Tethered to electronics, we forget that for centuries individuals were expected to read, write and perform for one another, in the flesh. Music enjoyed a particularly intimate history. Until the 17th century, secular music was played solely within one’s home (hence: “chamber music”).
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Compared to the West Village, a neighborhood with a genuinely residential vibe, Meatpacking remains faithful to its traditional commercial roots despite many dramatic shifts. A century ago, Meatpacking housed some 250 packing plants and slaughterhouses, the gradual departure of which left many large warehouses vacant yet intact. Criminals, scoundrels and party people seized on the abandoned area where they could behave near-anonymously. Business and pleasure were conducted in clubs and darkened alleyways.
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