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]