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Fed up with people making noise at classical shows

Last night I heard Vladimir Feltsman perform Chopin's Ballades at the Perelman Theater in Philadelphia's Kimmel Center. My excitement was building as my favorite part of the first Ballade approached. Immediately before the key was struck, someone sneezed. It was at that moment that I asked myself, "What the hell am I doing here? I have this at home, recorded by three different pianists." Throughout the performance were the sounds of coughing, sneezing moving in one's seat, dropping of programs, and talking.

I know this is the chance you take when attending live classical concerts and I LOVE hearing live music, but frankly I'm sick of it. I'm sick of paying money for traveling and the ticket itself just to be annoyed for two hours. Last Tuesday night a ringing cell phone disrupted a performance by the New York Philharmonic to the point where the conductor actually stopped the orchestra half way through Mahler's Ninth and addressed the moron who wouldn't shut it off.

Once, DURING A PERFORMANCE, someone got out of their seat, walked up to the stage and began "conducting the orchestra" with an imaginary baton.

As I said, I love attending live music, but when things like this happen, I'm ready to just stay home and save myself the aggravation.

Sorry, just had to vent.
devilboy

Showing 7 responses by herman

herman
2,215 posts
 
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There are two types of distractions, those that can be controlled and those that can't.

....Coughing and sneezing; hard to imagine somebody would do that on purpose. When you have a large group of people it is inevitable that somebody will cough or sneeze. It is just something you have to endure.

....cell phones, talking, etc. are controllable and unforgivable. The lady that sits in front of me at the symphony brings a very bright LED flashlight and reads the program during the performance. It is very annoying.

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herman
2,215 posts
 
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Interesting

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

Chad, you've posted over 10 times to this thread and have said basically the same thing every time.

I'm beginning to think you sneeze and cough a lot at concerts :>)

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herman
2,215 posts
 
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Chad, I'm with Devilboy

You've made basically the same response about 15 times

We understood your point the first time

Why do you feel the need to say the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over?

What are you; like 6 years old?

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herman
2,215 posts
 
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Really? Go back and count how many times you have been called out for your attitude. I called you out for posting the same thing over and over; not for what you posted. I saw one other comment directed at you. That requires you to say the same thing a dozen times?

You are just entertaining yourself at our expense by being obnoxious.

Oh well, you get all kinds on the net.

Take care

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herman
2,215 posts
 
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think about what you just wrote.........

You justified 10 unprovoked sophomoric posts by saying somebody called you out AFTER you posted them?

Thanks for making my day. I come here to get entertained and you just posted the most humorous thing I've read in a long time.

Take care

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herman
2,215 posts
 
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It would be interesting if we knew how old the posters are. I'm 56. My parents raised me to be polite, say yes sir and yes ma'am to our elders, hold doors open for ladies and help them on and off with their coats, we had evening meals with no TV or radio and had conversations. There was an attitude that you could do what you wanted as long as you weren't bothering somebody else. Go ahead and call me an old fart if you wish but I see that lacking in the generation coming into adulthood.

Of course I have no way of knowing, but if I were a betting man I would bet that those who respond with smart ass one-liners and ridicule Devilboy because he would like to listen to a concert without being distracted are some of the younger people here.

BYW I'm going to our local symphony this evening, I will do my best not to belch or pass gas during the performance.

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herman
2,215 posts
 
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Mission accomplished; sat through the entire concert without a single extraneous emission on my part.

The lady next to me started a coughing fit but excused herself and got up and left. It was a minor distraction and did not diminish my evening.

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