Introduction

Abstract

Acoustic characterization of music performance halls has been an active area of research since the 1970s. In 1975, Gerzon [1] presented the concept of systematically collecting the (3-D) impulse response measurements of ancient theatres and concert halls in order to preserve their acoustical characteristics for posterity and provide the opportunity for recovery ofthe original, acoustic sound field by a future technology. As computationally intensive operations such as convolution and de-convolution became increasingly possible through developments in digital signal processing (DSP), measuring an acoustical impulse response function (AIRF) of a music performance hall became more practical and efficient. A major contribution to the field of acoustic measurement has been the development of the exponential sine sweep (ESS) acoustic measurement process, attributed to Farina [2], at the University of Parma, Italy. Since 2000, audio scientists in Europe, and particularly in Italy, have developed large-scale archival projects where the goal is to record and preserve the acoustical characteristics of their historic concert halls and opera houses [3], long known to contemporary performers and historians as optimal performance spaces.