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Post by nine on Feb 7, 2023 2:34:57 GMT
Clap. We went to a concert of the Emerson String Quartet. Fabulous musicians. The guy that introduced them said specifically that each piece had 4 movements. That means you don’t clap until all 4 are done. So we’re listening along and we cannot hear any breaks in the music. It went on for a while. They finally came to an end, the music stopped and no one clapped. That was what was supposed to happen. But then the 1st violinist looks out at the audience like WTF, WHY ARENT YOU CLAPPING? So after a long pause, there was a hesitant smattering of applause. Then at the next break (end of 2nd movement) there was slightly more applause but you could see people talking, heads turning and shoulders shrugging like ‘I don’t know what to do.’ This went on for a while.
Then the group got up, bowed and left the stage. I thought it was intermission but everyone stayed in their seat because the doors didn’t open. The group came back out in just a few minutes and started playing again. Same hesitant clapping after each movement. After that piece was over, they opened the doors and we walked out to get our coats. We thought the concert was over because it appeared they had played all the music listed in the program. We asked the coat check girl if it was over and she said it was the 15 minute intermission.
I blame the violinist for all the confusion. These are world-class musicians. The concert was lovely but everyone was tense about the clapping. It was just weird.
Rant over
UPDATE…when to a piano quintet concert and….everyone clapped correctly!
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kate
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Post by kate on Feb 7, 2023 3:05:46 GMT
That is definitely weird.
I don't love it when people clap between movements or between songs in a song cycle - it can break the momentum or the mood. It's also awkward, though, when people DON'T clap after a solo in a jazz performance. The rules change from genre to genre and from culture to culture; at the end of the day, I'm just glad people are going to see live music. I can't waste my life judging people on their clapping etiquette. Besides, I'm sure I've made my own mistakes!
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Post by nine on Feb 7, 2023 3:18:37 GMT
That is definitely weird. I don't love it when people clap between movements or between songs in a song cycle - it can break the momentum or the mood. It's also awkward, though, when people DON'T clap after a solo in a jazz performance. The rules change from genre to genre and from culture to culture; at the end of the day, I'm just glad people are going to see live music. I can't waste my life judging people on their clapping etiquette. Besides, I'm sure I've made my own mistakes! I wasn’t judging them. I didn’t know what to do either after the look from the violinist I really thought we should have clapped. |
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ellen
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Post by ellen on Feb 7, 2023 3:28:44 GMT
I’m glad you posted this. I’m always entertained discussing things that are just plain awkward. This was weird - not knowing when to clap, thinking it was over, it’s not over. Is the violinist mad at us? Should we clap?
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pridemom
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Post by pridemom on Feb 7, 2023 4:49:06 GMT
Wow. I played violin in orchestras through college, sing with choirs, and have done theater. I made a point to teach my kids and their fellow band and choir students concert etiquette. From solo & ensemble in classrooms, to properly tucking a violin when walking from practice area to the stage, to auditoriums. And who encourages clapping between movements? I’d be rolling my eyes. Did they not have a program that outlined pieces, especially movements, intermission, etc.?
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maryannscraps
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Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Feb 7, 2023 12:55:03 GMT
I’m just jealous that you got to go to their concert. They’re retiring after this tour, aren’t they? Such amazing musicians.
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anaterra
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Jun 29, 2014 3:04:02 GMT
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Post by anaterra on Feb 7, 2023 14:27:06 GMT
Im an uncultured nobody... when they stop playing I clap... i would be the only one clapping and feel like an embarrassed weirdo.... but i didn't know you were supposed to wait...
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Post by Susie_Homemaker on Feb 7, 2023 15:00:43 GMT
There wasn't a program handed out to everyone? I would have used that in order to figure out what was happening (end of movement, piece, etc) and cued my clapping from that.
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Post by nine on Feb 7, 2023 15:09:01 GMT
I’m just jealous that you got to go to their concert. They’re retiring after this tour, aren’t they? Such amazing musicians. They started in 1976 and this year it is for them. |
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Feb 7, 2023 15:11:11 GMT
I was at an Irish house music performance in December (Open the Door for Three) and there was similar confusion. Mostly created by one man who sat up very close on the aisle and practically danced in his chair to the whole thing. He clapped boisterously at just about everything and it led to much more clapping on the whole than would have naturally occurred. It disrupted the flow of the evening.
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Post by nine on Feb 7, 2023 15:14:02 GMT
There wasn't a program handed out to everyone? I would have used that in order to figure out what was happening (end of movement, piece, etc) and cued my clapping from that. There was a program. When they walked off after the first piece we thought it was intermission. We were unfamiliar with the pieces and couldn’t tell what they had played. The concert time was moved from 8 pm to 4 pm and we thought they were in a hurry to get someplace else. The only indication that we weren’t quite following what was happening was we both said the last piece really didn’t sound like Beethoven at all. I don’t know but everyone was confused. It was very beautiful and confusing music. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Feb 7, 2023 15:14:58 GMT
I go to the symphony on the regular. The musicians put their instruments in a down position when the piece is concluded. They should have their instruments at the ready for a piece that is transitioning movements. Watch the first violinist for the cues.
ETA: inappropriate clapping drives me insane and I'm pretty hard to irritate.
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Post by nine on Feb 7, 2023 15:15:45 GMT
Im an uncultured nobody... when they stop playing I clap... i would be the only one clapping and feel like an embarrassed weirdo.... but i didn't know you were supposed to wait... I’m with you. My husband always nudges me when he sees my hands go up to clap. |
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Post by nine on Feb 7, 2023 15:18:18 GMT
I go to the symphony on the regular. The musicians put their instruments in a down position when the piece is concluded. They should have their instruments at the ready for a piece that is transitioning movements. Watch the first violinist for the cues. ETA: inappropriate clapping drives me insane and I'm pretty hard to irritate. Well, we were. Everything was going fine until the 1st violinist looked at the audience as if to say WTF? Everyone shifted around in their seats and there was a smattering of applause this was a very small venue and the musicians were quite close. So his look seemed meaningful. Not just a glance. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Feb 7, 2023 15:26:14 GMT
I go to the symphony on the regular. The musicians put their instruments in a down position when the piece is concluded. They should have their instruments at the ready for a piece that is transitioning movements. Watch the first violinist for the cues. ETA: inappropriate clapping drives me insane and I'm pretty hard to irritate. Well, we were. Everything was going fine until the 1st violinist looked at the audience as if to say WTF? Everyone shifted around in their seats and there was a smattering of applause this was a very small venue and the musicians were quite close. So his look seemed meaningful. Not just a glance. I'm unclear on what you are describing. If he put his instrument down, it was time to applaud. When he doesn't, it is not time to applaud. I'm not calling you out or anything because it is unclear from your description of what happened. I'm mostly posting for the benefit of those like anaterra who admitted she wouldn't know when applause was appropriate. |
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Post by lisacharlotte on Feb 7, 2023 15:41:23 GMT
I think that music should be open to all. If there are subtle cues that the average person wouldn’t know, it would be nice if the venue gave some type of instruction. A note in the program with what to look for (instruments down, musicians looking up at the audience) would be fantastic. Even the conductor, if they don’t want applause in the wrong spot, should clue in the audience before the music starts. A lot of people wouldn't know the difference between the end of the movement vs the end of the entire piece.
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Post by Merge on Feb 7, 2023 15:43:45 GMT
Well, we were. Everything was going fine until the 1st violinist looked at the audience as if to say WTF? Everyone shifted around in their seats and there was a smattering of applause this was a very small venue and the musicians were quite close. So his look seemed meaningful. Not just a glance. I'm unclear on what you are describing. If he put his instrument down, it was time to applaud. When he doesn't, it is not time to applaud. I'm not calling you out or anything because it is unclear from your description of what happened. I'm mostly posting for the benefit of those like anaterra who admitted she wouldn't know when applause was appropriate. Quartets and other chamber groups often put their instruments down briefly between movements, turn pages, etc. I’ve gotten to where I ask my daughter if there are pauses between the movements or if it just plays right though, as some modern pieces do. Adding to the general confusion. I think for the most part, classical musicians are so pleased to have an audience they don’t really care when you clap. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Feb 7, 2023 15:46:59 GMT
I'm unclear on what you are describing. If he put his instrument down, it was time to applaud. When he doesn't, it is not time to applaud. I'm not calling you out or anything because it is unclear from your description of what happened. I'm mostly posting for the benefit of those like anaterra who admitted she wouldn't know when applause was appropriate. Quartets and other chamber groups often put their instruments down briefly between movements, turn pages, etc. I’ve gotten to where I ask my daughter if there are pauses between the movements or if it just plays right though, as some modern pieces do. Adding to the general confusion. I think for the most part, classical musicians are so pleased to have an audience they don’t really care when you clap. Another option is that you can find performances of almost any piece on Spotify. I also often listen to the pieces before I choose which concerts I want to attend. This presumes of course that the group releases ahead of time the pieces they intend to play. |
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Post by nine on Feb 7, 2023 18:00:47 GMT
Well, we were. Everything was going fine until the 1st violinist looked at the audience as if to say WTF? Everyone shifted around in their seats and there was a smattering of applause this was a very small venue and the musicians were quite close. So his look seemed meaningful. Not just a glance. I'm unclear on what you are describing. If he put his instrument down, it was time to applaud. When he doesn't, it is not time to applaud. I'm not calling you out or anything because it is unclear from your description of what happened. I'm mostly posting for the benefit of those like anaterra who admitted she wouldn't know when applause was appropriate. All 4 had their instruments down. I think one was tuning. But no one clapped. The daughter of the 1st violinist was in the audience and she didn’t clap. If we were supposed to clap she could have clapped and people would have caught on. |
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Post by nine on Feb 7, 2023 18:01:29 GMT
Quartets and other chamber groups often put their instruments down briefly between movements, turn pages, etc. I’ve gotten to where I ask my daughter if there are pauses between the movements or if it just plays right though, as some modern pieces do. Adding to the general confusion. I think for the most part, classical musicians are so pleased to have an audience they don’t really care when you clap. Another option is that you can find performances of almost any piece on Spotify. I also often listen to the pieces before I choose which concerts I want to attend. This presumes of course that the group releases ahead of time the pieces they intend to play. That’s a good idea. |
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Deleted
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Jul 3, 2024 3:42:09 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2023 18:05:41 GMT
I'm quite sure I would have found the awkwardness incredibly hilarious and would've been crying from holding in uncontrollable laughter.
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Post by deekaye on Feb 7, 2023 18:47:36 GMT
We regularly attend symphony and choir concerts at a local college well known for their music programs. I don't remember how we learned this but we all take our cues from the conductor. When he/she drops their arms, that is the time to clap. Arms still raised (even if between movements), then no clapping. Conductors will keep one arm raised even if they are using the other hand to turn the page between movements to signify the piece isn't completed so please don't clap yet. Works well for us.  |
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Post by Merge on Feb 7, 2023 19:11:25 GMT
We regularly attend symphony and choir concerts at a local college well known for their music programs. I don't remember how we learned this but we all take our cues from the conductor. When he/she drops their arms, that is the time to clap. Arms still raised (even if between movements), then no clapping. Conductors will keep one arm raised even if they are using the other hand to turn the page between movements to signify the piece isn't completed so please don't clap yet. Works well for us. That works fine except in a chamber concert, like this one, where there is no conductor. |
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mimima
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Post by mimima on Feb 7, 2023 19:13:04 GMT
I was at the Symphony on Saturday and completely agree.
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Post by deekaye on Feb 7, 2023 19:24:32 GMT
We regularly attend symphony and choir concerts at a local college well known for their music programs. I don't remember how we learned this but we all take our cues from the conductor. When he/she drops their arms, that is the time to clap. Arms still raised (even if between movements), then no clapping. Conductors will keep one arm raised even if they are using the other hand to turn the page between movements to signify the piece isn't completed so please don't clap yet. Works well for us. That works fine except in a chamber concert, like this one, where there is no conductor. Oh, sorry, I didn't catch that it was a chamber concert. No clue then! |
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kate
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Post by kate on Feb 8, 2023 3:11:33 GMT
Oh, I didn't think you were! Sorry if it sounded that way. I meant that *I* need to "not sweat the small stuff" and let it go.  They’re retiring after this tour, aren’t they? Wow, I didn't realize that! nine, you were really lucky to see them this season! I think for the most part, classical musicians are so pleased to have an audience they don’t really care when you clap. True, and I admit I'm a bit thrilled to see how many concert-going Peas we have! *hijack* Did you all see the NY Phil is getting Dudamel in 2025?!!! |
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Post by FuzzyMutt on Feb 8, 2023 3:36:55 GMT
I read some responses. And I’m clearly a heathen.
That said, I have a close friend whose daughter performs with one of the most well known orchestras in the world (three initials beginning with T and ending in O) and also has a well loved Vegas show she stars in in the “off season.” We’ve seen her soooo many times.
I spoke to her about this- and she said there is never a time to not be moved.
Clap when you want. When you feel it is warranted or you just want to. Don’t be the whistler or the prolonged clapper. But above all, enjoy the show and don’t expend your attention on such things.
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Post by nine on Feb 14, 2023 13:30:26 GMT
Update
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Post by workingclassdog on Feb 14, 2023 14:58:43 GMT
All I can picture is some dude in the corner and holding a "Applause" sign up when you are supposed to clap... I never know in these situations and go with what everyone else is doing.. I'm pretty uncouth in these situations... |
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