Incredible acoustic experience. Not a bad seat or spot in the place. Jackson Browne rocked it so that you could feel the kick and bass. Or on a quieter piece, you could sense every nuance of an acoustic guitar. Awesome place to hear and see any concert. Â The lawn has complete sound coverage with permanent outdoor arrays to give you great sound no matter where you are on the grounds.
Review Source:You're not truly Berkshire-bred unless you've spent ONE summer day of your life here.
Granted, I have yet to sadly see THE quintessential Tanglewood show: James Taylor on the 4th of the July, an almost annual tradition. *sigh* ONE day...one day...
However, for a great afternoon or evening in bucolic Leonx, look no further. Associated with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood provides vast lawns for picnicking and music listening. (Trust me. The acoustics are phenomenal, even all the way at the entrance of the East Lot at Route 183!) For a bit more formality, there is either the Seiji Ozawa Hall or the Koussevitzky Shed. I've had the pleasure of seeing Norah Jones at the former and Jackson Browne with Sara Watkins at the latter, and both were magnificent experiences.
Expect to be crowded when seated on the lawn, but don't be afraid to bring the whole kitchen with you: yes, alcohol is allowed, and what's better than sitting on the lawn, listening to some Americana or an orchestra while sipping chilled white wine, eating grapes, brie, and a baguette? Not much!
Tanglewood is an experience in itself. You can go to other outdoor venues, but you'll be hard pressed to find something as outstanding as this place, a staple of life in the Berkshires.
Tanglewood is my happy place. Â I've been coming here since I was a child and getting my bare toes into the grass of Tanglewood's lush lawn officially marks the start of my summer. Â The lawn seats are a ridiculously good value (I think I noticed that this season, most of the Friday night lawn tickets are just $9 each); the sound is superb (I think better than in the shed), and if you don't mind the lack of a stage visual, bring your blanket and your favorite goodies, kick off your shoes, and enjoy the sweet sounds while you look up at the stars. Â But if you're the type who would feel disconnected by not being able to see what's going on on the stage, you may prefer to spring for shed seats; you can still picnic on the lawn beforehand if you wish.
I like to arrive 30-60 minutes before the gates open...the traffic is often a bit lighter and the parking a bit easier. Â We've gotten fairly streamlined with our picnic haul...chairs, a portable table from Crate & Barrel that I think they should just rename "The Tanglewood" because it's incredibly perfect and even has a hauling-friendly shoulder strap, a blanket, a rolling cooler and a tote bag of "stuff" (books, dishes, candles, etc.). Â If you have much more of a setup, you might consider bringing a wagon or, even better, one of those collapsible garden carts.
Our general routine is to set up camp near a favorite tree (don't worry...there are many to choose from and they regularly plant more), then walk over to Ozawa Hall if there's a pre-concert. Â When we head over to Ozawa, we leave everything on the lawn except for maybe something to sip. Â As for Ozawa Hall itself, it is stunningly beautiful and, while the sound inside is better than in the shed, the entire back wall opens to a green hillside and I just cannot resist sitting barefoot in the grass. Â Again, it just says summer to me.
In my experience, the lawn crowd for the evening classical concerts is very respectful of the music so if you decide to picnic, don't worry about the socializing and merriment detracting from the listening...everything goes hush when the concert starts. Â If you have little ones who will need to run and stretch and chatter, you may want to stay off to the back or far sides of the lawn and be prepared to take them for a walk if their volume escalates or if it seems like they're becoming a distraction to other guests. Â I definitely remember having my quiet Tanglewood activities (like coloring by candlelight -- my dad would ask me to "draw what I hear" and I think that helped me tune into the music at a young age) and being frequently reminded to whisper if I had questions :)
This is a magical place. Â Just go.
People at Tanglewood do NOT mess around.
Going for a classical music show? Â You better bring along your picnic table, your fancy wine glasses, your table cloths, your blankets, your low-chairs, and your $50 charcuterie/cheese plate. Â People here don't just picnic - they day-cation. Â The grounds are beautiful, and if you're serious about seeing an orchestra play you can get seats under an awning where you can actually see what's happening. Â The way to rock this, tho, is on the lawn. Â Even folks who get awning seats in case of rain still oftentimes wind up sprawled out with their friends, food, and fancies in the back. Â Worth at least an annual trip - the surrounding town is pretty cute, and it's a great daytime escape on a gorgeous day. Â Mostly not sold out for the less popular shows, so you could wait til you see the weather forecast if you're gutsy.
First show I ever saw here wasn't classical and it wasn't in the day - rather, it was an evening Wilco and Andrew Bird show, my first time ever seeing either band, and I was 8th row center. Â Perhaps one of the most majestic concerts I've ever seen, hearing Wilco sing "California Stars" where you could actually see the stars above, and in what was one of the most gorgeous nights of the summer... I fell head over heels for my favorite band.
Tanglewood is magic. Â Make it happen.
Tanglewood for me conjures up images of beautiful green lawns, shade trees, crowds of people enjoying picnics, sudden summer storms, and of course spectacular music. Â I like to imagine going back in time to when a young Leonard Bernstein was studying under the wing of Serge Koussevitzky -- in fact, I like to imagine all the talent that has come and gone here through the years. Â
We visted Tanglewood in August, during their 75th anniversary season. Â We were treated to performances by Pinchas Zukerman, Paul Lewis, and the amazing Yo-Yo Ma, among others. Â We were awed by conductor Stehane Deneve. Â Tanglewood alumnus Christoph von Dohnanyi also conducted one night. Â Heard a new composition by Andre Previn (a bit too "Hollywood" for my taste.)
We also witnessed (surprisingly) some very boorish audience behavior in the shed. Â All the more reason to camp out on the lawn!
What a gorgeous venue!
My gripes are minor: parking and traffic. Given the rural locale, it's understandable that there are not better ways to divert traffic, but having some nearby restaurants or bars open where people can hang out post-show would help. Perhaps I'm ignorant, but I did not see any shuttles taking people from town to the venue, which also seems to me like a way to deal with it. We relaxed for about an hour on the grounds after the music ended and were still stuck in crazy traffic. Forgive me. I live in a city and am used to just walking home after events.
With that said, I would go again, but perhaps only once per season because of the traffic and price.
We attended the John Williams tribute, which was just magical. The special guests were James Taylor and Steven Spielberg!
We came prepared with a large picnic dinner, layers of clothing (it's New England, hello!), and patience. The grounds were lovely to walk upon in the time leading up to the show. There was some snobbery evident-- I overheard one man tattle to security that children were climbing trees. For real, dude?! Most of the patrons seemed more down-to-earth, thankfully.
For me, Tanglewood is one of those magical places from my childhood. Spending summers here, listening to the beautiful music under the stars couldn't have been more spellbinding. Where else can you tip toe around celebrity picnics, complete with silver candelabras and crystal?
My fondest memory is going to a tribute to John Williams. It was a silly-hot summer day and the music was delayed after the intermission for over a half hour. The crowd was getting really restless as it was explained we were waiting for a special guest to arrive. Suddenly, a familiar, booming voice came across the speakers and the whole place hushed. James Earl Jones. I was so in awe I don't even remember what he read, a tribute to the music we all know. Just amazing.
I love sitting out on the lawn. Â Some people insist that being inside the Shed is the only way to go. Â But, there is nothing in the world that compares to sitting outside as the crowd hushes and the music comes to life.
Bring your lawn chairs, a table, and a picnic dinner. Â Sit back and enjoy some of the best music you will ever hear. Â Bring a spare blanket -- because it often chills at night. Â Watch the stars come out. Â And, if you fall asleep, don't be upset. Â It will be one of the most relaxed and restful sleeps you will ever encounter.
If you're visiting the Berkshires a visit to Tanglewood is a must!
Pack your lawn chairs, favorite adult beverages, wine, and cheese. Don't pay for the seats up front. Â You can hear the music wherever you sit. Â There is nothing better than hanging out on the lawn with a bottle of wine and your favorite cheese.
This place is AMAZING. I came here for the Tanglewood 75th Anniversary concert.
TICKETS:
I bought lawn tickets online and paid the $6.25 processing fee. I was worried they would sell out of tickets, but that must happen very rarely. There were people buying tickets when I went to the ticket booth to pick mine up. Next time I will save some cash and buy the tickets at Tanglewood. Picking up the tickets at our gate's ticket booth was easy. I just had to give the employee my order number.
PARKING:
The concert started at 8:30pm and I planned to arrive around 6:30. There was a lot of traffic which was diverted well by the town police, but basically we had to drive all the way around Tanglewood and passed 3 parking lots on the way because the cops told us to keep going. Helps keep traffic moving, but still... it took us half an hour just to park. Leaving the venue was even worse. Took at least 20 mins just to get out of the parking lot.
LAWN SEATS:
People come very early to claim their space on the lawn! By the time we got to the lawn it was 7pm and pretty crowded. Luckily there were only two of us and we squeezed into a spot next to a few large groups. People bring everything out: wagons, chairs, sun umbrellas, tables, blankets, candles, etc. You can't actually see the stage from the lawn- just video screens. Make sure you get a good view of the screens.
I stayed in my spot on the lawn the whole time. It seemed like a lot of work to weave through the crowd to try to find the restrooms or anything else for that matter. I saw a few people who brought a ballon to help others in their party find their spot. Thought that was a good idea.
The concert itself was lovely. I had a nice view of the screen and the sound was great. I was able to sit back, relax, enjoy the music, and drink wine. Perfect.
Once the concert was over, everyone started heading out to the parking lot. A fireworks show started which halted any movement because a lot of people just stopped and blocked anyone else from passing. Annoying.
I would give Tanglewood 5 stars if it weren't for the terrible parking situation. For concerts in which fewer people attend, I am sure it's much less of a problem.
I want to give this place a good review, but I was dragged here for a Sunday matinee with my grandparents and I was definitely 60 years younger than almost everyone else that was here.
...and no, I don't need to hear your grandma (or mine) singing OVER Bernadette Peters on the lawn. Really.
Wish I had brought a whole bottle of wine for myself. $9 for a gin and tonic is pretty steep.
Yes this is an institution and even better is to see james taylor there. But to be honest the shed is old and somewhat of a dump. The seats could have been from the old yankee stadium...they are old and flimsy. That being said the place has tremendous vibes and the grounds are just lovely. The people are cool around there as well. If you are in the berkshires you have to check out one of their concerts
Review Source:Born and raised in the Berkshires, I suppose I am bias. Â But if you want a truly magical experience when hearing the Boston Pops, or the Boston Symphony Orchestra live, you HAVE to make the trip to Tanglewood. Â
I have seen other shows there as well. Â I highly recommend "Movie Night". Â It is the music of all the classics and some of the newer ones as well done live. Â James Taylor is a favorite too. Â Although good luck finding a space on the lawn for that show. Â Go early. Â
If you sit in the shed, you are missing out on what Tanglewood is all about. Â Being from the Berkshire's I wouldn't be caught dead in the shed. Â I always say "It's a lawn thing. You wouldn't understand".
So go, bring a bottle of your favorite wine, some good cheese, a comfy lawn chair and enjoy a well sought after venue. Â You will never forget it.
Also..To the New Yorker that said "You know you're in the Berkshires when you have to flush your own toilet"...Go back to where you came from. Â We don't want you here!
Great acoustics.
Designed specifically for live concerts like Boston Pops- in an open Berkshire mountain environment.
Sit on the lawn w a picnic, wine- or whatever you like, & blanket/lawn chairs.
"Indoor" seating as well.
Check out their site for event schedule/ticket purchase.
Relaxing & pleasant experience every time.
Decent parking considering the rural setting & size of the venue/talent that performs here.
The quintessential venue to see local James Taylor perform- legionary!
Everyone, especially music-lovers, should take the summer pilgrimage to Tanglewood to listen to the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The scenery at Tanglewood and the surrounding Berkshires area are to die for. The Music Shed is also a very unique venue for listening to the BSO with unusually great acoustics.
It is quite a long drive from Boston, but definitely worth the drive through the Berkshires!
My first visit to Tanglewood....
We headed out for film night with John Williams conducting.  In all honesty, I was a little disappointed in the first half of the concert.  It was a little cheesy.   The second half was a bit more inspired and reminded the audience of his greatness...  the first half just seemed like a tacky montage  that anyone could play - I don't think it showcased anyone's talent.
Tanglewood itself is beautiful and I could very much appreciate how lovely it would be to picnic and spend an afternoon/evening on the lawn.
Beautiful place, lovely acoustics. Â We did have shed seats (in the way back, but they were still fine). Â We lucked out by being let out the 'back way'... otherwise departing the parking lot looked to be a bit Great Woods-esque.
Would love to go back to enjoy a 'real' classical concert some day...
We came here twice to hear concerts in the summer- BSO summer home. Â You will hear wonderful artists with decent price for lawn seats. Â However, you will only get to see the huge screen since the stage seats will be blocking you. Â If we had gone again, I would just shell out the extra $$ for a seat. Â Sometimes, there are free pre-concerts with the chamber orchestra before your concert. Â Take advantage of this because it is in the more private Ozawa Hall not the huge shed for bigger concerts.
Review Source:My research adviser from college took us there for a day trip in the summer of 2009. Â Really beautiful place! Â The are itself is quite scenic and we got their around late afternoon right around sunset and everyone was getting ready to settle down for the show. Â We took our picnic dinner and set up our blanket close to the amphitheater (because we had lawn tickets). Â There were people around us who took romantic lanterns, tables and wine. Â Everyone did whatever they wanted to do in order to be comfortable and enjoy the show. Â The air was nice and crisp for the summer, truly magical.
And then, the show started! Â Boston Symphony Orchestra was at it best featuring James Levin. Â I am not a big fan of classical music myself, but that was an experience I would never forget.. Oh, the music and the stars blended with each other and took everyone in a trance. Â And soon after it ended, there was a fireworks show to add to all the magic. Â We ooh-ed and aah-ed through it all. A perfect summer picnic for people of all ages!
So, if you are anywhere near Western Massachusetts next summer, you might want to try out this place. Â I can promise you will not regret it at all.
finally scratched an item off my summer to-do list: go to tanglewood for a Boston Symphony Orchestra concert. Â the berkshires area is amazing, and against this backdrop the BSO has set up a really nice outdoor concert area with a big shed for the premium seats (lawn seating otherwise). Â my preference is the tent area, although if you're with a group, lawn seats can be fun -- most of the audience come here to have a picnic while listening to good music, the BSO specifically. Â (when is james levine coming back???)
the only downside to the experience is the parking. Â it's not disorganized or anything -- the staff is actually pretty good at managing the parking lots -- it's just that there are A LOT of cars. Â with old people in them. Â so getting out of the venue takes a long time. Â you'd be well advised to save your applause at the end (though the BSO deserves it), and just run -- RUN -- towards the parking lot and get the hell out before the inevitable traffic congestion gets worse.
Gorgeous, gorgeous place. The setting up in the Berkshires is beautiful, and I can only imagine how spring and autumn concerts here must look! Speaking of concerts, that amphitheater is incredible on the acoustics and seating. I was fortunate enough to watch John Williams conducting the Boston Pops this year, and it was a real treat. Not just the space or the sound, but the entire experience was nothing short of positive. While I was close to the front of the stage, I could see the appeal of having a picnic on the lawn for a lot less per person. The people who brought tables and candleabras are my new heroes!
If you have a chance to see a concert here, take it! I only wish I could've spent a little more time in the area to see everything else it has to offer, but this is a grand concert/event hall nestled in the mountains indeed.
I've been to Tanglewood only twice now and both times have been wowed by the scenery and beauty of the venue.
The best part of Tanglewood is getting lawn seats ($21/person) and bringing a picnic with some wine and just laying down and enjoying the view. Of course, I always think I have a great spread and am just put to shame by the high-class picnics some people bring: picnic tables, flower centerpieces, bread with cutting boards, 5-star spreads. My friends actually did bring Prosecco and plastic wine glasses this time, so at least I wasn't too pathetic! ;)
We had lawn seats last year for James Taylor, but due to the extremely rainy season, we ended up missing it. Rainy days are the days it pays to have actual seats! Also, they don't always put down the big screen for the lawn seats, so you don't necessarily SEE the performers or any photo tributes/videos they show. But I don't think that's necessary and you can always get up and walk closer to see that.
Yes, the music is wonderful - whether or not you're a classical fan. But for me, the best part is just the ambiance and experience.
I just wish it was closer to me! 2+ hours each way is a long drive for a concert!
Everyone must experience Tanglewood at least once. Especially if you live within a three hour drive, which makes it an easy trip. No excuses. Get off the bar stool, approach the idea of cultural enhancement with an open mind and GO. Especially if you are with a cute honey, some of your favorite family members, Granny and Aunt Lucille.
Even if you protest with great annoyance that you don't like music and you'd rather be at a Sox game or a keg party, you really will find out that this place is very,very cool.
Although masses and masses of people stream in to hear the music, the crowds are handled well and once you are in through the gates, you will see that the space is huge. You can picnic (with your favorite wine) and let the kids run around before the show. If you are going to be on the lawn, don't bring massive beach chairs that bug the folks behind you. If you have reserved seats, you'll be protected from the elements and Granny will not have to worry about getting up and down with her bad knees.
The grass is richly green, the sky changes from blue to gray to black, the stars appear and it's summer. Love it.
Tanglewood on the 4th of July-- truly inspirational and very american.
We picnicked on a hillside overlooking a deep blue lake with mountains in the background and brilliant green surrounding us, while listening to beautiful live music and i was literally breathless. Â Our picnic should have been framed and hanging in a museum-- so beautiful that it didnt even feel real. Â Then the sun went down, and it was like someone cued the perfect almost full moon to rise and complete the vision. Â Fireworks over the lake followed the concert-- almost too beautiful to imagine. Â (luckily, i could imagine cause it was FREEZING and none of us had brought the kind of clothes needed for a Berskhires July 4 so we took off early rather than shiver through them.)
There is a wonderful vibe that hangs over Tanglewood and its environs and you feel it in the scenery, the mood of the other people there, and in the performances. Â Even if you're not a huge fan of whoever is playing, Tanglewood is worth the trip, so pack a picnic, bring your blankets and dress warm!
"Starry starry night. Paint your palette blue and bright..."
Back in my college days, I once had the chance to accompany my very musically inclined friends on a drive up to Tanglewood. Tanglewood, you see, is the open air summer residence of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. An open air concert hall, there is no seating, just a rooftop area for the orchestra, and miles of grassy fields for concert-goers to picnic in.
Whenever I remember the summer concert in Tanglewood, I reminisce about lying back on the grass as sonorous string melodies and bellicose brass resonance assuaged and comforted my soul in waves of measured movements. At that moment, everthing in the world just felt right. Most of all, I think about looking up at the night sky in wonderment of the stars and amazed at the elegant beauty of it all.
What more is required?
A bottle of wine. A hunk of cheese. The company of good friends.
Perfection.
Review 8/14/08
I.M.Y.
It was a nice summer Sunday. Â Yo-Yo-Ma was performing Lalo's "Cello Concerto in D minor", and the conductor performed Rachmaninoff's "Symphony Danes, opus 45". Not to mention Albeniz's "Suite from Iberia (orch. Arbros)" was also performed. Â It 's great music. We had jolly happy time. There was about 8 of us. We had a picnic in the lawn. We drank wine, ate cheese, and some more.
But what I found disappointing is that we could not see the performers. This whole time I thought classical-music-out-in-the-lawn we would be able to see them. The lawn was outside of the shed. Paradoxically, I wouldn't want to sit in the shed because i would like to be in the sun and bring my own wine and food (which is not allowed in the shed), but at the same time sitting in the lawn and being able to bring your own stuff---we lost a little because we weren't able to see them.
Overall it was a great time. The music we could hear perfectly well. We just lied down, closed our eyes and listened and listened some more.
So the man and I met up with some friends (Christopher M, Dawn E, and others) for a night of great movie scores performed by The Boston Pops. Â The first part of the program was of various songs including a piece John Williams composed for the Beijing Olympics. Â The second half was dedicated to his work from the Indiana Jones movies, with a surprise appearance from Steven Spielberg.
Do get here early. Â The man and I showed up about an hour before the show was set to start, and all the "good" spots were taken. Â Do not take a canopy if it looks like rain... they will not allow you to set it up even though we were in NO ONES WAY WHATSOEVER!! Â But they do allow very large beach umbrellas. Â
They also allow coolers in... even booze. Â We bought a mini Heineken keg, and brought a bottle of my fathers homemade wine. Â I made a few sandwiches, and packed up some cheese and crackers. Â We had enough food, and drink to last the lovely evening.
It is a super long drive, so do call ahead to make a reservation at a local hotel or Bed and Breakfast. Â We called close to 20 places before we got stuck at the Econo Lodge. Â That was lovely (*please note the sarcasm*).
We will definitely be back, with a reservation made ahead of time.
I went to Tanglewood last weekend with some good friends, old friends and new friends. Â The program was "Film Night." Â John Williams was conducting the Boston Pops in a program of great movie scores (his own and some others). Â The second half of the program was to feature his work from the Indiana Jones movies. Â The Pops performed several songs that were off program, including the piece Williams recently composed for the Beijing Olympics, and Steven Spielberg made a surprise appearance to MC the second half of the program - VERY COOL!!!
The first thing you need to know about Tanglewood is that it's about a stone's throw away from New York State - about 130 miles from Boston. Â So count on spending 2 hours out there, 2 hours back, and $50 for gas.
That being said, the drive is COMPLETELY worth it! Â
The estate is just beautiful, with lush lawns and trees scattered throughout. Â There is a gift shop, a grill and mini food court and several vendor tents. Â Parking is free in the various lots (really grass covered clearings surrounded by trees), although I believe you can pay for preferred parking near the venue. Â The main stage (Koussevitzky Music Shed) is a covered amphitheater with lawns spread out in every direction. Â There's also an indoor theater, offices, rest rooms, and several other facilities spread out across the estate.
Seats within the amphitheater cost about the same as normal Symphony tickets, but lawn tickets are usually only $20.
Here's my recommendations for a trip to Tanglewood:
Don't show up two hours before the show begins. Â Drive out there late morning or early afternoon and make a day of it. Â This is a perfect place to toss around a frisbee, kick a soccer ball or play a wiffle ball game.
Bring picnic baskets, coolers, blankets, folding chairs, and beach umbrellas if it's sunny or likely to rain. Â You can bring any kind of food or beverage in with you (including alcohol). Â For some strange reason you can't put up a canopy or tent on the lawn, regardless of where you're sitting. Â Open flames (I would assume they're referring to campfires or grills) are prohibited, but Citronella candles seem to be permitted (and I'd recommend one or two). Â Don't count on chair rentals, they go quickly and early.
The musicians aren't well amplified, so if you're sitting in the back of the lawn it's a bit of a struggle to hear (especially if you have noisy neighbors or kids nearby). Â So get there early and throw your blanket down up front.
You might also want to sit within view of the projection screens, they may be utilized throughout the performance. Â During Film Night they played movie scenes while the Pops played along - very impressive.
If you want to sit near the stage, buy tickets, but bring all the picnic stuff too. Â Enjoy the lawn during the day, then go sit in your seats during the performance.
Make note of where you parked (especially the lot name). Â It's easy to get lost and spend an hour wandering around in the dark before you find your car.
All in all, a performance at Tanglewood is an amazing experience and quite possibly the best day trip value around. Â You can bet I'll be going back soon!
So my first trip to Tanglewood came by way of lawn seats and a long car ride with crazy Yelpers (and soon to be Yelpers!) and talk of drunken mishaps in our respective pasts.
The lawn is fantastic, perfectly manicured. Â Although a couple of the folks were were with quipped about the non-smoking policy, I secretly savored the crisp untainted mountain air.
Get there early if you want to rent a chair (or bring your own chair) as we found out when one of our group of 8 wound up chairless (we had brought enough with us for seven). Â The chair rental, by the way, is only five dollars and it looked like you don't have to return it, as after everyone left we watched them drive around in golf carts and pick them up. Â Although I could be wrong about this... it's just how it seemed.
Do bring a cooler and a nice bottle of wine or three and some delicious cheese and fruit.  Although, if everyone in your group brings enough food for everyone in  your group, you soon all learn you have way too much food. Â
Don't bring a pop up tent shelter, even if you plan to stay off to the back or the side and out of the way, as they won't let you put it up. Â Umbrellas on stakes seem to be okay, though.
Don't plan on open flames, unless it's a small candle... they seem to let candles slide.
DO pay CLOSE attention to where you parked, unless you want to be walking around at midnight on dimly lit streets carrying all your stuff and having no idea where you are or where your car is. Â (This happened, trust me, although it was fun. Â Everything is fun if you're with the right people.)
Honestly, I don't know why anyone would by orchestra seats... Â okay, so for rain it would be nice, but our rain came and went before we got in and then we have tarps and chairs and such no no one was stuck in wet grass.).
The orchestra was wonderful... I had thought and hopes they're be speakers throughout the lawn area to amplify the sound but now I'm so glad there wasn't... Â it carried through the night beautifully..
It was like we were all butterflies, sleeping under the stars, and listening to the grasshoppers play lullabies, except the lead grasshopper was John Williams and the lullabies were scores from movies and there was a hooting owl that was really Steven Spielberg explaining stuff about music and Indiana Jones.
Anyway, Tanglewood is wonderful and I will be back, only next time I'll go early and explore Lenox, as it seemed worthy of exploration.
Hot summer wind reminds me that it's time.
Cool ocean breeze carries me to the west.
As the mountains slowly rise up, I start to hear the hint of harmony.
I lay on the bed of grass, I breathe deeply to smell the green.
When stars appear in the sky, I get showered with the sound of symphony......
Tanglewood proved my mettle as best gf ever. Here's how.
One day my girlfriend was going on about how she'd never seen James Taylor in concert and she wanted to so bad, but no one would ever go with her. I made fun of her for liking James Taylor.
Another day, she was pining for the Berkshires, and Tanglewood in particular. "Wouldn't it be so romantic to see a concert out there, under the stars?" she said. "With a bunch of rich cracker yuppies? Sitting on wet grass? Not to mention bugs. Sounds horrible!" I said.
Then her birthday started getting closer and closer, and I searched for James Taylor tickets, because I LISTEN, even if I make fun. As luck would have it, he was playing at Tanglewood right around her special day. So it all aligned, I spent a bunch of money and we cozied up with the well-to-do drunken white people who like James Taylor. Or, "the original JT" as I like to call him.
Okay there is no better way to listen to Beethoven Symphony No. 9 than on a plush fresh cut lawn with ample wine, cheese and crackers.  Because of this, Tanglewood  is one of my top favorite spots in New England. Â
Yes the drive is a bit long (2 hours with out traffic) but it is well worth it.  My only disappointment was that the men's bath room right outside the main gate was horrible.  It reminded me of the  men's rooms in "Old" Garden during 4th qtr of Celtics playoff games in May/June. Just the memory of those games makes me want to vomit. Â
Make the trip with some friends and I am sure you will have a good time!
It was a dream come true. I felt like I was in a movie with my very own soundtrack as I walked across the bright green lawn during the orchestra's afternoon rehearsal. View of the mountains, comparatively crisp air (when we look at Boston w/ it's dang 99.9% humidity), and lovely music. I want to go back for a concert, for sure!
Review Source:Tanglewood is a very nice get-away from the daily routine. Whether it is in the week a the Hall or on the weekend at the Shed, inside or on the lawn: the experience there is (almost) always great.
I really enjoy the much better quality and way more interesting selection of artists and performances since James Levine took over as the music director.
Some practical advise:
- For the 8:30 pm performances, you should make sure to be at 6:00pm on the Masspike (at 128, coming from Boston). You will be there on time, but you should bring your own food.
- After the evening performances, do not expect to find ANY open restaurants, except McD or BK.
- Bring a fleece or jacket and a few bottles of insect repellent (OFF Deep Woods) - it can get cold and the air filled with mosquitoes.
A final word, though: the audience in Tanglewood is not alway up to par with the quality of the performance, especially on the lawn. You should expect whispering, jamming in plastic bags, and - worst of all - applause between movements. While annoying, this is simply a part of the Tanglewood experience.
Magical...After a perfect dinner at Cranwell, we witnessed the masterful artistry that is YO-YO MA. Â I was spell-bound, and the crowd couldn't seem to let Mr. Ma exit but eventually he had to and the BSO performed the Opus 36 which my friend said was his favorite. Â It was perfection.
We came a little late so they didn't allow us to take our seats during the middle of the performance which sucked but when we did, we were seated smack in front of the stage in a sea of elderly people who kind of stared at us (there wasn't even a nice 30 year old couple to soften our presence). Â
Lush grass fields for endless amounts of free and ample parking close to the shed. Â The 2.5 hour drive is awesome because it allows you to see Massachusetts for what it is outside of Boston. Â The Berkshires are breathtakingly beautiful. Â You don't really love someone unless you take them here.
Tanglewood is just a wonderful place to head in the summer. Â If you are serious about music, I recommend planning far in advance and getting good seats within the music shed. Â If you are just there for a pleasant picnic, you've suddenly cut the cost of your tickets considerably and all you need to do is pack a wonderful picnic lunch and show up early in the day to stake out a nice spot for your blanket.
This area is heavily visited by tourists in the summer, so you will need to plan where you are going to stay in advance.
go ahead, call me a yuppie. tanglewood is the shit. do i even need to tell you this? make sure you forego the pricey prepaid picnic baskets and pick up sandwiches and two buck chuck from trader joe's before heading out to western mass. oh, and plastic wineglasses. and bug spray. and a blanket.
the only time the lawn seats don't rule over the seats inside is when it's raining.
oh, and this is definitely a day trip, by the way, unless you know someone who lives out there that you can crash with - i called around before my visit, and most of the hotels, motels, and bed & breakfasts i called had at least a 3 night minimum during tanglewood season or were otherwise sold out or prohibitively expensive. even the super-8 in pittsfield was $200 a night!
About 2.5 hours outside of Boston, Tanglewood is a delightful place to spend a summer afternoon enjoying live, open-air music. It's also the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, so as you'd expect, it's a class act. However, dress is casual and patrons often arrive early to picnic on the lawn. Wine is allowed, and families, couples, or gorups of friends can bring their own picnics or pick up food from one of several cafe pavilions.
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