I had heard all my live musical experiences at the RAH where the echoes were the norm and where I heard the RPO and Beecham at rehearsals from 1948-51.  In May 1951 in my last year as a Guildhall music student, I bought 2 tickets for Joan Hammond (soprano) and Claudio Arrau (pianist).  At the Joan Hammond performance, affording only the cheapest seat in the Grand Tier (being a student) I was amazed to hear the sound of Joan Hammond taking deep breaths between phrases.  I was astouded at the acoustic of the new hall.  I still have the 2 tickets for those concerts.  An enduring memory from a lifetime of musical experiences.  Since 1951 apart from the 'Proms', these have been spent at the RFH, and, since retirement in 1991, I have enjoyed 15 years of P. Orchestra rehearsals there too.