Ben Palmer wrote:

>I grew up going to Philly Orch and Curtis Inst concerts.  My parents
>would tell us stories of the old days with Stokowski that would stop
>concerts until the millionaire donating society dames were quiet.

Interesting that you should mention this, because just yesterday morning I
attended a working rehearsal of the Fab Phillies -- Rattle (whom everyone
in Philly is gnashing their teeth over because he won't come to replace
Sawallisch) doing Sibelius #5 and Jenufa Act II.  The society dames seemed
to have learned their lesson, because the audience was quiet as so many
mice.  (I have never experienced the beepers, cell phones, etc., that
others complain about here, either.) I mention this because of an amusing
moment:  when Sir Simon was working on the last movement of the Sibelius,
at the point where the violins have a pianissimo (I think) passage, he
asked them to play it again, *very* quietly.  Then he turned to us and
said, "You can hear it, can't you?" I'm not able to attend the actual
concert, but I'd love to know whether they end up actually playing it that
quietly.

On the subject of audience noises, at any rate, I plant myself firmly in
the middle of the road.  I do think that being a member of a CM audience
does require a bit of training (not to be compared with the performers'
level, of course); one is expected to hold applause to the ends of
multi-movement works, etc., and also to try one's best not to make noise.
On the other hand, I would think that most professional musicians can keep
their mind on their work to the extent that a moderate amount of coughing
and program-rustling shouldn't interfere.  But now and then it does get out
of hand, and perhaps Mazur et al.  have a right to stop the proceedings
occasionally when this happens.

To return to the rehearsal: wow, what a moving experience! Please, Maestro
Rattle, change your mind -- we love you!

Jon Johanning // [log in to unmask]