Page 10 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

H. Vivian Taylor, Theatre Architect and Australia’s first

Acoustic Consultant

by Ross Thorne
I had reason to contact H. Vivian Vivian Taylor was a fatherly figure After returning from World War I,
Taylor in 1963 on two counts - for in the 1960s, never ruffled, but quite Taylor could not afford to be indentured
research into theatre history and concerned and positive in his diagnosis (as an apprentice) to an established
acoustic consulting. Let me explain. of, and solution to a problem. He was architect, so he worked on building
In 1954 my architectural thesis both willing to learn and unstintingly sites. Finally, he sat for the Royal
topic was to design a concert hall generous in passing on his knowledge. Institute of British Architects
complete with full acoustic design. I In an interview with him, hopefully to examination and became an architect in
experimented with a ripple tank and a document his life, I made little progress 1921. Prior to 1928 he was asked to
model using shiny and black surfaces to in discovering much about him. He assist with acoustic difficulties mostly
simulate reflective and absorptive would discuss some commission in in churches; then, in 1928, he
surfaces in the hall while a light was to detail but finding out general professionally became an acoustic
simulate the performer on the platform. biographical information and history of consultant. It was very timely. He
This was current practice for the time his practice, was like drawing teeth. Yet would shortly design or correct the
together with a standard formula for he must have had both a passion for acoustics of over 500 auditoria across
calculating reverberation times. acoustics and a quiet drive to Australia. They were predominantly
In 1961, the architectural firm understand the then new science, and those of picture theatres.
Joseland and Gilling, asked me to help become, in his consideration, the first With the founding of the Australian
them with some small acoustic professional architectural acoustician in Broadcasting Commission in 1932 and
problems. In the same year I became a Australia. the need to quickly establishing radio
lecturer at the University of Sydney stations across the country, new studios
where my professor wanted me to enrol were required. Taylor started this aspect
in a Masters degree. I wanted to do of his practice in 1931, a schedule
research into acoustics of theatres but which culminated in designs for ABC
he vetoed that, so I decided to do a studios 2FC and 2BL in Forbes Street,
study of the history of theatre buildings, East Sydney. These replaced primitive
thinking that I could still ‘test’ the ones in a little building at 96 Market
acoustics of existing theatres. Street, Sydney .
As the consulting jobs kept coming, Practical audio correction for radio
I decided to buy some testing and recording studios was published
equipment at the end of 1962. I long before anything similar for
arranged to go to Melbourne and theatres. Convex shapes, as part spheres
Hobart in 1963 to test the auditoria of and part cylinders, were promoted for
the Theatre Royal, Hobart, and The former Tenant Directory when Taylor diffusing sound, to eliminate ‘loud’ or
Capitol, Melbourne (before the stalls ran his practice from Henty House, Little ‘quiet’ spots and annoying standing
were ripped out). Before doing these Collins Street. The directory is now, of all waves between parallel walls. Taylor
tests I met Vivian Taylor. places, in the Civil Aviation Museum, adapted these concepts for the interiors
Taylor Soilleux and Overend, had Essendon Airport. Image: Ross King. of his practice’s modern theatres - most
designed a number of cinemas in evident in the side-walls of the Padua
It should be remembered that public at Brunswick.
Victoria, and he had been an acoustic
radio broadcasting commenced in the
consultant on some hundreds of By 1963, with the advent of
early years of the 1920s and electrically
cinemas to improve their acoustics recording equipment, all one needed
recorded gramophone discs started to
when sound films were introduced was an explosive sound to be made on
come onto the market in 1926, thus
(1929-30). We discussed my interest in stage and the ‘dying-away’ of the sound
permitting electrical reproduction of
acoustic consulting and my limited could be recorded and measured as the
music on radio. The years 1929/30 saw
knowledge with regards to designing reverberation time. Vivian Taylor used a
the introduction of sound films and
the mounting of machines to prevent starters’ pistol with blank cartridges. He
conversion of cinemas to allow the
transmission of vibration. Vivian Taylor suggested that a Ramset explosive-
reproduced voices to be heard by
belonged to the ‘old school’ of charged nail gun would be just as good
audiences. Prior to the 1930s, acoustic
professional person. He was tall, (but without the nail or bolt). He
testing of auditoria was undertaken by
straight, although thickened around the organised one for me to take to the
dropping a pin on a hard-topped desk,
waist, grey-haired with a grey Capitol, together with a telephone
tuning forks, or organ pipes.
moustache, wore a grey suit, collar and directory. I set up my equipment in the
Reverberation was timed by human
tie, rarely divesting himself of his suit middle of the stalls, loaded the Ramset
hearing in conjunction with a stop-
jacket. His only apparent affectation with an explosive charge, pushed it
watch.
was the tilt on the rim of his hat. against the telephone directory on the
stage floor - and BANG!
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