Klarinet Archive - Posting 001005.txt from 1998/03

From: Martin Pergler <pergler@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Intermovement pauses
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 06:24:59 -0500

On Wed, 18 Mar 1998, David McClune wrote:

> I concur that the mystical religious response we expect at "classical"
> concerts is misplaced. Only at the Opera is there applause after major
> arias. This has never ruined my appreciation of the Drama! Why not have
> the audience gleefully applaud after a particularly well played slow
> movement, or invigorating fast movement. It actually is exciting for me
> when that happens. A spur of the momment response to something exciting.
> It is so human!

To each his/her own internal feelings. I've always been bugged by people
applauding after arias at the opera, interrupting the flow of the music
and often completely covering up the orchestral ending to the aria. I've
even found it strange how when jazz musicians taking their turns on solos
each has to first fight to be heard over the applause for the previous
one. When I give a public lecture, I like appreciation through applause at
the end, but I don't want interruptions of "right on!" in the middle-- let
my whole presentation be taken as a whole, not as a sequence of sound
bytes. Likewise for a musical performance.

> I agree that at pop, rock, country, jazz, etc. concerts it is expected that
> having a good time is part of enjoying the concert. The audience is
> quiet(ish) for the ballads and abit more vocal for the up tempo pieces.

> When was the last time we (you) relaxed and just enjoyed a classical
> concert. Or was it a purely personal emotional experience? Music is a
> social art.

Enjoyed and relaxed? Every time the music is great and no bozo in
the audience is interrupting my enjoyment of it. I've had a couple
of concerts next-to-destroyed, though, by some fool insisting that
he/she/it be the first to applaud, before the final note has died
away. In many cases, I suspect its exhibitionism rather than
being uncontrollably possessed by the music.

Religious mystical awe? No. Respect and self-control, yes.

[Oops. This comes across as a bit harsh. No offense meant,
just vociferous difference of opinion.]

Martin

-------------------------------------------------------
Martin Pergler pergler@-----.edu
Grad student, Mathematics http://www.math.uchicago.edu/~pergler
Univ. of Chicago

   
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