You Tube clubbing

Greg, as you know, there's often a lot of confusion about change or even resistance to it -- from "classical" performers.

When we played Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time at LPR, in the fall, one of the players vigorously objected to what I thought was very discreet amplification.

I remember that, Bruce. Also I remember one of the musicians seeming doubtful about the venue. I have to be sympathetic. Her experience with classical music, up to that point, surely gave her other expectations. Still, it's wonderful when people are open to new ideas and experiences.

Greg,

I was curious about your position regarding talking during concerts. Do you think it is only appropriate in club-like settings such as Le Poisson Rouge, or would consider talking to be acceptable at Carnegie Hall as well?

The reason I am curious is because I can't imagine having people talking during a classical concert in a standard hall, i.e., a formal performance. Whenever I see concerts, and someone is whispering or their neighbor and unwrapping candy, I find it highly distracting. Perhaps I simply need to develop a better ability to concentrate. Call me crazy, but doesn't that noise distract you as well during formal performances?

A few random thoughts:

1. I'm not sure I agree that having a conductor in a club is inherently problematic. Surely big-band jazz often has/had conductors without it being a problem? There's also a Brooklyn based rock group called This Ambitious Orchestra which gets conducted by its lead singer. It may be more of a question of whether the conductor knows how to handle the club environment.

2. To what extent do you think different lighting would effect the appropriateness of different concert attire? An evening gown might look silly under generic lighting but striking under more dramatic lighting. The problem with all black is that it tends to be used to make the musicians disappear, but if the all-black uniform is done as a fashion statement (with well chosen clothes) it could be another matter altogether.

3. Bruce -- Clubs generally have bad acoustics. I wouldn't take classical music into a club unless you're okay with amplifying it, because chances are it will sound bad if you don't. Not a problem for me, since I love amplification, but something for amplification opponents to consider. Plus, the amplification at LPR generally sounds really nice--they have a great sound system.

Yes, if a conductor can handle the club environment, he or she might not look out of place. When I was a teenager, I went to Tanglewood and heard Charles Munch (God, does that ever date me!) conduct one of the Brandenburgs. I guess he thought the orchestra was playing it really well, and at one point he turned around and grinned at the audience. Not saying that's what a club conductor has to do, but acknowledging the audience at some point would seem to help.

As for those old big-band nightclubs…they were very dressy. When I've seen them in movies, the people going to the clubs are wearing evening clothes. They also were, some of them, pretty big. So then some formality on stage makes sense. In the kind of club we go to these days, everything is informal, and the norm for bands in clubs is not to be dressy at all. So formality on stage seems curious, at least to me.

I think it is vital for each "classical" organization to take ownership of their environment. Audiences approach concert halls as a sacrosanct space because they have been taught to do so, not because the flavor of the music necessarily dictates such behavior. Entering a formal concert hall may be a Pavlovian trigger to modern audience; in order to remind folks that music--all music--can be fun, relaxing, and rewarding we classical musicians need to leave our self-created ghetto of enforced reverence.

I have disagree with you, Greg, about this: "First, when you pay Bach in a club, it stops mattering whether you've played with correct Baroque style, or what fancy details of structure and history someone might elucidate in a program note." Why should venue affect what one cares about when listening to music? Either playing Bach with correct styling is important, or it isn't. If it is important, then we need to do a better job of educating our audience about what those stylings are and why they should give a crap. If it isn't important, we need to acknowledge history and move on.

Glad you brought that up, Elizabeth. What you quoted from me is too strong. What I meant (and I hope I made this clear in my post) is that communication becomes the most important thing, more important than many of the judgments we typically make in the concert hall. The style a piece is played in might still matter, in a club, at least to some people, but things like that become less important. I'm talking here about my own experience. Someone else might feel differently.

Greg, I perform in clubs as well as galleries, theaters and concert halls. My last tour (three nights!) included hits at a Conservatory's auditorium, a renovated church turned into a coffee shop, and a rock club.

I always strive for communication, no matter what the venue. Sometimes I communicate, other times, I look back and realize what I might have done to have had a stronger connection to my audience. Sometimes I get into shouting matches with drunks. And one type of venue doesn't allow for easier communication as opposed to another.

We (musicians) are committed to the music first. Without that commitment, it's all just posing. Greg, I respect you, but I don't understand what else you expected from the incredible players you describe in this post.

Sometimes even the formality of a concert hall breaks down the barrier between musicians and audience. I recently attended a concert of the West Virginia Symphony where a Mime (Dan Kamin) ended up having various sparring matches with the very funny and approachable music director, Grant Cooper. The audience ended up roaring with laughter and appreciation between concert pieces played with verve and precision by the symphony. The sound of a childs squeels of delight lifted the spirits of everyone. Afterwards the audience was invited to come forward and meet the crazy conductor and mime to talk about the concert. The orchestra members got into the act with good spirited lunacy. Most importantly at no time did I feel the essence of true music was ever at risk.