Hi, new list member here, saying hello.  Elizabeth from Cleveland.
I am not a musician, teacher or critic, just a "Suzy Six-pack" who
attends concerts for entertainment and intellectual stimulation.

I have read with interest the thoughts on this thread.  Someone earlier
gave credit to Cleveland audiences for being more reserved with the
standing ovations.  I had to chuckle, since just last week our local
reviewer chided audiences in the Sunday paper for standing ovations
too easily given!

My perceptions are as follows: standing ovations are more common
with the presence of a composer or solo-ist.  Standing ovations before
intermisison, or in between consecutive pieces are usually related to
an excellent performance.  Standing ovations at the end of a piece might
just be "evening well spent" responses, or related to the excellent
execution of the piece, or people standing up after the second or third
bow because they are gathering their coats and getting ready to leave.

That being said, I think evaluating a standing ovation can be done
just like an audience evaluates the musical performance: by listening.
Even if the audience is standing, you can tell by the clapping, the
bravos (or lack thereof) how the perfomance was received.  There are the
spontaneous jumping out of your seat, clapping fast and furious standing
ovations.  Then there are the leisurely, clapping politely ones.  I am
sure the musicians and conductor can understand what they are hearing.

I don't believe that labeling folks who stand when others don't is useful.
All kinds of people attend concerts, just like all kinds of people attend
baseball games.  At baseball games you have the serious fans, who follow
the line-up and mark pitch counts in their programs with their pencils.
Then you have the ones who are drinking a beer and talking to their
friends, and when they hear a cheer they look at the replay board and
say "What was that?" Everyone pays their money for their ticket, so I
am sure management welcomes all types of listeners.

Elizabeth Gnidovec