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November 30, 2008
Clapping between movements, and others classical music blunders
At a classical music conert, when someone starts clapping at the wrong time-either between movements or sometimes when you thought it was over but oops, they're still playing-other audience members frown, wondering what's wrong with them, don't they know any better. I'm guilty of it myself. Heck, it bothers me when people don't let the last note ring in the hall for a second or let the conductor put down his or her baton before starting to clap. Does this make me a snob? Perhaps. I'd prefer to think of it as I like my musical experience to be complete and interrupted. Sometimes it's an easy mistake to make-you just get to excited and it feels like a big climax, it's natural that when the sound stops, you want to clap-but nope, classical music has rules people. And you should learn them!
But what about the people who are new to the arts scene? Who decided to go hear a concert for once instead of wondering what it would be like? Without embracing new audiences, people ready to learn and absorb music and new ideas, the classical music industry can't survive, so it needs to be careful to not be too elitist. I've been to concerts where there are some discrete notes about concert etiquette and I think that's great-instead of staring at people doing the wrong thing, who don't know any better, give them a chance and I bet they'll figure it out. My high school band director used to do this and it really helped-although my father still complains about the rude audience members sitting around him who talk during concerts or rustle papers or sometimes, just insisted on coming even though they had to cough up a lung ever few seconds. But there is certainly a difference between etiquette and these examples of certainly rude behavior, one that it is important to note.
This whole thing about fear, what's that about? The arts are such a rewarding experience-fear has no place, unless as an emotional response to a work of art (sometimes those Symphonies can be terrifying!) But I guess I can relate. There's a social stigma surrounding the arts where you're just expected to know things. If you're a musician, you should be able to recognize a classical piece within say 30 seconds, or name the orchestra playing, or even, who's the conductor, or in my case, who is playing principal clarinet? How could you just know all these things off the top of your head? You couldn't. I think this expectation is a reflex-I'm guilty myself, where I play something on my computer and seem surprised when a friend doesn't immediately recognize it as say Scheherezade or New World Symphony. It's like duh-I know this, why don't you? But that's not good. There should be no fear or anxiety from not knowing, because by identifying what you don't know, you learn, and then next time you do! So sorry, to all those people who I've offended by assumptions or frowned at for clapping at the wrong time-I'm so appreciative of the fact that you care enough to come and learn. But next time-well, now you know better.
Posted by srelder at November 30, 2008 02:34 PM