Chicago Symphony puts up with ringing phones
OrchestrasFrom Tim Sawyier on Chicago Classical Review:
… In addition to the awkward clapping that punctuated the Stravinsky concerto on Thursday, there were also jangling cellphones during transparent moments, a young man texting from the front row of the lower balcony, and quiet conversations murmuring everywhere throughout. Perhaps a slightly less formal air at orchestra concerts is not the worst development, but this sort of thing really compromises the experience for those who wish to listen in a focused, sustained way.
pictured: Vilde Frang, soloist (Todd Rosenberg/CSO)
In contrast, apart for latecomers, the very varied (and seemingly fairly new to classical concert halls) audience at yesterday’s performance of Tippett’s A Child of Our Time by the Royal Northern Sinfonia was a model of concentration and listening. Truly the best of what can be expected in a live concert setting. We didn’t even get the cacophony of coughing that normally greets ends of movements.
I was at this concert on Thursday and the phones weren’t particularly egregious – maybe two over the course of the concert and they were quickly silenced. There was quite a lot of loud, unmuffled coughing, however.
On the plus side, there was a healthy number of young people there (teens, twenty-somethings). I’d happily put up with some awkward clapping if that means that we’re seeing some new faces in the hall.
I agree, but there’s a difference between clapping and texting.
Texting is silent, and replies can be set to vibrate only.
And the light from the phone never disturbs anyone. And even if it does, well hey, that text conversation is more important than your enjoyment of the concert you paid $50 for, right?
Texting during a concert is unacceptable given that it can bring along the problem of an illuminated screen.
And that is a distracting problem for anyone sitting in an adjacent seat.
It has been a well known fact for many years that people come to concerts so that others can hear them cough. Nowadays, a new wave of cellphone users want other members of the audience to see how important they are by texting and surfing in the middle of a performance.
Mahler once lived next to a zoo in Vienna. Someone once asked him:
“Doesn’t the roar of a lion disturb you?”
He replied: “Not as much as people applauding at the wrong time, (in between movements, etc…)”
Would he have been able to mentally survive the omnipresent and viral trend of today’s plugged-in social media society?
I seriously doubt it.
I have never understood the coughing. I cannot think of another public space, like a movie theater or restaurant, where not only are so many people coughing all of the time, but the coughing is so intense that it sounds like they’re going to barf up a lung.
It’s boredom. Plain and simple
Actually, I think it is the consequence of large numbers of people being so darned determined NOT to cough. They end up breathing and swallowing in an (to them) unnatural way and coughing — powerful coughing at that — is the result. I have felt it myself.
The Stravinsky Concerto does not create many opportunities for awkward applause, compared to say Paganini concertos which are sprinkled with such spots, by design. There is the famous story of the young (age 14) Bronislaw Huberman performing the Brahms Concerto in the presence of the composer and apologizing to Brahms that the audience had applauded right after the first movement cadenza. Brahms mildly replied, “you should not have played it so beautifully.” I suspect what we now think of as awkward applause happened far more often in the past than we would like to think.
The thumbs down are presumably from the consumptive in our audience. Do you cough at home when listening to records? I think not.
Not sure what constitutes “Awkward clapping”. I’m pretty sure that classical music is the only performance art that endeavors to make people feel like idiots for showing their appreciation. I would argue that this is not a great business model.
It was actually a very relaxing and enjoyable evening at Symphony Hall and we did not mind the random clapping. Audiences find concerts much more enjoyable when the Muti is not on the podium. They can be themselves and know they’re not going to be bored or hit with dumb speeches or lectures. Or scoldings.
According to the Chicago Tribune (https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-met-muti-cso-muti-halts-performance-disruption-20180625-story.html), in one occasion Muti halted a performance and witnesses heard him utter an expletive. According to reports, some witnesses say he spoke very “angrily”.
The Tribune, in an uncontrolled and surprising burst of investigative journalism, tried to uncover more and called on the CSO PR head, Eileen Chambers:
“This type of situation does not happen often,” CSO spokeswoman Eileen Chambers said in an emailed statement. “However, if there is a significant disruption during the performance, a conductor may choose to stop the performance, allowing the musicians and the audience to regain focus.”
[…] Chambers said Muti didn’t curse. A review of the CSO’s archival recording of the performance and first-hand accounts of those at the concert prove “no profanity was used during Maestro Muti’s remarks” once he paused the performance, Chambers wrote in an email. She declined to provide the recording and, when asked, did not comment on what Muti said.”
That’s terrible. Rude, tasteless and coarse behavior. Expected more from Chicago.
Really? Did you see what happened during the Christmas Tree lighting ceremoney two nights in a row? Car jackings, beatings, robbings, a woman was shot at 7pm two blocks from the CSO. Chicago has lost its class.
I attended a wonderful concert by the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra yesterday. Among the things that stood out to me (in addition to the phenomenal performance) was how well behaved the audience was. There was only one brief moment of clapping between movements, and unsurprisingly it came during Tchaikovsky’s rather bombastic Fourth Symphony. Aside from that, there was not a phone up be heard, only a small smattering of quiet throat clearing here and there, and multiple moments of silence where the entire hall seemed to be holding their breath with the young musicians. It’s unfortunate to hear about this experience in Chicago, but fortunately it doesn’t seem to be a consistent trend everywhere.
well, chicago does not have a human poo map…yet.
Uh oh hear comes the manner police here to render arbitrary pronouncements on the way to appreciate music. Preach on marm
What, exactly, was the point of your comment? If it was to embarrass yourself publicly, you’ve succeeded admirably.
At a recent chamber music concert in L.A.’s Disney Concert Hall, people applauded after each movement and there were several loud bangs of people dropping their phones (presumably their heavy iPhones).
At this point, ringing cell phones are the least of my worries. American concert audiences are a disgrace.
Solti despised the shopping bag ladies who attended the Friday afternoon CSO concerts. They came late and left early rattling their bags as they came and went. He eventually eliminated the concerts. I am sure he would also do something about the rude and annoying ringtones.
…who is paying the bills…lighten up!
Paying for admission is no excuse for inconsideration and rudeness. Perhaps you should examine your own attitudes.
Me, who stopped going.
There is nothing wrong with applauding between movements. It is bizarre to sit through the nearly 20 minutes of the first movement of Tchaikovsky violin concerto, with it’s pyrotechnics and explosive ending, and not respond. It is not normal human behavior. The music is _written_ to elicit applause – not to applaud is unnatural.
We all know the story of the premier of Beethoven 7, how the variations movement had to be repeated, yes? How did the performers know to repeat the movement? Because of the applause!
Well, it’s apparent you know little about classical concerts.
Coughing: Can happen due to thevheightened awareness of needing to be quiet during a performance, sometimes causing a subconscious urge to cough. I would also add, because I have experienced a bout of coughing when people pile on the cologne or perfume. Stop it!
I had attended a Mahler’s 9th concert conducted by the great Gustavo Dudamel at the Davis Symphony Hall in San Francisco.
Throughout the piece it was so amazingly quiet in the concert hall it was nearly deafening! Like being in the vacuum in the void of outer space!
I got taken to my first concert 60 years ago, when I was 10, a piano recital at the Royal Festival Hall by the late György Cziffra, and it was impressed upon me that I was not so much as to clear my throat, on pain of death, a lesson I have carried with me since.
I also have no problem with sincere and heartfelt applause between movements, as happened during the CSO concert on 11/23. A few nights before at a concert by the Civic Orchestra, a woman gasped after the opening movement of Bach’s “Orchestral Suite No. 3” — genuine joy!
But cell phones ringing and screens glaring has become insufferable. The CSO’s polite recorded announcement before concerts IS NOT WORKING. They need to make a more insistent plea — from the musicians on stage, from the conductor, from Patti M.F. LaPone if need be. Either that, or maybe those of us who are done having concerts hijacked by the rude can fight fire with fire: set our cell phone alarms to go off as the maestro takes the podium and force a decision by the CSO. Will it be cell phones or manners?
Date: 27th November 2024.
In my opinion, (which others may not share), it is just plain bad manners to tinker around with mobile devices whilst attending concerts and similar events.
Whilst understanding the need for emergency services workers to be contactable when off-duty – which, of course, is de rigeur – the rule of thumb should be that, out of respect for the performers, mobile phones, tablets and similar distractions must be switched off. If this really is too much to ask, then don’t attend the concert.
Readers may be relieved that I’m not a conductor. If I was, steps would be taken to have offenders removed from the premises, even if it meant a pause in the music making.
Bad form
I cannot comprehend this level of uncivil behavior. I attended my first classical concert in 1973 when I was 23 at the Academy of Music to hear the renowned Philadelphia Orchestra. My boyfriend (later my husband), who grew up playing classical trumpet and spent summers at Interlochen, instructed me to not clap between movements.
I am fortunate to have attended scores and scores of concerts over the decades near my home, having delighted in hearing world-class orchestras and soloists. To my amazement, I continue to be struck by the number of people who applaud vigorously each time the orchestra pauses.
That attendees actually use their cell phones and carry on conversations is even more disturbing. How distracting this must be for the orchestra and guest soloists. Perhaps ticket holders need to be reminded they’re not at a baseball game.
Why do you choose to endure this bullshit?
Another reason not to visit Chicago