Saturday 13 September 2014

City Recital Hall, Sydney

City Recital Hall, Angel Place

"The first specifically designed concert venue built in Sydney since the Opera House, the 1973 City Recital Hall is an uplifting space, ideal for acoustic music. The quality of the sound has attracted Australia's leading companies, including the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Musica Viva and the Sydney Philharmonic Choir."
This photo is from a 2009 school concert that my eldest stepson performed in.
 Forgotten Songs
by Michael Thomas Hill
completed 2011

Forgotten Songs commemorates the songs of fifty birds once heard in central Sydney before they were gradually forced out of the city by European settlement. The calls, which filter down from the canopy of birdcages suspended above Angel Place, change as day shifts to night; the daytime birds' songs disappearing with the sun and those of the nocturnal birds which inhabited the area sounding into the evening.

During the day, you may hear the calls of the Eastern Whipbird, Rockwarbler, Regent Honeyeater, Grey Shrike-thrush, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Spotted Pardalote, Brown Gerygone, Jacky Winter, Scarlet Robin, Golden Whistler, Leaden Flycatcher, Dollarbird, White-eared Honeyeater, Superb Lyrebird, Brown Thornbill, Varied Sittella, Brush Cuckoo, Dusky Woodswallow, Eastern Spinebill, White-throated Treecreeper, Little Lorikeet, Mistletoebird, Pallid Cuckoo, Red-browed Finch, Rufous Whistler, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Eastern Yellow Robin, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Southern Emu-wren, Spotted Quail-thrush, Striated Thornbill, Superb Fairy-wren, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Grey Fantail, Variegated Fairy-wren, Whistling Kite, White-browed Scrubwren, White-browed Woodswallow, White-naped Honeyeater, White- throated Gerygone, Wonga Pigeon, Yellow-faced Honeyeater and Yellow- tufted Honeyeater.
At night, you may hear the Australian Owlet-nightjar, Powerful Owl, Southern Boobook, Barn Owl, Tawny Frogmouth and White-throated Nightjar.

11 comments:

  1. The hall reminds me a little of our St David's Hall where my children have performed in orchestras as youngsters. I think yours is a grander place though. Love the bird cages suspended along the way.

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  2. I haven't been to either of these places Brona. I think the recital hall opened after I left Sydney and have never been to a performance there- my husband has been to a few concerts there though, and has enjoyed them. That Forgotten Songs sounds, and looks, fantastic! I've never heard of it before- it's definitely something for me to check out sometime. Birds and art- it's right up my alley. Sorry- couldn't help myself.

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    1. It's quite a magical experience Louise, standing under the birdcages, surrounded by the sounds of ghostly birds.

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  3. I didn't know this place existed. The birdcages look very interesting and it would be fun to hear the different Australian birds. I miss hearing them as we dont get much bird singing here in VA.

    Sean at His and Her Hobbies

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  4. The bird cages are really cool! Makes me think of Harry Potter ;)

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  5. What amazing photos! I am fond of bird cages and bird houses, anyway, having a few here and there in my home. These are totally awesome! Thanks for sharing. Here's MY SATURDAY SNAPSHOT POST

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  6. The City Recital Hall looks like a lovely place. Wish I could hear a concert there. I'd also like to visit the Forgotten Songs installation. What a clever and meaningful idea.
    Sandy @ Texas Twang

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  7. The bird cages are definitely poignant!

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