As twilight came on, the faint yellow glow of gas lamps, lit one by one, soon illuminated the Fifth Avenue skyscrapers in midtown New York. The endless flow of stylish cars, horse-drawn carriages continued, as gentlemen in top hats poured out into the bustling streets. The newly invented neon signs added an otherworldly touch to the magnificence of Broadway. 

A world away from the hustle and bustle of midtown, in Washington Heights north of Manhattan, surrounded by rich autumn foliage, a beautiful stately building has just been completed: the new home of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. The year is 1923.

The auditorium and performance hall in this building would become one of the most renowned recording venues in the world. Its natural, warm, velvety acoustics have provided the perfect space for Vladimir Horowitz, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, Placido Domingo, Renée Fleming and other stars of classical music. For almost a hundred years, its exquisite stage, dome, marble reliefs, and warm natural acoustics remain iconic features of northern Manhattan, and carry on the elegant glory and the spirit of the classic tradition.