John Halbrooks wrote:

>At the premiere of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, for example, the audience
>apparently demanded to hear the entire funeral march movement again.
>Perhaps I'm a light-weight, but I would have asked for the scherzo!

Does this excite anyone else but me? Seriously, wouldn't it be grand to be
up on stage, performing a work - the premier - and have the audience start
screaming "play it again!" "Bravo" "again again!" I can almost picture it
happening, and then getting set to replay the movement!!!

Maybe it seems so appealing because the idea of it *ever* happening in
this day and age is so remote.  I just cannot see it happening in 1999.
And, though we've all bemoaned inappropriate clapping and coughing and the
like, it seems sort of moving to hear about people, an audience, being so
moved by music that they insist loudly that it be played again.

And, granted, such a thing not happening may have as much to do with
present-day recorded music being so readily available.  I have always
understood that the above is why repeats were frequently added:  another
chance for the audience to hear a particular piece!:-)

Anyway, it got me to thinking and wondered if anyone else was intrigued by
the idea.

-Lindsey Orcutt
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