“Swimmers who prefer Brahms with their backstroke may have a new place to take a dip in Midtown Manhattan,” writes Brian Wise on Tuesday (9/16) at WQXR’s blog. “The Park Hyatt New York opened last month with an indoor swimming pool where underwater speakers play a classical soundtrack created by the staff at Carnegie Hall, located directly across West 57th Street. The 65-foot-long lap pool is perched on the 25th floor of the 210-room luxury hotel. Six underwater speakers (and two on the deck) play a soundtrack that, on a recent afternoon, included Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony. A three-story wall of windows gives swimmers views of Carnegie Hall as they dry off or lounge in soft bathrobes. Rooms start at $795 a night. The music system is part of a marketing partnership in which Carnegie Hall’s name is displayed prominently on the Park Hyatt’s website and promotional materials. Concert subscribers, in turn, are offered discounts at the hotel’s restaurant and bar. Park Hyatt is also a sponsor of the Ensemble ACJW, Carnegie’s post-graduate training ensemble.” The article notes that the pool playlist also includes music by Britten, Debussy, Liadov, Mendelssohn, Ravel, Saint-Saëns, and Richard Strauss.
Posted September 18, 2014
