The famous "Gewandhaus" concert hall in Leipzig, Germany (pictured), is called after what or whom?

The city of Leipzig in the German state of Saxony has a long and illustrious musical history, dating back to at least the 15th century. In 1479 some pipers were listed officially as municipal employees.

But the Baroque era saw the real flowering of the city's status as a musical metropolis. By the end of the 18th century there was a serious need for a larger and more permanent premises to house the city's orchestra. Help was at hand. As well as being a cultural, Leipzig was also a mercantile centre, and the city's textile merchants had a large upper storey in their headquarters that was unused. "Gewand" is German for "robe" or "garment". This property was converted into a concert hall, and the first performance was given there in 1781.

From then on a plethora of famous composers were drawn to the venue. All of Beethoven's 9 completed symphonies were premiered there, as were many works of Mendelssohn, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, and Wagner (who was a native of Leipzig himself). Mozart made a special trip to give a concert there.

Although the name has been maintained, the original theatre was superseded by a larger one (known as the "neues Gewandhaus") at the end of the 19th century, and by another new theatre in 1981, also known as the "neues Gewandhaus".

The current (January 2020) chief conductor Andris Nelsons, is the 21st person to hold the title.