[CAUT] The politics of clapping (o/t)

[Keith Kopp]

Recently, PBS radio had a segment on this subject including historical
notes about how this tradition developed over the years.

Keith Kopp,RPT and APL(Avid PBS Listener)

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Mark Cramer
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 4:53 PM
To: CAUT
Subject: [CAUT] The politics of clapping (o/t)

Last Sunday, Cheryl and I decided to take in the Winnipeg Symphony
Orchestra's performance with guest pianist Stewart Goodyear.

The Grieg Concerto is a sentimental favourite, and I just plain enjoy
listening to the piano from different seats around the auditorium.
Anyhow,
the first movement finished up quite nicely, but all the same, it was
surprising to hear some of the audience burst into applause. "Newbies,"
or
just sincere appreciation for Mr. Goodyear's nice work,.. I don't know.
He
briefly acknowledged the applause, and off to the second movement.

Later in the week I was at a brown-bag, noon-hour recital in a stately
Cathedral for a solo piano recital. A faculty member, international
concert
pianist and friend sat with me, and his student was in fact the soloist.

Halfway through the recital, and my friend was starting to figet. "Mark"
he
said anxiously, "I have to teach a lesson in ten minutes" as he
scrutinized
the program looking for a strategic point of exit.

But there was none to be had, as we were in the middle of a setting of
short
thematic peices. Finally in desperation, as the hint of a musical pause
approached, he begged "Mark, I will clap, please support me...!"

And I did.

The young fingers barely took a moment's leave of the keyboard, when
from
some twenty rows back, the hands of his teacher cracked the silence...
and I
followed suit, along with half the audience.

This brief, unanticipated display of appreciation invited a beaming
smile
from the pianist's face, turning to bewilderment, as he caught the
fleeting
form of an adult male with winter coat pulled over his head, making a
mad
dash for the exit! :>)

What a tricky art this "applause" business can be, knowing when to
start,
when to stop, when to stand, when to fling one's personal items upon the
stage... no thanks, I'll just gladly follow.

Have a great day,
Mark Cramer,
Brandon University