Hungarian Days meant more than just buying treats and souvenirs. There were also musical pieces at the churches in Cluj.
We see the high ceilings have the same magical effects as the churches in Western Europe, like those where Hildegarde von Bingen wrote her songs. One of the songs sounded a bit like a Gregorian chant, but we’re informed that some of the composers are still living (meaning we might be treated to more new songs like this in the future.)
The high ceilings carry the voice, or the instrumentals, often without the need of microphones (they didn’t have them when they were built, and the sound still had to reach everyone.) These create a ressonance that is a joy to listen to, whether or not you understand the lyrics.
Many newer orthodox churches also seem to be built with accounstics in mind, as you might witness when passing by the meditative prayers on holidays, Sundays, or even Tuesdays. The monasteries also ring forth.
So, why did we only notice in the Hungarian days? This was a chance to sit and listen, to hear moderate voices (quiet, but not too quiet, perhaps soft is a better word), sing songs with texts in front of us, and follow along. Perhaps it was just a reminder of what we had long known.
Of course, it helps to have excellent voices create sounds to carry. These voices didn’t just pick up a sheet of music and just try it out on the spot. There must have been some rehearsal, some voice training within the building, to learn to take advantage of what the walls and ceiling (and perhaps pillars and windows and so on) had to offer.
The seats are relatively comfortable as well. The old style is slightly climate controlled, but no, we didn’t go there in the hottest part of the day, so we can’t say for sure how well the walls keep the heat out. Only that the sound is nice, and we wish more buildings were built today (like modern churches) with accoustics in mind.