Johann Sebastian Bach hall, Koethen, Germany

Object Type
Concert Halls

Client
Stiftung Dome und Schlösser in Sachsen-Anhalt

Architects
Busmann + Haberer Gesellschaft von Architekten mbH, Köln

Completion
2008

Expertises
Thermal Insulation & Energy Performance Calculation
Building Acoustics
Room Acoustics
Electronic Room Acoustics

In March 2008, the Johann Sebastian Bach Hall, now embedded between the remains of the former riding hall at Koethen castle, was inaugurated with a festive concert by the Academy for Early Music, Berlin.
The hall is the main venue of the Bach Festival, featuring top class musicians and held biennially in Koethen.

The Johann Sebastian Bach Hall is designed for an audience of up to 400. The rectangular hall with perfect proportions in terms of acoustics offers ideal conditions for good room acoustics. The wood lamellae on the walls are a special feature since they cover the original facade of the remains of the former riding hall. The concert hall is ideal for performances of chamber music, soloist concerts as well as smaller orchestral works. Curtains to be unfolded behind the wood lamellae on the side walls for adjusting the acoustics make it possible to reduce the reverberation considerably so that the hall can also be used as a multi-purpose hall, e.g. for theatre performances and festive events. For speech and other multi-purpose usages, the hall is also provided with a high-class sound reinforcement system customized for the hall's acoustics. The concert hall is an ideal venue for recordings – not only with respect to room acoustics but also regarding the high level of sound insulation against noise from outside and the virtually noiseless ventilation system.

Image Copyright
1 MBBM-BSO
2 MBBM-BSO
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4 MBBM-BSO
5 Werner Huthmacher