Home Hi-Rez Highway

New high resolution SACD releases, players and technology.

I believe most of what you commented on is from a different time

You said:

****And your own observation that what you considered a journeyman (and much more recent) performance of Scheherezade evoked a thunderous ovation suggests that things haven't changed that much since.***

"Thunderous ovation" is far overstated on your part and I did not say that. I said that much of audience gave a "heartfelt standing ovation". That is several notches down, I'd say, from the "thunderous" ovation that the audience gave the Philadelphia Orchestra at the conclusion of the recently released Saint-Saens on the Ondine label. The ovation from that audience, of which I was part, for "Sheherazade", I believe, was completely in line with the great effort put out by the orchestra that evening. Also, that same audience gave differing reactions to other parts of the program that same evening.

Importantly, I also said that I would not have an opportunity to listen to any recording of the "Sheherazade" performance. Repeated listens can change how you feel about a performance. The audience in a live setting doesn’t have that luxury. They make their judgment on the spot. (Which by the way, was the initial point I was making). The audience can judge harshly, lightly or anywhere in between. And frequently reactions are mixed! It's up to the audience whether you or I disagree. That't why it does not make a difference what *I* thought about the performance. I could be wrong and the audience could be right. But in this case I thoroughly enjoyed the performance which I wish I could bottle up and bring home.

There are classical performances in many parts of the Bay Area including Marin, Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose. I can tell you that the audiences in these locations have their own "sub culture" so to speak. You can see this in the way they dress, you can see it in the way they react to performances *and* you can see the way audiences have changed over time, certainly during the sixteen years that you moved north. For example, it was definitely an unwritten rule against applauding between movements. That has slowly changed to the point that a fleeting smattering of light applause is occasionally heard if audience members are so moved, but is more likely to happen in Berkeley or Oakland than in San Francisco. And San Francisco varies depending on whether it’s a matinee or evening performance. Plus the program matters.

You were a 800 miles away on the night of the performance. You are simply in no position to judge the merits of the audience’s reaction or its sophistication (which you seem to be questioning) with respect to the performance *or* to what other external factors that may have influenced their reaction that evening.

Again I find your characterization of Bay Area audiences of which I am regularly apart, and which is multifarious, if nothing else, to be inaccurate, broad brushed, perhaps more reflective of what may have occurred 25 years ago.



Robert C. Lang


This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Schiit Audio  


Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups
  • I believe most of what you commented on is from a different time - Robert C. Lang 19:27:33 04/03/07 (0)


You can not post to an archived thread.