The Awfulness of Classical Music

[Williamsfan301 11]

Article from the Huffing and Puffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-dare/classical-music-concerts_b_1525896.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

Thoughts?

[chuck 154]

Yeah, I could see his point.

[filmmusic 1,823]

Each genre of music has its own way of participation into it.

If the gentleman that wrote the article would like to participate in the music, I would suggest that he starts going in gypsy fairs instead of concert halls.

Classical music has its own way of participating into it. By your mind and feeling.

You don't have to start shouting, clapping, or throwing things at the orchestra..

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Best topic title ever!

[Brónach 1,301]

If people start clapping and making noise in the middle of a concert they wouldn't put it on the radio, or they would let us without some perfomances.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Each genre of music has its own way of participation into it.

If the gentleman that wrote the article would like to participate in the music, I would suggest that he starts going in gypsy fairs instead of concert halls.

Classical music has its own way of participating into it. By your mind and feeling.

You don't have to start shouting, clapping, or throwing things at the orchestra..

I totally agree. It also seems to me there's a fair share of old common lieu about classical music in general in this article, like the fact you're obliged to follow a dress code or silly things like that. I've attended classical concerts wearing jeans and sneakers, nobody looked at me like I was an alien. And I've been to concerts where you could actually feel the deep emotional participation of the audience even though they were not screaming or howling like they were in a stadium watching a football game. Also, I find quite intellectually dishonest to say things like "Beethoven would have not approved, he wasn't a follower of traditions!" just because you want to make your argument stronger...

I find quite silly and somewhat childish this conception that you have to express your enthusiasm toward something with a wild, exuberant attitude. I see this is a very contemporary way of thinking, where there are people who, no matter where they are, feel entitled to express their feelings in a very extroverted way (like waving their fists and screaming "WOOHOO!! YOU'RE AWESOME!!! THIS IS THE BEST THING EVAH!"). As filmmusic said, classical music concerts have their own way of living and transmitting emotions. It's like watching a play in a theater. You have to be silent and listen, otherwise is just background noise. We already live in a very noisy, constantly buzzing world. There's no need to bring that noise into concert auditoriums.

Of course there are people even in the classical music world (like James Levine) who are big proponents of clapping during the actual performance and things like that. I understand symphony orchestras and theaters need to gather new audiences and young blood in order to stay alive, but I hope they will not lose something important

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[TownerFan 4,983]

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Wojo 2,453]

In a symphony hall, I think the audience does have to maintain a specific amount of respect for the musicians during the performance. Being allowed to clap, holler, whistle, cheer, shout, sing, beatbox, stomp, stand, and/or dance during the actual performance shatters that respect. The best thing that the audience can do for a performance of classical music is just disappear. The musician should take his/her cues from the conductor's baton and nowhere else, unless the conductor has deferred to a particular instrumental or vocal soloist for when the next downbeat is. Or the drums if they're out of control.

But you're rarely going to see a situation in classical music where the symphony "feeds" off the energy of the crowd, because the crowd is going to be a distraction. People clapping at different tempos, cheering being louder than the soft part, stuff like that. The people on stage need to stay in the zone to perform the music at the highest level of concentration possible. I love being with a crowd who knows to not clap as long as the conductor keeps his/her baton in the air between movements. The tension in the room is so tight it could snap. I like that about that type of show.

Now I have seen Andre Rieu concerts on PBS where the opposite is true. The musicians play a piece of music that the whole audience really gets into, and there is laughing and great fun to be had, when the music is one piece of entertainment, instead of most classical concerts where the music is the centerpiece of the evening.

People who want to clap, holler, whistle, cheer, shout, sing, beatbox, stomp, stand, and/or dance during the actual performance, well, that's what rock music is for, when the performers do feed off the energy of the crowd. Maybe that's also because the music is so loud on stage that they can't really hear the audience anyways.

[Jilal 569]

I saw a video of Williams conducting his Superman march the other day. The people were shouting and clapping to the music.

You can't imagine that happenign nowadays.

[Greg1138 3]

I saw a video of Williams conducting his Superman march the other day. The people were shouting and clapping to the music.

You can't imagine that happenign nowadays.

I has happened to me - quite recently (it was the Star Wars Main Title), but agree with all the points on this thread. It was a rare occurrence, and one that sent shivers down my spine if I'm honest.

[MSM 126]

I must admit that I enjoy performing music much better than sitting in a concert hall listening, clapping and standing according to the protocol of today. However, as long as these protocols exist (which are not as difficult after all, and which are meant to have some well-defined chaos-preventing structure during a programme) I would advise people if they are going to a classical concert to make themselves familiar with the protocol for their own sake.

If one is completely new to classical music I would advise even not to go to a classical concert at all and first try to become somewhat familiar with the vast range of styles available to determine one's own tastes and preferences.

Anyhow, I agree that some more informality during a classical concert would be a blessing for the audience.

[Marian Schedenig 8,173]

The writer mistakes concentrated emotions for no emotions. There's no rule for *when* to applaud in a classical concerts. There's a rule for when *not* to applaud. And that's because the music and its emotions are carried by many nuances, thematic development etc. Focussing on the music is how you get involved. There are moments, like the finale of Strauss' Rosenkavalier, that make me nearly break down in tears, because the music so masterfully builds to its climax.

And an enthusiastic audience giving a standing ovations after a great concert can easily be more emotional than a rock concert audience.

[Quintus 5,399]

If he started clapping and whooping next to me during a performance of orchestral music I'd perform an Arnie/Bill Paxton manoeuvre on him. The reason it's acceptable to shout and sing at rock concerts is because it's fucking loud and because it is a party. It does my nut in when I hear stupid people laughing giddily at JW concerts, Ooo listen, it's Darth Vader's tune! Just shut up and let me hear the winds. I for one am glad that there is an etiquette in place at such classical venues - what with me being a season ticket holder with the LSO.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Quintus 5,399]

If you go to one of them you deserve to be stabbed on your way home.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Brónach 1,301]

Making noise at a classical music concert is like making noise at the cinema, or at the theatre.

[Quintus 5,399]

Yes.

The only time it's acceptable to act a prat at a classical music gig is The Last Night of the Proms. And boy will you look a prat!

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Making noise at a classical music concert is like making noise at the cinema

No. At the cinema you disturb only other viewers, at a classical concert you disturb the other listeners and also the performers.

[Quintus 5,399]

Good point, but Chaac was possibly referring to the level of offense caused all around.