Talk:Concert etiquette

This is my first submistion for a new topic and mostly copied from my own web site www.helarc.com. Bits and pieces are from other articles but 99% of this has been paraphrased at this point. I don't know the line here. Credits from a long time ago are: Miss Manners, Western Michigan U., David Carlisle, Peter Smith. Pjay 17:47, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

This sounds very authoritarian
I will make sure to ignore every single one of these rules the next time I attend a bourgeoisie concert experience.

Less Preaching, More Teaching
As a concert musician myself, I see your point in including "accepted etiquette," but it is highly opinionated. First, I would advocate removing any part that seems to be "preaching" to the readers. This is an encyclopedia, not a soap box. In the same vein, it would be in good taste to present the other side of the issue, for example, with respect to applause. Alex Ross, music critic for the New Yorker, has amassed a great body of research on the historical changes in the frequency of applause in concert music and modern controversy over applause (see here). This material might make the article less gratingly biased and more neutral. --Ray thejake 23:27, 14 June 2006 (UTC)

I tried to make it less bossy/authoritarian. I know the applause part is a over American, but I think the history of applause is another entry. Pjay 16:36, 28 June 2006 (UTC)

Right now this article reads like an instruction manual, which is against WP:NOT. The article should be describing concert etiquette rather than instructing what is considered "proper" protocol. --Madchester 17:37, 1 August 2006 (UTC)

I think it is worth considering regional variations, as some of these "rules" (especially with regards to formality of clothing) are certainly not an issue in my neck of the woods (London) AlexBTMFM 00:33, 11 August 2006 (UTC)

Seriously?
This article just seems a little useless to me? Does it need to exist?

And if it does, can we change the name at least? The title is far too vague; I think most people associate "concert" with "rock concert". Capitan Obvio 15:04, 14 August 2006 (UTC)

Classical music concerts only
The article seems to only cover classical music concerts. Contemporary music concerts are far more relaxed, indeed, some of the things the article forbids are expected. J I P | Talk 16:43, 22 August 2006 (UTC)

Addressing critiques above
Hi, this article exhibits a kind of bipolar disorder due to its split authorship. When I found it it was a "Prescriptive" list of dos-and-don'ts at classical concerts, which some people might find very useful. When I added the "Overview" I tried get a more encyclopedic article covering different eras, genres and cultures. The result looks somewhat odd, but I'm not sure what a better way would be, or how to get there from here. Coughinink 04:10, 1 September 2006 (UTC)


 * I think it reads much better than where it started, thanks! As for references, at this point, no part of it is copied that I can see.  Pjay 12:16, 1 September 2006 (UTC)
 * I think this article is a great read. I particularly liked the advice on how to muffle a sneeze! I'm not a ballet fan, but apparently people applaud during the performances - perhaps something on this could be added? - Eyeresist 06:15, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

Handel
Isn't there a tradition of the audience standing at the "Hallelujah" chorus of Handel's 'Messiah'? IIRC, the tradition started when the King of England stood at the chorus' Dublin premiere.

And what about the Proms in England? Aren't a lot of classical music etiquette rules suspended? Or the Boston Pops?

When are black or white tie de rigueur for the audience? Rhinoracer 11:22, 28 February 2007 (UTC)
 * The Proms have their own etiquette, strongly enforced by regular Prommers. - Eyeresist 06:10, 28 June 2007 (UTC)
 * Indeed. I could bore for England on the subject of Proms etiquette, but it's best just to say that the usual rules are not so much suspended as augmented; when places (in the Promming areas) are unreserved and people queue for hours to get a good spot the etiquette naturally expands to ensure fair play.  Nowadays any performance of "Messiah" will have some standing at the "Hallelujah Chorus" and some not - it's regarded as a matter of personal choice.  As for "black or white tie" at a concert, I don't think it is ever de rigueur unless explicitly stated (e.g. on the ticket).  This is not common, but it does happen - the last such concert I attended was the Gala Opening of The Anvil, Basingstoke in 1994.  Opera is a different matter - black tie is de rigueur at Glyndebourne Festival Opera.  It's not enforced, but almost everyone complies. Philip Trueman (talk) 14:57, 2 January 2014 (UTC)

Applause between movements
Who decreed that it wasn't "in" to applaud between movements? I can't find any info about this. Young Brahms was shocked that his Gewandhaus audience didn't applaud between movements and feared they didn't like his music. It must have been someone like Mendelssohn or Bülow (a German for sure) who first condemned applause between movements. Does anyone know?--dunnhaupt 18:16, 25 June 2007 (UTC)
 * Read the article "The rest is noise", linked in the References section of the article. - Eyeresist 12:11, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

Formal clothing at rock concerts
Ward3001 deleted a line refering to formal clothing at rock concerts, saying "I haven't seen any coats, ties, or tuxedos at Goth or skinhead concerts." I haven't been to any Nazi gigs but I have been to some goth shows, and know whereof I speak. There are no tuxes, but there are certainly gothic variations on formal garb, i.e. ornate evening dresses, frock coats, waistcoats and even top hats. My understanding is that at Nazi skinhead gigs you sometimes see people in pseudo-military dress uniform, or even in smart old-fashioned suits of the sort which Leibach, for instance, have worn. This all qualifies as formal dress.

I think maybe you found the disputed sentence offensive for some reason. Maybe you dislike the reference to skinheads, or don't like them being refered to in the same sentence as goths. But this is an encyclopedia entry, and facts come first, however discomfiting. - Eyeresist 04:44, 30 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Don't presume that I am biased unless there is evidence for it, and don't assume that my edit was based on the previous edit being discomfiting. Contrary to Eyeresist's false assumption, my edit had nothing to do with my personal preferences, what I find offensive, or how I feel about skinheads or goths. It has everything to do with factual accuracy. I also have been to goth shows, and I have seen skinhead performances on film and TV. "Gothic variations", as you describe it, are not formal dress. At most it might be considered parody of formal dress. And you are right, this is an encyclopedia, which requires factual accuracy and, if there is any doubt, verification with citations to credible sources. Ward3001 17:36, 30 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Thanks for quoting the regs at me. I will let your edit stand, as I don't have the stomach for a revert war. I will say that if frock coat and topper don't qualify as formal clothing then I don't know what does. Not sure what you mean by "parody of formal dress" - perhaps you mean it's a kind of role-play costume? I'll grant that's true in many cases, but the clothing is formal nonetheless. And I've known a smart-dressing neo-Nazi type, although obviously suit-wearers are an extreme minority at the typical skinhead beer bash... - Eyeresist 09:42, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

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To sit during performances
Can we reach a consensus on deleting this nonsense without source: "it is sometimes considered an insult to the band to sit during performances, particularly in heavy metal. Even in venues that provide seating, generally the audience will stand for the band's performance"? Dignitee (talk) 17:37, 15 December 2023 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Classic and Romantic Music History
— Assignment last updated by Dylansneed (talk) 16:36, 15 February 2024 (UTC)