Klarinet Archive - Posting 000611.txt from 2001/02

From: "Doug Sears" <dsears@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] The "one-chord" clarinet solo on THE MACARENAthatsaved the gig
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2001 20:01:37 -0500

It's fine with me if 18th century audiences liked to applaud in the middle of
movements; I guess it worked for them. It doesn't work for me, though -- I
prefer to be able to hear the music clearly. I once heard Robert Levin give a
talk where he said something to the effect that the Victorians started acting
at concerts as if they were in church, and that that attitude is causing the
death of concert-going. I had several reactions: 1)it worked for the
Victorians -- they went to lots of concerts, and appreciated them. 2)it works
for me -- going to concerts IS kind of like going to church for me. 3)it
works for church-goers -- at church services I've been to, people have no
problem being quiet so that they can hear what's going on.

--Doug
----------------------------
Doug Sears dsears@-----.net/~dsears

>Today, the audience is not a participant in the performance of works.
>They are played AT. They are obliged to behave as if they are in
>church. Don't yell and holler and scream if you like something. Just
>shut up and let us do our work, is the attitude.
>
>I am of the opinion that the audience is a participant in the entire
>event, as they are at jazz concerts or rock concerts. And one of the
>many reasons why classical music is being seen more and more as
>irrelevant is because the audience is treated as if they were outside
>the events instead of being a part of them.
>
>Dan

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