Clap, Rustle, Cough, Sneeze....and repeat?

By Richard Brewer

Last week, conductor Marin Alsop was on Desert Island Discs on Radio 4. She was fascinating to listen to, and had some really interesting choices of music – not just classical! I urge you to listen to it online if you haven't already.

One point she made really stuck out to me, about the etiquette of audiences at classical concerts. It's a heavily discussed topic, sometimes discussed in the form of a 'tut' and a disapproving look from an audience member, or  discussed in long newspaper articles online. Where the belief that we must sit up straight, arms folded, in complete silence and not make any sort of noise at all during a concert began, I do not know. What is interesting, however, is the difference in audience etiquette between different concerts; it is extremely dependant on many aspects of a concert, for example the venue, the repertoire and also the age of audience members.

I still vividly remember my first ever live classical concert. I was 16, and it was in Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, which really is a lovely venue. The Hallé orchestra were playing, with Sir Mark Elder conducting Rachmaninov Piano Concerto no. 2 and Rachmaninov Symphony no. 2 (what a start to my classical concert career, by the way!). I went with my best friend and his dad, and came away following one of the best concerts of my life with a list of 5 unwritten rules for attending a concert...

1. Do not cough, or sneeze, or blow your nose during the performance
2. Do not whisper to anyone around you
3. Do not hum the tune, however recognisable or lovely it is
4. Sit still at all times
5. Finally, and most importantly, do NOT under ANY circumstances clap between movements

I learnt the hard way, by doing just about all of these 5 things and getting more than 5 surly looks, quiet 'tuts' and a lot of head turns during the concert. As a first timer, it was a very odd experience. To think that I had to literally sit there silent and motionless for nearly two hours was a daunting task, but I went with it and have done ever since – all because of the unwritten rules. This is the case for pretty much all classical music concerts I have been to in the past 5 or 6 years since then, except for a few very special ones...

The BBC proms. Without doubt, in my mind, one of the most special music festivals worldwide. What an amazing 2 months it is; everyone coming together to watch some of the world's best orchestras blow us away with brilliant performances of the best-loved classics, along with some genre-setting world premieres. The audience at the proms are a special breed. Some sit there asleep, some read, some lie down, some cough, some sneeze, they do it all. The most noteworthy thing they all do (and I'm being extremely general here) is clap between movements. If they hear a rousing, loud movement of a symphony, they respond in the way they see fit – they clap. And why shouldn't they?! 

The other day I was chatting to our patron, Sir Roger Norrington (who conducts an evening of Mozart and Beethoven with Southern Sinfonia next Friday) who noted that he absolutely loves the audience to respond in the way they want to after hearing a wonderful movement. It almost feels unnatural to sit there silently after hearing something as rousing as the final moments of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's fourth symphony. Marin Alsop was also a firm believer in clapping after a movement if the situation merits it, stating that in Beethoven's time they would even clap mid-movement if a phrase was good! 

I'm not in anyway suggesting we should begin to clap in the middle of a movement if there is a really special moment (so please don't do that when you come to our concert next week)! I am also not meriting an outbreak of applause at the end of the slow movement of Mahler's fifth symphony, either, because that would just be awful. I also do know how annoying it can be when people make lots of noise, and I'm not suggesting we all hum along to every tune in the piece. What I do think, though, is that we should feel more relaxed during concerts; we are there for pleasure, after all. 

So, next Friday, when you are sat there in the second half listening to the mighty Beethoven's Eighth Symphony, remember this blog. Remember that if you feel like clapping at the end of a rousing movement, by all means, go for it. On the other hand, of course, if you want to stay silent, do it!

There shouldn't be such a set of unwritten rules for behaviour at a classical concert. Live classical music should be what you make of it. You can react in the way you want to, it affects people in numerous different ways, and that is a hugely powerful asset. Let's not go too mad, though; we don't want to see our beloved performers walk off stage like Michael McIntyre did in a recent gig, after a lady consistently talked and made loud noises all the way through - I'm not sure Sir Roger would approve of that! 

Click here to find out more about next Friday's concert in St. Nicolas, Newbury. There are still tickets available and it really is an evening not to be missed! You can also find out more about Southern Sinfonia by visiting our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Last Night of the Proms - Innovative and Exciting

By Julia Hudson

Balloons, Aston Villa, £1 million of sparkling Chopard diamonds and a lot of queuing – as usual, the Last Night of the Proms was a spectacle, and one which hundreds of people had waited through a rainy September night and day to see. We were also witnessing history in the making, with Marin Alsop, the Proms’ first female conductor, taking to the podium for a varied night of music making. The programme looked back at the many composer anniversaries celebrated this season: Verdi, Britten and of course Wagner were all revisited, and Nigel Kennedy and especially Joyce DiDonato provided real ‘star quality’ (Ivan Hewett). Particular highlights for this very fortunate audience member were Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, with a beautiful counter-tenor solo from Iestyn Davies, and Britten’s unusually poignant arrangement of the National Anthem.

Jacob Banks at the Urban Classic Prom

Looking back a few weeks, though, was a very different evening; the Urban Classics prom, which I was entirely convinced I would detest and utterly loved. The reassuring number of regular prommers and their ‘sensible shoes’, as remarked on by Alsop at the Last Night, mingled with Laura Mvula supporters and sky-high stilettos. By the end of the concert, to the tune of ‘One Love’ by Bob Marley, beautifully arranged and directed by Jules Buckley, classical and urban fans alike were swaying with hands and mobiles in the air (backstage, a senior BBC-er was thrilled that he had learned how to work his iPhone light). BBC Three’s coverage attempted to paint the evening as a controversial “culture clash”, for the purposes of good TV – but every single musician treated the venue, festival and institution with tremendous respect, excitement and, sensibly, a little bit of terror.

There were, of course, countless other season highlights; more than 300,000 people attended the concerts this year, with 57 out of 75 concerts sold out. It is easy to remember the ‘out-of-the-ordinary’ proms like the Urban Classic and the Doctor Who, but sometimes it is the simplicity of the Tallis Scholars’ late-night offering, with a rapt audience at nearly midnight, or the stunningly vivid Pictures at an Exhibition from the London Symphony Orchestra under Gergiev. No summary would be complete without recalling the epic tribute to Wagner, especially Barenboim’s Ring cycle, where he praised the audience saying “the communion between musicians and public depends not only on us but also on you, and you have brought so much silence”. This rapturous silence, with hundreds of people standing stock still, was never felt more keenly than at the Last Night – one minute, loud cheers and enormous balloons were ricocheting off audience members’ heads; the next, absolute concentration as the solo violin sound soared upwards.

In July, Manchester International Festival programmed music from both the Halle Orchestra and Goldfrapp. Alex Poots, the festival’s artistic director and CEO, said: “It’s not helpful to have divisions between the art forms; it’s a remnant of the old class system.” The Guardian suggests that the Last Night still falls prey to its “imperialist-era ruts”; but Poots disagrees, aware that creative programming “inevitably straddles a wide range of creativity, across art forms and different styles, and the spaces between them.” This, combined with the “quality of listening” remarked on by Director Roger Wright and the very celebratory nature of the Proms itself, makes it, in Alsop’s words, the "ultimate showcase for great artistry and superb audiences".

Patriotism and pride at the Last Night

To find out what Southern Sinfonia Patron Sir Roger Norrington had to say about conducting the Last Night of the Proms in 2008, click here for our exclusive interview. What did you think of this year’s event? Comment below to leave your thoughts on join in the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages!

Sir Roger Norrington talks about the “number one gig in the world”

By Chris Billingham

Tomorrow evening will see the Royal Albert Hall fill with excitement and anticipation as some of the world’s finest classical musicians perform at the Last Night of the Proms, the conclusion to 2013’s BBC Proms. Marin Alsop will direct an evening beginning with a celebratory new work by Anna Clyne, going on to include a rare performance of Britten’s 1967 overture for chorus and orchestra ‘The Building of the House’ and of course concluding with the traditional and much-loved classics, including ‘Land of Hope and Glory’.

Southern Sinfonia’s Patron, Sir Roger Norrington, conducted the Last Night of the Proms in 2008. In an exclusive interview, he describes the event as “the number one gig in the world”, stating that it is exciting that it means “so many things to so many people”.

When asked about particular memories and highlights of the 2008 event, Sir Roger said that “conducting ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ was a wonderful feeling. Between those in the Royal Albert Hall, the thousands of people in the park and everyone watching worldwide – it’s the definitely the biggest choir I’ll ever have!”

As well as leading from the podium, it will also be Marin Alsop’s responsibility to deliver the traditional ‘Last Night’ speech. When asked about his speaking duties, Sir Roger talked about how “nerve making” this particular section of the evening was. He explained: “it’s a big responsibility as you have to thank everyone for the whole of the Proms, the greatest music festival in the world”.

What is it that makes the festival so special? For Sir Roger it is largely about “the warmth of feeling coming off the audience, like an electric fire. They really are one of the best audiences in the world”. With this level of support from the crowd, Marin Alsop is sure to have a spectacular evening.

However, it has not come without its controversy, and tomorrow night will see history in the making as Alsop becomes the Last Night’s first female conductor. This been discussed in the press at great length, with musicians as varied as mezzo soprano Sarah Connolly and conductor Vasily Petrenko weighing in on the debate. However, Sir Roger says: “I think it’s great that a woman is conducting. She is a very good conductor and I will be watching with interest and enjoyment”.

And that is surely all that matters, the excitement and buzz that tomorrow’s event, and indeed the whole of the Proms, creates.

A member of our team is lucky enough to be attending tomorrow; look out for what she has to say about the evening very soon on our blog. Have you managed to get a ticket? What has been your Proms 2013 highlight? Southern Sinfonia loved the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of American Prom (Pictured Left).

Comment below to leave your thoughts or join in the discussions on our blog, Facebook and Twitter pages!