under Bruno Walter at the first festival in 1947 to the present day, all the world's greatest orchestras and most of its major maestros and soloists have performed here. Its superb acoustics have proven an attraction to them all, allowing the intimacy of a lieder to carry as well as a Mahler Symphony. The Hall's own International Classics Series continues the tradition of hosting internationally renowned orchestras and soloists throughout the year. The Edinburgh International Festival is a festival of performing arts that takes place in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland over three weeks from around the middle of August. ... The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (in German: Wiener Philharmoniker) is the best known orchestra in Austria and one of Europes major ensembles. ... Bruno Walter (Bruno Walter Schlesinger) (September 15, 1876 – February 17, 1962) was a German-born conductor and composer. ... “Mahler” redirects here. ...

The Usher Hall is also the Edinburgh home of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra who play every Friday night during their season. The Hall regularly welcome the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Fiddle Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and local organisations such as the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union and the Kevock Choir. , Edinburgh (() pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second largest city. ... The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is Scotlands national symphony orchestra. ... The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is a professional chamber orchestra based in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. ... The National Youth Orhcestra of Scotland (NYOS), is an orchestra for highly talented pre professional young people. ...

Many local people have also had the chance to appear "live at the Usher Hall" as part of the school concerts which have taken place over the years. Recent refurbishment has allowed rock and pop promoters to benefit from the increased capacity of the promenade facility with bands such as Travis and the Stereophonics performing to capacity crowds. Travis are a Scottish Britpop band from Glasgow, comprising Fran Healy (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Dougie Payne (bass, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals), Andy Dunlop (lead guitar, banjo, keyboards, backing vocals) and Neil Primrose (drums, percussion). ... Stereophonics are a rock band from Wales with members Kelly Jones, Richard Jones (no relation to Kelly) and Javier Weyler. ...

The Organ

The Usher Hall's organ is one of its chief glories. The strong Victorian tradition of choral and organ music continued to flourish at the time of the Hall's construction and even a small city like Edinburgh sustained at least three organ building businesses. Image File history File links Usherorganpipes. ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her accession to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British Industrial Revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... , Edinburgh (() pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second largest city. ...

The organ was designed to be the focal point of the Hall, not just visually but musically. By 1912, the city was ready to find the best candidate to build the organ and after extensive investigation, Norman & Beard of London was awarded the contract. The original organ, installed late in 1913 was of outstanding quality and design, constructed on the grandest scale with a Spanish mahogany case built by Adam Currie of Edinburgh. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... , Edinburgh (() pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second largest city. ...

The significance of the organ to the Usher Hall is acknowledged and cherished by the Usher Hall Organ Trust. The Trust raised some £565,000 to restore the organ with generous support from individuals, the Foundation for Sport and the Arts, the City of Edinburgh Council and a lottery grant from the Scottish Arts Council. City of Edinburgh (Mòr-bhaile Dhùn Èideann in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland. ... Scottish Arts Council logo The Scottish Arts Council is a Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Scottish Executive and is the leading national organization for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland. ...

In spring 2002 the vast job of re-installing the organ began after over a year of restoration in the care of renowned company Harrison & Harrison. The organ had been carefully dismantled into hundreds of separate parts and placed around the Durham workshops in rooms dedicated to different aspects of the organ restorer's craft. Using the most traditional techniques and tools, original materials such as traditional glue and reclaimed ivory, skilled craftsmen have treated, cleaned and restored every inch of the original instrument. The blower room which powers the organ has also been completely renewed and humidity controls installed. New organ at St Davids Cathedral built by Harrison & Harrison in 2000. ... Durham (IPA: locally, in RP) is a small city and main settlement of the City of Durham district of County Durham in North East England. ...

The restoration work took three years to complete and the organ was reinstall during 2002. The organ was reinaugrated on the 7th June 2003 in a celebrity concert recital with Dame Gillian Weir. A special commission The Rise of the House of Usher was written with funding from Scottish Arts Council and performed at the inauguration concert. Besides being involved in concert work the organ will also serve as a vital educational tool for the city. Gillian Constance Weir, DBE (b. ... Scottish Arts Council logo The Scottish Arts Council is a Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Scottish Executive and is the leading national organization for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland. ...

In December 2002, John Kitchen was appointed as the city organist with performance and curatorial duties for the organ. Since the reinception of the organ it has been used in concerts and recitals by resident and visiting orchestras and ensembles. It has performed well on all occasions and attracted considerable attention.

Refurbishment and Recent History

On April 13th 1986 during Tony Bennett's concert, a large piece of plaster fell 130 feet from the roof into the auditorium. Only three chairs were damaged, but this memorable event was just one example of the state of disrepair into which Usher Hall was falling. Vital repairs were necessary to make the building wind-proof, watertight and safe. In 1998 the City of Edinburgh announced tremendous commitment to the Hall by earmarking £9 million of funds for Phase One refurbishment. Over the next two years all electrical systems were fully renewed and heating and ventilation systems installed. Repairs to the ceiling and complete redecoration of the auditorium and foyer areas were carried out including new seating. A major change was also made which would assist the management in programming more diverse productions - a promenade facility was created by excavating an underground chair store where removable stalls seating can be stored. Image File history File links Usherhallphase2. ... For other persons named Tony Bennett, see Tony Bennett (disambiguation). ... , Edinburgh (() pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second largest city. ...

World famous tenor Jose Carreras sang at the inaugural concert in December 2000, raising funds for leukaemia research. 2001 saw the arrival of a new General Manager at Usher Hall and the staff team was expanded to help fulfil the aspirations of the Hall's new business plan. In May 2001 the Usher Hall was used for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, whilst the Church's own Assembly Hall was being used by Scottish Parliament. In 2002 plans for the essential second phase of refurbishment have come together and a Fundraiser appointed to raise the further £11 million required to make Usher Hall into a venue fit for the 21st century and beyond. The Catalan tenor Josep Carreras (born December 5, 1946) is a famous opera singer much admired for his Verdi and Puccini roles. ... The 2004 Assembly with Dr Alison Elliot as Moderator The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Churchs governing body. ... The Assembly Hall is located between the Lawnmarket and the Mound in Edinburgh. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ...

Sandy Brown Bar

In recent years the famous Usher Hall bars have become an increasingly important aspect of the concert hall. This is due in large part the highly trained long serving, mildly elitist, privately educated team of staff who have created the unique atmosphere. This team is known the locally as the A team. The B team are mowser.

The addition of the Stella fridge in 2004 is seen as a seminal moment in the history of the Usher Hall. It meant that during busy rock concerts patrons of the Hall stood a fighting chance of getting a beer at a temprature below 22c. Further, the kind staff at the hall often give away a free plastic cup with each beer sold.

See also

• List of concert halls

A Concert hall is a cultural building, which serves as performance venue, chiefly for classical instrumental music. ...

External links

• Usher Hall

Coordinates: 55°56′50.0″N, 3°12′18.1″W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...