音樂會「票房」經常給當作測度音樂活動發展的指標，也是拿來衡量演奏者知名度、評判演出成果的依據，或是檢討音樂會和音樂活動的重要指標。本研究超越這些一般觀點，綜合音樂社會學文獻有關音樂會社會意義的論述，以及都市社會學文獻有關都市生活公私特質的理論觀點，探討票房所蘊涵的音樂會公私特質。實証分析資料取自台北國家音樂廳從1991年到1995年間舉行的2154場音樂會票房記錄，並配合各場音樂會的性質和演出者特徵等背景因素，分析票房的變異情形。研究結果証實音樂會票房隨著自然和社會節律、票價、主辦單位、音樂會規模、演出性質、演出者是國外還是國內、演出者的名氣等背景，而有不同差異。這些差異最關鍵的特色，是在「音樂廳」(大廳)和「演奏廳」(小廳)之間的區別明顯。尤其是大廳的票房展現出音樂會公共性的一面，小廳的音樂會票房結構，則在在展示出隱藏在社會節律、演出類型和性質、演出者名氣背後的私人性，尤其是演出者個人網絡中的社會聯結力量。研究發現除了揭示音樂會票房背後的公私特質之外，還對現代都市休閒生活的趨勢，以及音樂界對藝文活動的討論有所啟示。

The box office of music concerts has served an indicator to reflect the fame of the performer as well as to evaluate how the public responds to music activities. This study examines the social significance of concerts behind the box office by combining both literatures in the sociology of music and urban sociology. In particular, it explores how the box office implies the public and private features embedded in the modern urban living. The main data were drawn from the actual box office (measured by the rate of audience attendance) in 2154 classical music concerts held between 1991 and 1995 at Taipei's National Concert Halls. Supplemental data include characteristics of each concert and the performer, as well as weather conditions and social rhythms. The findings largely confirm that the box office varies significantly by social rhythms, ticket prices, managers, size of the concert, whether the concert is memorial or in series, whether the performer is native or foreigner, and how famous the performer is. Major differences exist between the Concert Hall, which furnishes 2070 audience members, and the smaller Recital Hall, which is equipped with 363 seats. While the box office of the Concert Hall reveals the signs of public concerts, that of the Recital Hall suggests the private realm of the concerts, filled with social relationships and personal networks. Such public and private features of concerts may designate new meanings for the box office, and contribute to the further understanding of the modern urban living as well as activities in the classical music world.