Proms 2018

[jean]

It may be more interesting to ask why some performances draw interstitial applause (e.g. the Leningrad Symphony) and others don't (not a scrap of it during Turangalîla...)...

But how could you be sure, in any particular case, how many felt drawn but did nothing about it?

I’d have applauded at the end of the fifth movement of Turangalila the other night, if others had, the moment seemed right.

[Petrushka]

As far as the Proms are concerned, I remain unconvinced that people think the piece is over and instead have a sneaking suspicion that a few people are deliberately put in place by the BBC to start it up. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. The re-introduction of applause between movements after decades of neglect was one fostered by Roger Norrington who demanded it as part of the HIPP experience some 35+ years ago and has taken root only marginally since but most notably at the Proms in recent years.

At first, it did my blood pressure no good at all, but as I've said often in this context, there is noise anyway between movements, coughing, fidgeting, talking etc so a smattering of applause doesn't particularly matter and I'm now largely indifferent to it, easily able to just mentally filter it out. Once people stop letting it bother them it will soon die out again.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Last weekend, I was the accompanist for a superb violinist - Sharon Hubbocks. Not a well-known name, but a performer whose playing is in a league of its own. Ms Hubbocks was a guest performer in a male voice choir concert. The singers deservedly received positive applause after each item. The violinist, however, received long and loud enthusiastic support from the audience. The kind of applause is what is important to the performers - not the constant interruptions that a few performers may desire, desperate for plaudits and attention - performers like Roger Norrington and Chi-chi Nwanoku.

Proms audiences tend to give enthusiastic support quite indiscriminately, though they have improved upon the time when there would be a loud and crass cheer at the end of a work such as The Planets, VW 6, Tchaikovsky 6, Strauss Alpine Symphony, Elgar 2. etc.

[MrGongGong]

Who is imposing what?
Nobody.

Certainly not those who invest time, money and effort into going to live music, to , incidentally , support musicians.

Wanting people to die off isnt very nice , is it ? And FWIW the musical charities probably do some good work with the £120k a year the heave-ho types raise.

Some people like to try and impose their made up "traditions" at things like the Proms (zzzz context innit ...... as I say every year)

Yes, the charity collection is a great thing
but spare us the tedious Bufton Tuftons who reinforce the whole idea that music (and more specifically "Classical" music) is the exclusive preserve of folks like them.

[french frank]

The "core market" isn't those who try to impose their own nonsense... the sooner the whole "heave ho" crowd die off the bettr IMV

Your valued opinion adds to immensely to the discussion. Thank you so much.

[ahinton]

Mendelssohn did that for this precise reason.

Not often, though...

[MrGongGong]

Your valued opinion adds to immensely to the discussion. Thank you so much.

No problem
Any time

(i'm not always being 100% serious you know )

[LMcD]

This topic is to be discussed on 'Broadcasting House' on Radio 4 some time between 0900 and 1000 tomorrow - sorry I can't be more precise at this stage.

[Serial_Apologist]

But how could you be sure, in any particular case, how many felt drawn but did nothing about it?

Or that they were totally wiped out by the overwrought, tasteless bombast of it all?

[french frank]

This topic is to be discussed on 'Broadcasting House' on Radio 4 some time between 0900 and 1000 tomorrow - sorry I can't be more precise at this stage.

I could write the script

The people who are seldom present in these discussions are the enthusiastic newcomers who feel they want to applaud spontaneously at the end of each section. It will be those who don't want there to be applause against those who take the view that people (even if this means 'other people' not them) should be encouraged to applaud or they will be put off going to hear the music.

[teamsaint]

I could write the script

The people who are seldom present in these discussions are the enthusiastic newcomers who feel they want to applaud spontaneously at the end of each section. It will be those who don't want there to be applause against those who take the view that people (even if this means 'other people' not them) should be encouraged to applaud or they will be put off going to hear the music.

Thanks, saved me 20 mins there, FF.

Good thing there is time to discuss this on R4 , what with nothing else important going on right now........

[MrGongGong]

I could write the script

The people who are seldom present in these discussions are the enthusiastic newcomers who feel they want to applaud spontaneously at the end of each section. It will be those who don't want there to be applause against those who take the view that people (even if this means 'other people' not them) should be encouraged to applaud or they will be put off going to hear the music.

Isn't your second group the same as the ones who are "seldom present" ?
After all (again!) it ain't Feldman at midnight in St Pauls hall

I think it's a bit of a fake story really
A bit like the favourite BBC one about Shakespeare in schools where Lenny Henry appears to say how he never understood it until recently

My "script" says

BINGO
and something about Context

[french frank]

Isn't your second group the same as the ones who are "seldom present" ?

No. Most recently Chi_chi Nwanoku. But it seems that David Pickard had a go too. These are the middle-aged people who want to see more young people at concerts and who know what will encourage them to come.

Tom Service is another. They are the ones who get a platform.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This topic is to be discussed on 'Broadcasting House' on Radio 4 some time between 0900 and 1000 tomorrow - sorry I can't be more precise at this stage.

No doubt the BBC will invite the people it knows will reach the conclusions they want to hear.

Perhaps they'll suggest that young people will prefer concerts it they up the amplification. There was an idiot Gramophone editor who suggested this some years ago.

[Bryn]

No doubt the BBC will invite the people it knows will reach the conclusions they want to hear.

Perhaps they'll suggest that young people will prefer concerts it they up the amplification. There was an idiot Gramophone editor who suggested this some years ago.

Good to note you will be listening with an unprejudiced mindset.