“Stifling applause between the movements of a symphony is not one of those deep historical traditions,” writes Jeremy Reynolds in Sunday’s (6/3) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “This particular practice originated in the early 20th century … and [is] now an entrenched practice in concert halls…. Is this a good tradition? … Said Marin Alsop, music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, … ‘If [applause] feels spontaneous and comes as a result of the music, I don’t mind at all.’ … ‘[Clapping] should be more a spontaneous part of the performance,’ said Gianandrea Noseda, music director of the National Symphony Orchestra.… A Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra social media poll distributed through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram received 1,264 cumulative responses, with 976 against clapping between movements and 288 for…. A 2016 Telegraph article in the United Kingdom confirms that listeners themselves at the BBC Proms … strongly insisted on holding applause.… None of the maestros is advocating a radical change in concert etiquette. But all expressed a wish that audiences would respond more naturally.” Said Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck, “I like that we have rules. But tradition changes, and that is good.”
Posted June 5, 2018
