Choral Evensong service halted by buskers mid-way at Bath Abbey

[Wolsey]

The Rector of Bath Abbey writes here.

[ardcarp]

This reminds me of an incident 28 years ago. Bear in mind I am a very mild person. My 12-year-old was taking part in an afternoon performance of Faure's Requiem and was about to sing the solo, Pie Jesu. Just then, the groundsman began mowing the churchyard with a loud petrol mower. I dashed outside, snatched it off him, stopped it, and (this is the first and last time in my life that I have done such a thing) threatened to hit him if he began again. Luckily (a) he was smaller than me and (b) his threats to 'report me to the vicar' came to nothing.

I'm still rather ashamed....and I missed most of the Pie Jesu anyway,

[Old Grumpy]

Busktards

What is the world coming to?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-29315263

Seems amplification was to blame - perhaps they'll just have to "pump up the volume" inside the abbey.

OG

[jean]

See this thread:

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?12010-Choral-Evensong-service-halted-mid-way-at-Bath-Abbey

[Dave2002]

This reminds me of an incident 28 years ago. Bear in mind I am a very mild person. My 12-year-old was taking part in an afternoon performance of Faure's Requiem and was about to sing the solo, Pie Jesu. Just then, the groundsman began mowing the churchyard with a loud petrol mower. I dashed outside, snatched it off him, stopped it, and (this is the first and last time in my life that I have done such a thing) threatened to hit him if he began again. Luckily (a) he was smaller than me and (b) his threats to 'report me to the vicar' came to nothing.

I'm still rather ashamed....and I missed most of the Pie Jesu anyway,

Seems a bit crass that the groundsman wasn't warned off in advance.

Not much that can be done with some concerts and events though - with large aircraft flying overhead. Then of course there are the church clocks - try not to start on the hour, and make sure that pieces or movements finish before the next strike of the bell.

[W.Kearns]

What bothers me about this business is that the people who lose out are the worshippers. With respect to the Abbey clergy, they've been a bit naïve with their fancy traffic-light system; of course some folk will enjoy flouting it - most humans enjoy flouting authority from time to time. Maybe there are good reasons for choirs not to sing over the amplified buskers' music, but surely prayer should continue. It's the abbey's sustaining purpose after all. At different times church services have continued amid blitz and siege, so why let the buskers of Bath drown out evensong?

[MrGongGong]

I'm happy to see decent buskers as a rule,

I'm more than happy to see indecent ones.
Save us from the "strummy strummy" guitars !

Who owns the air ?

Most trumpet players can play easily as loud as a guitarist with a battery powered amp.

I was just listening to some Feldman when two Lancaster bombers escorted by 4 Spitfires (or similar) flew overhead.

According to R Murray Schafer, "Noise" is an "undesirable sound signal".

To whom ?

[Richard Tarleton]

Who owns the air ?

I was just listening to some Feldman when two Lancaster bombers escorted by 4 Spitfires (or similar) flew overhead.

According to R Murray Schafer, "Noise" is an "undesirable sound signal".

To whom ?

Slightly OT, but another noise issue - rival points of view

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/bentwaters_increased_flying_from_old_air_base_would_be_major_threat_to_aldeburgh_festival_say_event_organisers_1_3669117

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/suffolk_petition_urges_go_ahead_for_flying_at_bentwaters_1_3655235

[MrGongGong]

Slightly OT, but another noise issue - rival points of view

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/bentwaters_increased_flying_from_old_air_base_would_be_major_threat_to_aldeburgh_festival_say_event_organisers_1_3669117

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/suffolk_p...ters_1_3655235

aaah yes


Come on, own up, which of you folks organised this to try and make RW's life miserable ?

[Richard Tarleton]

It was you mentioning Spitfires that reminded me Mr GG, but that was deliberate....

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

According to R Murray Schafer, "Noise" is an "undesirable sound signal".

To whom ?

If it annoys other people, it should be considered noise. Music in an indoor venue that cannot be heard by people who do not wish to hear it is quite different from people who impose it on others out of doors.

As for the comparison between the trumpet and the electric guitar with the portable amplifier, the carrying power of the latter does not relate directly to the decibel level. Anyone who has to rely on extra power to make music should pack up and go home and play with the windows shut.

[MrGongGong]

If it annoys other people, it should be considered noise. Music in an indoor venue that cannot be heard by people who do not wish to hear it is quite different from people who impose it on others out of doors.

As for the comparison between the trumpet and the electric guitar with the portable amplifier, the carrying power of the latter does not relate directly to the decibel level. Anyone who has to rely on extra power to make music should pack up and go home and play with the windows shut.

Ok

Personally i'm not that keen on busking anyway (but used to do it SO can't really complain)
BUT I'm assuming you include military bands ?
I find the militaristic bands marching up and down with the army folks every year in November NOISE that we could do without

I think (and i'll have to check with the acoustics folks) that a trumpet will have a more focussed sound that WILL carry further than a battery powered amp. I think you misunderstand what amplification is for.

[Vox Humana]

What bothers me about this business is that the people who lose out are the worshippers. With respect to the Abbey clergy, they've been a bit naïve with their fancy traffic-light system; of course some folk will enjoy flouting it - most humans enjoy flouting authority from time to time. Maybe there are good reasons for choirs not to sing over the amplified buskers' music, but surely prayer should continue. It's the abbey's sustaining purpose after all. At different times church services have continued amid blitz and siege, so why let the buskers of Bath drown out evensong?

I am not for a moment suggesting that it is a valid excuse, but I think you will find that the answer to this is that the local council encourages busking as part of the "Bath Experience". In the encouragement of this "experience" it has, unlike many (most?) other cities, declined to operate a licensing system for buskers in the belief that a self-regulating free-for-all works satisfactorily. I would be surprised if it regards Choral Evensong as at all essential to the "Bath Experience", which, of course, is primarily about tourism and shopping.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think you misunderstand what amplification is for.

I thought it was (a) to make lazy people listen, (b) to compensate for inadequately designed instruments and weak singers, © to pretend that music can sound good outdoors, (d) to compensate for badly balanced orchestration.

[Nick Armstrong]

the local council encourages busking as part of the "Bath Experience"