Show ne resonance and echo in largo large halls architects should keep keel in mind the golden rule that resonance I 1 such as is to be obtained by thin elastic linings or e yen even by masses of air judiciously distributed is is a thin thing to be sought 7 in designing rooms for lifari hearing na music or for public speaking epe aking while echo such aa a is produced 4 by hard unyielding eldina surfaces is to be avoided BB as bueg much as possible every architect who ba has ever designed a anu unu indic ic room fr for a private house knows how greatly the effect of music is improved by lining the walls of the room and if possible the ceiling with thin paneling and every layman who has ever bought a piano must have noticed what depth and richness is given to the tones of one played in the dealers wareroom by the sympathetic vibrations with which the strings of the surrounding undina P instruments respond to the playing for twenty centuries at least re bitet have sought soua bt in various ways to secure similar resonance in large rooms understanding thoroughly the advant advantages ames 0 to be derived from it the Gewand haus at leipsic Lei reputed to be acoustically the most perfect music hall in the world owed its quality to the fact fac that it was surrounded by thin partitions set at a little distance from the main walls of the building which by their own elasticity joined to that of the mass of air between them and the walls walla out oat tide provided the resonance which experience has shown to be indispensable pe pen sable in the same game way la scala theater at milan one of the largest and acoustic cally the most perfect of all european theaters was lined throughout 0 with thin woodwork the ancient greeks to secure resonance without the use of woodwork placed under the seats of their theaters harthern ear thern pots with the mouth turned toward the stage the vibrating mas maas of air in these 1 to reinforce the sound bound un on the other hand band rooms in fireproof buildings surrounded bounded on all sides eides by hard bard rigid masses of masonry mai maion onry rr are very apt to be acoustically bad even where the large ro rooms orrie by careful study of their proportions are successful the smaller rooms which cannot be so go proportioned are in such euch buildings almost always intolerably noisy american architect |