THE SOUND OF NO HANDS CLAPPING

posted by James Reel

Many of the people who discuss ways to attract new audiences to classical concerts advocate ending the “snooty” practice of prohibiting applause between movements. But the fact that a movement has ended doesn’t mean that the whole thing is over. Premature applause can break a spell created by the music just heard, or at the very least delay getting on with the rest of the piece. I don’t even like internal applause at jazz concerts after solos, because the clapping covers part of the solo that comes next. Public spectacles of all sorts—concerts, movies, plays during which an admirable scenic design first appears—would be greatly improved if audiences spent more time sitting on their hands. As a fellow blogger writes, “I know there is no rule saying no applause between movements. But, by the same token, there is no rule saying wind should not be broken by members of the audience during the performance.” That’s Pliable, a fellow of extraordinarily wide musical and social interests, who presides over On An Overgrown Path.