Great music, bad audience behavior
by AMN on 3/30/24Atlanta Symphony Hall - AtlantaThe applause between movements completely overshadowed the beauty of the orchestra and chorus and destroyed the continuity with which concertos and cantatas are intended to be performed. I was an ASO subscriber for a few years but have not had the opportunity to attend in the past two years. I don't remember there ever being inappropriate applause until this concert, although one of my friends in the ASO Chorus said that it has become increasingly problematic for the past few months. With the declining emphasis on classical music education in our schools, it stands to reason that this generation of attendees will simply not know the standard protocols of live classical performance that have been in place for generations. Understanding this, however, does not make us seasoned attendees - who, by the way, contribute the lion's share of the orchestra's revenue - any less offended that our experience is being sullied by the behavior of the uninformed. If the ASO is to continue its position as a respected symphony orchestra, the audience must become aware of the traditions and protocols that set live classical music performance apart from other genres. A simple way to do this would be to include it with the "please silence your phone"announcement at the beginning of each concert.