The Israel Philharmonic is a unique symphony orchestra. Almost all of its 72 original members were refugees from the Nazis. It has played on, almost without missing a beat, through blackouts, air raids and to the obbligato of small-arms fire, in clubrooms, movie houses, synagogues, on collective farms. Though it was first heard 21 years ago as the Palestine Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Arturo Toscanini, and has since performed in the world's famed concert halls (and in the Vatican for the Pope), the orchestra has never had a real home. Last week it moved into a brand-new, permanent concert hall in Tel Aviv.
Begun with a $250,000 contribution by Philadelphia Tycoon Frederic R. Mann (National Container Corp.), the air-conditioned, 3,000-capacity Frederic R. Mann Auditorium (cost: $2,800,000) has some striking acoustical features. Bell-shaped and without a gallery, the hall slopes upward at the flanks and behind the orchestra stalls in a gently rising horseshoe of seats (to create intimacy between audience and performers, eliminate acoustical dead ends). The ceiling consists of 24 inverted asbestos pyramids shaped to reflect sound to every part of the hall. First music performed at last week's gala concert: The Star-Spangled Banner, in acknowledgment of U.S. contributions.
Opening night had all Israel in a dither (tickets went at $90 apiece on the black market). It was a glittering, black-tie, bare-shoulders event in a land where the open-necked shirt is O.K. on even the most formal occasions. The orchestra, now grown to 85 members, was conducted by Leonard Bernstein. Soloists were Pianist Artur Rubinstein (Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto), Violinist Isaac Stern (Mendelssohn's Concerto in E Minor), Cellist Paul Tortelier (Bloch's Schelomo). But the focal point was neither the orchestra, the conductor, the soloists, nor even Benefactor Mann and his 60 guests flown in from the U.S. It was the hall itself. This was home at last for the wandering Israel Philharmonic. Even Premier Ben-Gurion managed to mar the occasion only slightly when in his address he referred to the guest conductor as Arthur Bernstein.