SMALL HALL

On May 15, 1949 the new chamber hall of the Leningrad Philharmonia was opened in the old building in Nevsky Prospect. It was called the Leningrad Philharmonia's Small Hall. The creation of this hall was based on the rich Russian chamber music traditions.

The first sprouts of chamber art appeared on the banks of the Neva in the early XVIII century (salon music parties of the enlightened nobility). The building housing the hall was erected in the middle of the XVIII century after the design by F.B. Rastrelli. The spacious hall with the elegant adjoining rooms on the second floor were initially used for balls and masquerades. In 1802 the Philharmonic Society, the first one in Europe, started its concert activity in the hall.

In 1828 the building was acquired by V. Engelgardt, a friend of poet Pushkin. Soon the property went over to his wife, and the celebrated hall went down into history as "Mrs. Engelgartd's Hall". The hall witnessed many important events of the Russian artistic life, such as the Russian premiere of Beethoven Ninth Symphony, concerts given by Lizst, Field, Talberg, A. Rubinstein.

Since the very first season the Hall's concert activity has been broad and diverse. The central place was taken by concerts dedicated to memorial dates and recitals of contemporary composers such as D. Shostakovich, G. Sviridov, V. Soloviov-Sedoi, A. Petrov. New works of St. Petersburg composers such as Salmanov, Slonimsky, Tishchenko, Gavrilin were premiered here. In the spring, 1965 the first festival "Musical Spring in Leningrad" was held in the Hall.

The Hall had witnessed the debuts of many musicians who became widely known afterwards: violinists M. Weimann and B. Gutnikov, cellists M. Maisky and B. Pergamenshchikov, pianists A. Ugorsky and G. Sokolov. Elena Obraztsova, Evgeny Nesterenko and many others made their debuts here. Such ensembles as the Glazunov Quartet, the Beethoven Quartet, the Borodin Quartet, the Taneev Quartet have performed in the Hall. Among the outstanding Russian and foreign artists who appeared in the Hall are S. Richter, E. Gilels, M. Yudina, D. Oistrach, M. Rostropovich, N. Gutman, G. Guld, A. Fischer, S. Franoit and others.

The Small Hall of the Philiarmonia is one of the best academic halls in St. Petersburg. It houses international musical festivals, competitions, concerts for children; subscriptions are important part of its work.