Applause ????

[Tony John Hearne]

Just wondering.... does anyone have any comments about the use of applause following a concert?

I have an utterly superb (vinyl) recording of the Schubert D956 string quintet played by Pablo Casals and others whose names I regret aren't in my mind at the present moment

Clearly recorded live (and I think in Eastern Europe by the language used for the notes on the sleeve) there are the usual shuffling sounds of the audience between movements, but at the end of this dazzling performance not a single utterance other than that of people leaving their chairs and the venue.

I find the effect on myself as listener to be an unusual one - equally powerful to the aplause and 'bravos' given by a rapturous audience, but more spiritual, for want of better phrase

I recall seeing Krishnamurti speak in London many years ago - always wishing to discourage a cult following, at the end of his lecture the great master made a gentle protest with his hands and left his seat hurriedly as soon as we naively started to clap

[Hofrat]

Tony;

I believe that Toscanini conducted a live performance of Brahms' German Requiem in England. He requested that the audience not applaud at the end of it. Well, the audience did not comply since it was a sterling performance.

[Michael]

A lot of live recordings are able to edit out the applause at the end, but normal decent audience reaction after a discreet couple of seconds is always acceptable. Of course, there is always the jerk who has to show everybody that he/she is aware that the piece has ended and comes in before the last note has sounded.

[susanwen]

At the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC at the Kennedy Center, there are always some people who consider themselves too important to waste time applauding, and they make their noisy exit instantly the last note starts to sound. How rude.

[Hofrat]

Dear Susan;

I saw that "mad dash for the doors" when I attended the world premiere performance of the "Macbeth Overture" on 20 September 2001 at the Kennedy Center. I assumed that everyone was rushing to see Bush's press conference on TV since the event was a mere 11 days after 9/11.