Proms audience behaviour

[Bryn]

My old paperback of the English version of Silence is so well used and dog-eared that, despite bearing JC'S autograph, would probably not fetch much. I also have French and Italian editions bought for a song in a Kensington second hand bookshop in the '70s.

[mrbouffant]

A very enjoyable concert indeed and how fun to bump into David Mellor beforehand. Tasmin wore a lovely sparkly frock and gave a sparkly performance of the Moeran which got slightly marred by people dropping things and coughing like they were in a TB sanatorium.

Three things got on my wick a bit though - perhaps it was the hot weather putting me in bad temper:

[1] Why oh why oh why do people insist on applauding almost before the last note has finished sounding? The Walton was marred by some chump who felt they wanted to shout 'Bravo' and be heard on the radio about 1.2s after the last note. What an idiot. Sporadic clapping also marred the end of the first movt of the Moeran and after Nimrod in the Enigma Vars. The end of the Moeran was ruined completely by a fool who just felt he had to clap even though the conductor had yet to drop his hands. Given the way the piece ends, it completely ruined the atmosphere. The conductor was non-plussed: if looks could kill !

[2] Why oh why oh why do people insist on taking photos during the performance with flash enabled. Sitting in the choir as I do, this is particularly noticeable since the main corpus of the audience is laid out in front of me. Bizarrely, somebody in the stalls directly opposite was playing with their phone with the effect that the LED flash was on for about 90 seconds during the 1st movt of the Moeran. This was very distracting and they deserved to be summarily taken from the hall and dumped on the pavement outside.

[3] Why oh why oh why do 'modern' composers have such limited imaginations that they have to compensate for this by deploying snarling brass and a battery of percussion? The Horne piece completely passed me by as I failed to discern any real development or relationship between the material. Perhaps it will yield its secrets if I 'listen again'. At least it was short and the composer looked pleased with the performance as he bounded onto the platform to take a bow.

[gurnemanz]

[1] Why oh why oh why do people insist on applauding almost before the last note has finished sounding? The Walton was marred by some chump who felt they wanted to shout 'Bravo' and be heard on the radio about 1.2s after the last note. What an idiot. Sporadic clapping also marred the end of the first movt of the Moeran and after Nimrod in the Enigma Vars. The end of the Moeran was ruined completely by a fool who just felt he had to clap even though the conductor had yet to drop his hands. Given the way the piece ends, it completely ruined the atmosphere. The conductor was non-plussed: if looks could kill !

[2] Why oh why oh why do people insist on taking photos during the performance with flash enabled. Sitting in the choir as I do, this is particularly noticeable since the main corpus of the audience is laid out in front of me. Bizarrely, somebody in the stalls directly opposite was playing with their phone with the effect that the LED flash was on for about 90 seconds during the 1st movt of the Moeran. This was very distracting and they deserved to be summarily taken from the hall and dumped on the pavement outside.

We're also sitting in the choir this evening for Norrrie's Johannespassion and I hope this work will not lend itself to such buffoonery.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Tasmin wore a lovely sparkly frock and gave a sparkly performance of the Moeran which got slightly marred by people dropping things and coughing like they were in a TB sanatorium.

...Why oh why oh why do people insist on applauding almost before the last note has finished sounding? The Walton was marred by some chump who felt they wanted to shout 'Bravo' and be heard on the radio about 1.2s after the last note. What an idiot. Sporadic clapping also marred the end of the first movt of the Moeran and after Nimrod in the Enigma Vars. The end of the Moeran was ruined completely by a fool who just felt he had to clap even though the conductor had yet to drop his hands. Given the way the piece ends, it completely ruined the atmosphere. The conductor was non-plussed: if looks could kill !

...Why oh why oh why do people insist on taking photos during the performance with flash enabled. Sitting in the choir as I do, this is particularly noticeable since the main corpus of the audience is laid out in front of me. Bizarrely, somebody in the stalls directly opposite was playing with their phone with the effect that the LED flash was on for about 90 seconds during the 1st movt of the Moeran. This was very distracting and they deserved to be summarily taken from the hall and dumped on the pavement outside.

Clapping at the end of Nimrod shows just how far we have sunk. I suppose the idiots who clapped may have thought it was the end, as that would have appeared to be the end on Radio 3 Breakfast.

Dumping disrupters on the pavement outside would be a good start/

[Lento]

Clapping at the end of Nimrod...may have thought it was the end

Perhaps the organisers could consider issuing free leaflets giving the bare minimum info, so that newbies who prefer not to shell out on the full programme can at least see the number of movements: it might help a little. I suspect programmes are quite costly nowadays.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A very good idea. Unfortunately the organisers (i.e. the BBC) don't believe in good manners and have rejected such sensible and reasonable suggestions.

[VodkaDilc]

Perhaps the organisers could consider issuing free leaflets giving the bare minimum info, so that newbies who prefer not to shell out on the full programme can at least see the number of movements: it might help a little. I suspect programmes are quite costly nowadays.

£4

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

£4

I know they have to generate income in any way they can but this is overpriced when the programmes contain so many adverts.
But inserting a request for considerate behaviour here would have a positive effect.

[MrGongGong]

Clapping at the end of Nimrod shows just how far we have sunk. I suppose the idiots who clapped may have thought it was the end, as that would have appeared to be the end on Radio 3 Breakfast.

Dumping disrupters on the pavement outside would be a good start/

Surely the end is bar 2 of DOG ?

Do you stand up for the Hallelujah Chorus ?

[french frank]

Perhaps the organisers could consider issuing free leaflets giving the bare minimum info, so that newbies who prefer not to shell out on the full programme can at least see the number of movements: it might help a little. I suspect programmes are quite costly nowadays.

Someone was asking somewhere (the BBC digital blog?) why they no longer produce the online programme notes, given the blog was extolling the digital revolution. There had been no answer when I looked Still hasn't:

Digital Proms 2014

[jean]

Do you stand up for the Hallelujah Chorus ?

Whatever the origins of that particular strange tradition, it's not as disruptive as applause.

What's happened to the tradition of not applauding the Bach Passions at all, even at the end?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Some people think it's appropriate to applaud every time they hear a perfect cadence.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I notice Part 2 of yesterday's concert is not yet on the iPlayer. Perhaps they're editing out the post-Nimrod applause.

[Padraig]

Some people think it's appropriate to applaud every time they hear a perfect cadence.

I have noticed that some of the audience applaud at a change of key, which in turn gives a lift to the players and to dancers if there are any. Of course I am referring to Irish music and dancing which have their own particular dynamism, and which would probably not be allowed into the Albert Hall until after midnight. (Joke alert)

[salymap]

I started proming in 1948. The main disturbance was when my friend and neighbour, who was platform manager for the BBCSO raised the piano lid to shouts of 'Heave ho' and applause.

Who remembers Edgar Mais? I am still deaf and haven't managed to hear any new proms but the audience behaviour still isn't sorted.