Bernard Gregoire wrote:

>To make a positive observation, however, things may have
>improved at concerts over the years.  Audiences today seldom shout or throw
>ripe fruit at the musicians as was a sometime practice in the 18th century.

I don't necessarily think this is a good sign.  A few years ago Christopher
Keene (requiescant in pacem) conducted a work by Steve Reich at the Chicago
Symphony Orchestra.  It was broadcast nationally and the audience actually
booed at the end of it.  I stood up in my living room and applauded them
for their courage to express their distaste.  In Dallas, we have the most
namby-pamby audience of them all.  The stand and cheer Andy and the gang
for delivering absolute dreck on a silver platter.  A recent concert in
which Lowell Liebermann's orchestral suite from "Dorian Grey" was given its
first performance, everyone just clapped their little hands off.  The piece
was pure contrived schlock!  I think it would be a good thing to send a
message to the conductor when a piece is awful!

Kevin Sutton