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 11 responses by rok2id

We expect people to be perfectly quiet at classical concerts, but not at other types of music peformances. Where did this come from? Has it always been that way. In some Jazz performances they applaude after every solo, and that is annoying. There were some pretty rowdy and indifferent audiences in AMADEUS. I wonder if that was historical correct?
"Wow, alot of assholes like Classical lol"

Well since only a small percentage of people like classical, that means most assholes like other genres.
How enjoyable can a concert be for a person who has to spent the entire time trying to stifle coughs and sneezes. Sort of hard to concentrate and get into the performance. I think children should attend classical concerts.
Keep the riffraff out? But that would create so many empty seats it might affect the acoustics.
This problem is not limited to classical venues. Live Jazz recordings suffer from noisey / indifferent audiences also. Esp those recorded in clubs. A good example is 'Ahmad Jamal at the Pershing.'
His performance of 'Poinciana' was magical, but the talking and laughing in the audience just ruined it. Maybe being there would have beeen different, but on a recording, it's just a shame. And the applause was very, very 'polite.'
What about violinist breathing? I have a sophie-Mutter sacd that I cannot listen to becasue of her breathing. I guess it's always something, as Miss Gilda always said.
I was speaking of a recording. That means you hear it every time you play it. It's like the audience being between you and the player. Thats a little different from being in the mood and moment at the club live. Violinist breathing, I would not even hear that at the live event. But I do hear it on CD. I hear it everytime I play it. Its louder than the soft passages of the music. Sorry I didn't make it clear.
I assume your systems and ears can 'resolve' these things. hahahahhahaha sorry, couldn't resist.
"I go see the Cleveland Orchestra often as its close and they are in top 5 in entire world IMO so its always a treat"

Remember, Europe is in the world also.
"Rok, you dont the Cleve is top 5 in entire world? I do and thought others did aswell. Interested in your take, considered elite at minimum!"

How can anyone know? The American Orchestras don't record anymore. I look at my LPs and they are all NY, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Cleveland. My CDs are almost all European. I think for a few decades after the war we had the best, but then greed reared it's ugly head. Now the Europeans have recovered and have now surpassed the US. You can make the case that MN is now the top American Orch. At least you can buy CDs by them. But my favorite from the past was Philadelphia / Ormandy. A young person getting into classical music today could not be faulted for thinking that ALL classical orchestras are European!!
I think the war helped this country in ways most of us don't even recognize. Now the advantages we gained from the war are disappearing.

But to answer your question: You would have to consider Berlin, Vienna, Concertgebouw, LSO, St Martin Fields, and the Leipzig Gewandhaus. Along with many smaller but outstanding orchestras and chamber groups. Is Cleveland in this company? I certainly hope so. I wonder how many young people know that Cleveland has an Orchestra? But, I am an American first, last and always so... Hell yes Cleveland is in the elite category.