Applauding between movements of classical music pieces.

There was some shushing, ruffled feathers, and discussion last night in the audience at a concert of chamber music regarding applauding between movements. (Go ahead, sophisticate, tear off the obvious bowel movement joke.)

I don't applaud between movements simply because I don't care to defy the prevailing convention in that context. But I have applauded between movements before with the entire audience when there was just no holding back the audience because the musical performance had been so great or moving.

This morning, I found a blog post by New Yorker music critic Alex Ross about the history of applauding and not applauding between movements:

http://www.therestisnoise.com/2005/02/applause_a_rest.html

Pretty interesting stuff. Seems as though back in the day, audiences used to applaud and cheer during movements when individual instrumentalists had had their good turn, just as is done at jazz clubs today.

...so is there common listening practice. It isn't so much, from the perspective of the audience, what is right as what is conventional.

As a performer it does tend to break your concentration when the audience applauds between movements. It breaks your concentration not because the audience is applauding but because you aren't expecting it. If the convention were that you expected the audience to applaud it would be no big deal as a performer. It's just the fact that we expect one thing and sometimes get another.

I always wonder about the performers' perspectives, especially after a group of musicians do some really smoking performance of a movement. I was at Alice Tully Hall once when this happened with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. They had just done finished the first movement of one of the Brandenburgs and it had been amazing. Some tentative applause broke out, then abruptly stopped, and Fred Sherry, the cellist, smiled broadly, nodded, and beckoned it back with his cello bow. And the whole place just erupted in inappropriate applause. But this had at the consent of at least one of the performers.

Valerian root affects cats, and a lot more strongly than catnip. I found this out on accident. Beware.

Anyway, I was just quoting "Fight Club."

But let the cat owners take heed.

oops.

And according to the interweb it makes cats less aggressive, but my experience was the opposite, at least when I tried to remove the pouch of valerian from the cat's easy access.

The audience was kids were about 5 or 6 (and their teachers). We were playing a symphony (Schubert, maybe), and there were several places with a prolonged loud whole note by the orchestra, followed by a very very quiet string passage. The kids dutifully applauded loudly every time (since it sounded like it was over).

Even on the repeat.

We thought it was cute. At least they waited until the "end", and were respectfully quiet until then.

That stupid tradition of standing for the "Hallelujah" chorus from Handel's Messiah.

It was started by a minor king of England (George II, as it happens). From 350 freaking years ago.

Me, I always stay seated. It ain't the national anthem, for crissakes.

With the national anthem, it's a sign of respect for one's country.

With "Hallelujah Chorus", it's because everyone else is doing it. And originally because a king of another country from three and a half centuries ago did it.

The story goes that he stood out of reverence, so moved was he upon hearing "Hallelujah". People today do it out of reverence for God or reverence for tradition. That is far from stupid. I think it's charming.

And if you're going to stand out of reverence for God, well then stand during the entire Messiah, since the entire piece is about God, not just "Hallelujah".

"Reverence for tradition" I addressed above.

I much prefer my Belfast Foundling Home Libretto, Academy of Ancient Music.

I KILLS me to think of the multitudes who don't know that was written for a BOY'S CHOIR.

...but boycotting? A bit harsh, doncha think? I mean, most of the versions out there are revisions by Händel himself for the needs (or abilities) of groups involved in performances.

This is not a matter of personal preference, and the revisions to "Messiah" do not include using the "POWERHOUSE CHURCH CHOIR."

Handel wrote for his time, NOT with an "oh, just use what you have" caveat. The MASSED CHORUS for "Messiah" was a creation of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. If they wish to perform works in a manner that I as a former pianist believe are not true to the composer, it is, at least for the moment, a "Free Country." After all, the TEXT, not the LIBRETTO is holy writ, so to speak.

I understand the desire of some people to view the composer's score as a "suggestion" other than instructions on how to perform their work, but I on the other hand believe that marks such as "allegro non tropo" mean "sprightly but not too sprightly," NOT "droop down to dead slow."

You may listen to the Mormon Tabernacle version all you wish: it is your right. I believe it's WRONG, but you have that right. Try listening to this:

http://www.amazon.com/Handel-Messiah-Watkinson-Elliott-Hogwood/dp/B000004CXU

This is considered the DEFINITIVE performance of the SEMINAL Libretto of "MESSIAH." I think you will agree, especially the tenor Recitative: "Comfort Ye My People/Every Valley Shall Be Exalted" and the first Chorus: "And The Glory Of The Lord." Emma Kirkby's rendition of "But who may abide" which is usually (and wrongly) performed by a bass is nothing less than angelic, and the performance of the Choir of Christ Church Oxford (treble and alto boys) is truly the voice of the angelic choir envisioned by Handel.

You are not supposed to applaud until intermission/curtain. it annoys me that everyone does it

that one does not applaud between movements because the piece isn't finished yet (outstanding performance of a particular movement excepted).

But then again, I'm old school.

If they applaud between movements, I follow suit.

If it's one or two people who don't know any better, I don't clap.

I've attended countless classical concerts (and played some as well), and they're all different.

I know nobody is supposed to applaud until after the entire piece is over, but if everyone else is clapping due to a killer solo or a well-performed movement, I don't want to be the only one sitting on my hands.

While I normally loathe conformity, in this case it's best to just gauge the mood and follow the herd.

I've been to performances where the audience was clueless, so they're no gauge. I wait until the performer turns to the audience (easy to spot when it's a pianist). If they're already facing you (like a chorale), their body language, or the conductor's, will be your cue.

I knew someone who performed in a chorale. He said that the conductor had to train the audience about appropriate applause. Excessive applause is a real problem for performers who are on their feet. It adds a lot of extra standing time.

The performers either don't mind that much, or they appreciate that the audience felt that movement/solo was particularly well-played.

Applause is a compliment, and I'd rather get too much applause than not enough.

The only time you should applaud before a song is over is in jazz, after an individual solo. Otherwise you're interrupting the flow of music. Just because the song breaks for a moment doesn't mean the "flow" (overall mood of the entire piece) is done. Applause breaks that.

was interesting, though?

I love random things like that.

:hi:

it is appropriate to yell out "Freebird!!!"

From some of the looks I've had, I think I'm doing it wrong...

Some of those ladies' wigs and hairdos are quite flammable!

Hmmmm?

Above and beyond the call.

but aside from getting you dirty looks, it can throw the performers off, so best not to.

I'm not really much of an opera fan (other than Mozart's), but I love that in opera performances, it's cool to bring the roof down after a showpiece.