Auditorio Nacional de Música

   Spain's National Concert Hall was begun in 1984 as part of a national plan for the construction of purpose-built concert halls throughout the country. From 1966 the Royal Theatre had served as Madrid's concert hall but it was to be restored to its original purpose as an Opera House. The new concert hall was designed by the architect García de Paredes and his team, who also drew up the designs for halls in Granada, Valencia, Cuenca and Murcia. The acoustics of the hall have been highly praised and were engineered by Lothar Cremer of Berlin who was also the acoustics engineer for the Berlin Philharmonia and Opera Houses. In 1990 one of the biggest organs in the world with 5,700 pipes was installed in the symphony hall. Built by Gerhard Grenzing it can function both as solo instrument and for accompaniment. A smaller one was planned for the recital room to be built by Gabriel Blancafort of Barcelona.

   EAMONN RODGERS