Klarinet Archive - Posting 000273.txt from 1999/07

From: Mark Gustavson <mgustav@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] APPLAUSE
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 09:22:04 -0400

"Edwin V. Lacy" wrote:
>
> On Thu, 8 Jul 1999, Richard Bush wrote:
>
> > When I was in college, my theory teacher would loudly and quickly clap
> > at the conclusion of every musical offering, at every concert,
> > regardless of the musical content, even if the music ended in a
> > whisper. What an obnoxious and insincere jesture this was just to let
> > everyone in the hall know that HE KNEW when the piece had ended.
>
> You reminded me of an incident which still causes me to laugh every time I
> think about it. We had a similar person on the faculty here, but he was a
> musicology professor.
>
> There was a string quartet recital. I don't remember what they were
> playing but it ended very quietly and reverently, eventually fading out to
> nothing. The quartet sat, immobile, as if frozen. The audience sat
> enthralled for a few seconds, savoring the finess of the group and the
> ethereal nature of the music. Then, the musicology professor, apparently
> afraid that no one but him knew that the music was over, shouted at the
> absolute top of his dynamic range, "BRAVO!!" This unexpected outburst so
> frightened several people sitting around him that some of them screamed in
> terror, while others jumped from their seats, ready to run from the hall
> to escape whatever monster had let out such a horrendous roar. A couple
> of elementary school children, violin students of one of the members of
> the quartet, began to cry. Our percussion teacher, an excitable type,
> sitting directly in front of the offender, fell to the floor and tried to
> crawl under his seat. From other parts of the hall, after people had had
> a few seconds to figure out what had happened and to collect their
> composure, laughter began to sound. In embarrassment, people tried to
> applaud loudly enough to drown out their laughter. Naturally, no one
> could remember the performance, and in fact they were barely aware that
> one had taken place. Rather, the spectacle in the audience completely
> overshadowed anything having to do with the music.
>
> Needless to say, the musicology professor was not embarrassed.
>
> Believe it or not, I'm not making this up. I have witnesses.
>
> Ed Lacy
> el2@-----.edu
>
Schoenberg referred to these types of people (and the booers) at
concerts as the <<Musical Experts>>.
--
--------------------------------
Mark Gustavson
Composer
Instructor, Brooklyn College Prep Division
Principal Clarinet, Brooklyn Heights Orchestra

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