Applause Meet Her

At a recent Pops symphony event I attended I was intrigued by the audience requirement to clap and cheer when the conductor glided on to the stage.

Are we really expected to cheer when the conductor comes out to do his job? The job for which we paid to attend and hear? Before the very first string note has been plucked, before the first drum beat has been percussed?

To me this would be akin to tipping the waitress when she shows up to take my food order.  Or paying Apple iTunes to preview a song.

Was this particular event good?  It absolutely was. But there were no guarantees for that, which makes the applause received just a bit premature.  And, to be quite honest, the conductor did a great job, but he was not actually playing an instrument himself, he was waving a baton around and he provided some animation in that fashion for the concert.

It seems to me that applause is quite taken for granted in American culture. Not only do we have this premature applausalation happening, but it is rare that I attend any recent event that the audience does not provide an obligatory standing 'o'.   The standing ovation is typically followed by the entertainer returning to the stage and banging out 1-3 more tunes. AS IF they did not intend to do those 3 tunes, even though the tunes are well prepared and orchestrated even to the point of having prepared pyrotechnics etc.

Obligatory pre-performance applause, obligatory standing ovation, obligatory post finale finale.....it all seems just a bit regimented and prescribed behavior. As we all grew up with the canned applause and laughter pushed on us through American sitcoms since the 60's, we are quite accustomed to having our accolades dictated to us like lambs to the slaughter. Laughter and Slaughter share much in common.

We, as Americans need to go back to our roots and do the unexpected. Doing so would make applause and accolades more meaningful and more deserved, and the quality of our entertainment would improve.  I refer to the scene in the Gangs of New York where the performers were booed, heckled and speckled with tomatoes and fruits...and the yet the show did go on. Entertainers must entertain. We do no service in coddling them. And judging by my ticket prices, their reward comes in their paychecks not from  mandatory applause.

The next time we participate in a concert, let's think hard before we put our hands together.

Cheers, nca