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
Chadnliz,
Your responsible for 21/96 posts! Check with the Audiogon staff if this sets a thread record. Maybe they will send you some party noise makers to bring to your next classical concert!
I'm 36. I've been listening to classical for about seven years and jazz since my late teens.
94 posts ago I suggested this topic would be a can of worms. I wish I were this good at predicting the stock market.

I am no music historian. I hope someone who is better informed will offer some insight about the evolution of concert etiquette. My understanding is that well into the classical era, music and musical performance was commissioned and supported by either the ruling class or the church. The attitude was apparently one of "he who pays the piper calls the tune." I get the feeling that the nobility many times viewed court musicians and composers as their servants. That being the case, maybe talking or something less than complete silence and focus on the music was just as natural is if I get up from a listening session to answer the phone. I bought the music, I bought the stereo, its my house, I’ll do what I want and do not need to answer to anyone if I want to hit pause.

Perhaps those of you who have seen Copying Beethoven recall the scene where LvB let it be known that no one was to talk during his performance of one of his sonatas. The point here is that with the rise of the middle class and a diminished influence of a small elite group, ownership moved to a much broader group of patrons. At that time the newly emerging middle class began to take a very serious interest in music. They bought copies of published works, performed them in their own homes, and began to attend performances in public forums. I suspect that current expectations for concert etiquette had their root in this period. Ownership of the music was now more broadly distributed between “paying customers,” patrons, composers, professional performers, and to varying degrees, democratically elected governments. Apparently a common set of expectations respecting the wants and needs of this relatively broad demographic arose during this period. Comparison with a time share condominium comes to mind. Best to think of the others who have a share in the ownership.

Where are we now? It is customary in program guides to list patrons of the symphony in groups according to the level of their contributions, which shows clearly that a very small select group of corporations and individuals currently “pay the piper” in America. The middle class, at least in America, has for the most part moved on. They are no longer a significant part of the ownership demographic. I think most of us would like to see a return to the past, where patronage was more broadly distributed. I’m just not sure that hope is realistic. The middle class is absolutely bombarded with entertainment opportunities. I recall an instance several years ago where a woman in her 30’s sat next to me at a concert. Very nicely dressed, and I thought, “nice to see some younger people coming.” About 5 minutes into the first piece, she took out a game boy type device and entertained herself with that until intermission, after which she did not return. Orchestras are struggling trying to figure out how to attract and assimilate this demographic. Meanwhile, many of the current “piper payers” are becoming deeply disturbed by the erosion in paradigms of etiquette that have stood for years. They, like the OP, have become increasingly frustrated, having endured many episodes of disruptive behavior. Orchestras will do well to be sensitive to the needs of this group, otherwise, they too will move on and our orchestras will cease to exist.
A friend once told me "wherever there's a bunch of people, there's trouble sure to follow" how true.

I enjoy listening at home, forget the head-aches, ass-aches or extra noises.