The View from the ‘Vineyard’: Experiencing the Philharmonic ‘In the Round’

By Peggy Taylor

I had heard about it, even written about it, but I had never lived it — the new “in-the-round” or “vineyard” seating (because its rows resemble vineyard terraces) at the New York Philharmonic‘s newly reconfigured David Geffen Hall.

So, in early December, I treated myself to a seat in the steeply raked parterre section on the stage, and found myself so close to the orchestra that I could almost reach out and rub the tuba player’s head.

And given the hall’s superb new acoustics, I could hear every toot of the trumpets, every whine of the oboes, every growl of the double basses, every ping of the triangle, and every roll of the kettle drums. An added bonus was seeing all the expressions and gestures of the conductor.

Through wide, excited eyes, I followed the musicians as they filed onto the stage. I watched pianist Emanuel Ax as he shook hands with the concert master and the conductor before performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2.  I could hardly keep my head screwed on as I jerked it right and left to follow the fugal entrances of every section — especially the flutes and the piccolos. I could hardly contain myself when Shostakovich’s fiery Symphony No. 12 ended and the musicians, after having acknowledged the applause of the hall, turned around, bowed to us in-the-rounders, and gave us big smiles. Afterwards, they even chatted with some of us who leaned over the parterre barrier to congratulate them.  

“There’s a warmth and envelopment at the parterre level that is really present,” said Gary McCluskie, principal architect of Diamond Schmitt, the firm responsible for the hall’s successful reimagining. “It’s all about giving the audience a more intimate relationship with the music and the musicians. I love that you can zero in and focus aurally and visually on an element of the music. The quality of being inside a musical instrument, that’s our theme.” 

Vineyard seating has been around since 1963 when it was first introduced by the Berlin Philharmonic. The New York Philharmonic actually used it as far back as 2005, but only for its summer Mostly Mozart Festival. In winter, it reverted to its original “shoe-box” space, “leaving the audience removed from the musicians and being spectators not participants,” McCluskie said. 

If you’re looking for a great way to bring in the New Year, treat yourself to a vineyard seat at the Philharmonic. I suspect you’ll be as pleased as I was and won’t want to experience an orchestra any other way again. Concert schedules and tickets are here.