Naumburg Bandshell and Mall Concert Ground
Type of Place: Concert Halls/Venues
Description:
The Concert Ground occupied a central place in Olmsted and Vaux's formal plan for Central Park; it was the point at which the Mall and Bethesda Terrace met. Perhaps Olmsted and Vaux envisioned New Yorkers promenading up the Mall, stopping occasionally to socialize as they proceeded to the Concert Ground. The music would lift their minds and spirits from daily worries and prepare them for the inspiration that nature would provide in the views from Bethesda Terrace.
An ornate cast-iron Bandstand originally stood to the side of the Concert Ground. Surrounding the Bandstand were urns and filigreed metal bird cages, ornamental drinking fountains, and display fountains. Vaux designed benches (similar to the ones there today) for resting, especially necessary since people tended to dress in their finest for Park concerts. Once concerts became more established, however, a more casual attitude began to prevail. Commissioners allowed people to sit on the grass for concerts. A New York Times reporter of the day complained that the "hedges of society for the time being are let down." He was confirmed in his indignation when "a gentleman in a seedy coat" blew cigar smoke in his face at one concert. It was a classic Central Park debate: how will the greatest of public spaces accommodate the public for whom it was designed?
To provide a shady overlook for the concert ground, Olmsted and Vaux perched a Wisteria Pergola on a high ridge to the east of the original bandshell. The Pergola remains a cool refuge from summer sun, its gnarled wisteria vines woven over the years into a latticework roof, and the springtime wisteria providing aromatic pale lavender blossoms. The Naumburg Bandshell was built in 1923 to replace the earlier cast iron bandstand. In 1923, the concert ground was enlarged.
Today there are concerts at the Naumburg Bandshell, many of which are offered by Naumburg Orchestral Concerts. SummerStage, on the Rumsey Playfield behind the Wisteria Pergola, offers a variety of jazz and multicultural performances throughout the summer. - Central Park
Naumburg Bandshell and Mall Concert Ground
Mid-Park from 66th to 72nd St
New York, NY
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