inappropriate applause?

As in any work environment, there are certain rules and etiquette in classical music which most people adhere to. Some of them, I believe, are what makes going to a classical concert sometimes so unattractive to people these days. There are many which apply to the orchestra, but the one I'll be referring to in this post is specific to the audience, and that is applause. Some of the generally accepted rules and etiquette are common for any public event, like not blurting out profanities in the middle of a piece, or slugging the guy next to you. But applause is another thing. As we all know, "classical" concerts are among the few, if not the only musical events where applause is generally unacceptable during the music, and certainly between movements of a multi-movement piece. And as a little disclaimer: this isn't a bad thing, its how this type of music is performed and set around. Anyway...so recently I played a concert that had both exciting and tame repertoire. During the first half (the tamer half) of the first performance, perhaps there were some "inexperienced" concert goers or maybe young audience members who were unaware of the "don't applaud between movements" rule. Perhaps they were personally excited by the music and felt desire to applaud after the first movement, or more than likely, they just didn't know you "weren't supposed to." As the little pocket of audience members were the only ones who applauded, you might have thought they wouldn't have continued to applaud between the following couple of movements, but they did. And I'm glad they did. In fact, what made me even more glad, was to see the conductor graciously give a half turn and a little bow/nod to acknowledge their applause and appreciation. During the second half, where we played a more lively symphony, Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, the same thing happened. If you know the 6th Symphony, you'll know that the third movement ends like most symphonies end, quite excitingly and thrilling. The last movement ends in a quite unusual fashion, very somber and depressing, but quite beautiful at the same time. Regardless, even to an audience member who is aware of the "don't applaud" rule, and maybe not so much Tchaikovsky's 6th, one might be easily mistaken that it is the end of the piece and applaud, perhaps assuming two movements were meshed into one, and that the third movement was indeed the end. Even if one was aware of both the "rule" and the piece, one would hopefully still feel an excitement at the end of the movement, which might prompt one to want to applaud. Regardless, the same pocket applauded between movements of the Tchaikovsky, and a few more added to the mix after the third movement. During the concert the next night, perhaps a more "educated" audience, or maybe just a prude one was in the house, and no one applauded between movements. I have to admit, whether it was the "type" of people who don't applaud, or maybe just their seeming temperament, I liked the first audience better.

The last performance we played in the series was a sort of educational concert where every movement of the Tchaikovsky was explained before being played. Well, obviously this sort of setting allows for applause after every movement, but even then, the audience wasn't sure, and their were random claps amongst the audience until the "narrator" of the concert said, "Yes, its okay to applaud." That to me is depressing: the fact that an audience had to be told that it was okay to clap. If you're up on your music history, you'll know that during the Cleveland Orchestra's premier performance of the piece, the audience applauded so enthusiastically after the third movement, the conductor proceeded to replay the 3rd movement before even moving on to the fourth! What happened to that kind of enthusiasm, or audience?! Again, I was especially glad to hear the conductor go out of his way to address the subject, and specifically point out that he wasn't offended, didn't mind, and even welcomed it when people felt led to applaud after something they liked. Its as if people don't want to make a mistake at a concert by applauding in the wrong spot. Does that even make sense?? And whats so much worse are the people who look down at other people with belittlement and disdain as if they're so much more educated and "know better" than to applaud between movements. I don't like that conceited attitude you often find around classical music...another problem I believe plagues the business. Did you ever notice on a classical radio stations how the "DJs" often have, what I find to be awfully put on, fake ambiguous accents? Maybe they're real, who knows. That's another subject anyway.

It was so perfect too that just a week or two later I played a gig with a group and at the performance, between two of the movements, the audience for whatever reason started to applaud slightly until the conductor shot out his arms very abruptly to silence the audience's applause, as if they were some stupid kids who "should've known better!" I was disgusted, embarrassed, but mostly glad to remember there were conductors like the last one I played under (who by the way, has a more prestigious position, perhaps because he knows better).

So what is this about applause?? Do you have to be told that its okay to applaud before you do, as if you were still in 2nd grade and needed to ask permission to pee? Come on. Seriously, and whats this haughty taughty crap about looking down on people who applaud between movements? If you like it, show your appreciation. From a performer's viewpoint, we like to know you're enjoying what we're doing. Now don't leave this post thinking I'm saying you should applaud between movements. I'm just saying, you shouldn't feel bad if you do, and certainly don't feel like you can't, and definitely don't look down on someone who does. So this brings me to the point to agree with those opposing me and say, okay, so there are exceptions. Maybe for a really soft, moving, tender moment, you're not going to burst out in some raucous applause. There are moments that shouldn't be "disturbed" and would be better left to enjoy the moment and the silence that follows. And you probably aren't going to want to start cheering in the middle of a piece either like a jazz or rock concert, but then again, who knows, why not? But for those of you who don't like exceptions, and say, NO! This is the symphony orchestra, and it must be upheld and respected in its most holiest sacredness of whatever whatever-ness...just shut up and applaud.