On May 10th 1941, during the worst night of the Blitz German incendiary bombs set fire to one of Europe's great concert halls. The water supply ran out and Queen's Hall, famed for its acoustic, burned.

Andrew Green tells the story of the hall - its struggle for financial viability, its relationship with visiting and home-grown orchestras and conductors, its design and acoustic qualities, its place in concert-goers' affections - and traces the events of that fateful night.

With contributions from, among others, broadcasters John Amis and Richard Baker, cultural historian Leanne Langley, acoustician Rob Harris, Queens Hall 'guide' Robert Threlfall and archive of many of the last century's finest musicians.

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 3. Show less