The Elbphilharmonie Recital Hall

From a focused evening of chamber music to stylish pop acts and club performances, through to exclusive receptions and dinner events – the Elbphilharmonie‘s Recital Hall is constantly transforming. As well as the stage platforms which can be moved into a variety of different constellations, the audience stands, which seat up to 550 people, can also be fully retracted into the back wall of the rectangular space. The special wood panelling is visually striking and provides uniquely warm and clear acoustics ideal for song recitals and chamber music projects alike. At the same time, a state-of-the-art sound system and a wide range of lighting technology also make the 440-square-metre hall the perfect venue for spectacular acts and scene-based productions.

In this short video portrait, architect Ascan Mergentahler, Elbphilharmonie Director Christoph Lieben-Seutter and various artists talk about the special features of the hall. The Technical Director of the Elbphilharmonie, Dennis Just, also shares exciting backstage insights into what is technically possible.

Chamber music, jazz and electro, children‘s concerts and dance performances: the program in the Recital Hall is diverse.

Approximately 250 cubic meters of French oak line the walls of the Recital Hall, sourced from the Loire Valley and delivered in the form of 40,000 oak panels. The intricate milling of their wave-shaped surface makes for perfect sound distribution around the hall.

Since the opening of the Elbphilharmonie in 2017, the Hamburg-based Ensemble Resonanz has been the ensemble-in-residence in the Recital Hall. With its extraordinary passion for playing and artistic prowess, it is one of the leading string orchestras in the world. It hosts the innovative concert series »resonanzen« in the Recital Hall, as well as individual children‘s programmes and special concert formats aimed at integration.