"Are you quite finished?" - New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert when cell phone went o
98 replies, posted
[release]
For many it is just one of the daily afflictions of the digital age.
But when a mobile phone went off during a New York Philharmonic performance the conductor saw red, stopping the orchestra in its tracks.
Orchestra music director Alan Gilbert was so appalled by the continuing distraction during oen of the most poignant parts of the performance that he brought the musicians to a standstill.
The phone’s 'marimba' ring-tone went off from a front row seat of New York's Avery Fisher Hall during Tuesday night's performance, according to eyewitnesses.
The untimely interruption happened during the final and most moving bars of the Mahler Ninth symphony, just 13 bars before the beginning of the last page of the score, blogger Michael Jo reported.
Jo wrote on his blog thousandfold echo: ‘As Alan Gilbert turned to the first violins and the sound grew ever more hushed and veiled, the unmistakable chimes of the iPhone Marimba ringtone resounded loud and clear’.
Excruciating: During the final and most moving bars of the Mahler Ninth symphony a cell phone went off in the front row
In an almost unprecedented measure, an obviously annoyed Mr Gilbert cut the orchestra.
He then turned around on the podium to face the offender, music student Kyra Sims told the superconductor blog.
During a pause of several minutes the music director asked 'Are you finished?' When the culprit didn’t reply he said: ‘Fine, we'll wait.'
Some furious members of the audience called out for punishment: 'Thousand dollar fine, Get out!' and 'Kick him out! were all heard'
When the ringing eventually stopped Mr Gilbert asked the man if he had turned off the phone. The man indicated that it wouldn't go off again.
Addressing the audience the conductor said: 'I apologize. Usually, when there's a disturbance like this, it is best to ignore it, because addressing it is sometimes worse than the disturbance itself. But this was so egregious that I could not allow it.'
'We'll start again.'
Mahler Ninth is the composer’s final completed symphony, the last movement of which is a measured contemplation on death that ultimately falls silent.
The composer’s work has special meaning to the New York Philharmonic which Mahler conducted during the final years of his life.
Read more: [url]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2085493/Are-quite-finished-New-York-Philharmonic-conductor-dramatically-halts-performance-cell-phone-interruption.html#ixzz1jDZJ9YvB[/url]
[/release]
Just imagine how embarrassing it would be for the owner of the phone and whoever accompanied him.
A modern day Seinfeld moment. Although I wonder why the guy didn't just silence it after it started; all I have to do is press any button and my phone stops ringing.
This was very unprofessional of the conductor. I understand that the music is important to him, and it is a tragedy to have your attention broken at such an important point in the music, but stopping ruins the whole thing. Not only that, but he publicly humiliated the person who owned the phone. The article says "when the ringing eventually stopped..." which means the guy was probably in shock or didn't want to draw more attention to himself. I think it's a wonderful thing that someone would even want to go to an orchestra, so it's even more of a tragedy that the conductor ruined the whole experience for him.
He stopped the [i]whole show[/i] and restarted the entire piece from the beginning because of a faux pas. In the big picture, it's not a big deal.
[QUOTE=Jonii;34172610]This was very unprofessional of the conductor. I understand that the music is important to him, and it is a tragedy to have your attention broken at such an important point in the music, but stopping ruins the whole thing. Not only that, but he publicly humiliated the person who owned the phone. The article says "when the ringing eventually stopped..." which means the guy was probably in shock or didn't want to draw more attention to himself. I think it's a wonderful thing that someone would even want to go to an orchestra, so it's even more of a tragedy that the conductor ruined the whole experience for him.
He stopped the [i]whole show[/i] and restarted the entire piece from the beginning because of a faux pas. In the big picture, it's not a big deal.[/QUOTE]
People got two performances for the price of one. And a rather funny moment. Don't see the problem
The conductor sounds like a real douche
prats
What a boss
aka thats what she said
It almost seems like the article is saying that electronics are ruining orchestras. No, people who bring children to orchestras, movies, plays, etc are far worse.
He probably forgot to silence his phone, the conductor is a fucking asshole
[QUOTE=Jmir 54;34172674]The conductor sounds like a real douche[/QUOTE]
well how would you feel
you're the guy in charge and people have paid good money for you to do your job properly, and some prat decides to fuck it up for everyone
[QUOTE=Jonii;34172610]This was very unprofessional of the conductor. I understand that the music is important to him, and it is a tragedy to have your attention broken at such an important point in the music, but stopping ruins the whole thing. Not only that, but he publicly humiliated the person who owned the phone. The article says "when the ringing eventually stopped..." which means the guy was probably in shock or didn't want to draw more attention to himself. I think it's a wonderful thing that someone would even want to go to an orchestra, so it's even more of a tragedy that the conductor ruined the whole experience for him.
He stopped the [i]whole show[/i] and restarted the entire piece from the beginning because of a faux pas. In the big picture, it's not a big deal.[/QUOTE]
I agree publicly humiliating the person probably wasn't called for, but I'd think it would be common sense to turn off your damn phone when you're going to an orchestral performance, where an interruption like that would be fairly intrusive.
nope the conductor was right
[h2]when you go to a performance[/h2] [release][h2]TURN OFF YOUR FUCKING PHONE[/h2][/release]
[QUOTE=Glitch360;34172902]He probably forgot to silence his phone, the conductor is a fucking asshole[/QUOTE]
They usually tell you at any performance that there is no flash photography AND you should silence/turn off your phone.
[QUOTE=Kalibos;34172964]nope the conductor was right
[h2]when you go to a performance[/h2] [release][h2]TURN OFF YOUR FUCKING PHONE[/h2][/release][/QUOTE]
Yeah, okay, but you'll look like an idiot if you get that heated over a cell phone ringing. I don't give a fuck who you are.
The way the conductor handled this almost made him worse than the guy whose phone rang.
[QUOTE=Canesfan;34172650]People got two performances for the price of one. And a rather funny moment. Don't see the problem[/QUOTE]
As good as a performance is some people don't want to stay longer than necessary to see it finished
[QUOTE=danielplazzy;34173010]Yeah, okay, but you'll look like an idiot if you get that heated over a cell phone ringing. I don't give a fuck who you are.
The way the conductor handled this almost made him worse than the guy whose phone rang.[/QUOTE]
i would have been pretty damn upset if someone's phone started ringing while i was playing music for them
like they might have kids or maybe they are dead tired
[editline]11th January 2012[/editline]
ninja
He handled it pretty well actually. it was nice of him to replay the part.
Well it seemed like the person was actually on his phone for quite a bit.
[QUOTE]During a pause of several minutes the music director asked 'Are you finished?' When the culprit didn’t reply he said: ‘Fine, we'll wait.'[/QUOTE]
If he was on the phone, he should have at least had least the courtesy to leave to take the call.
Every concert I've been to, not only is it plastered all over the playbill (whatever you want to call it), they even come out before and tell everyone to
I can understand forgetting to turn it off (not really though), but answering the call? I mean, come the fuck on.
[QUOTE=danielplazzy;34173010]Yeah, okay, but you'll look like an idiot if you get that heated over a cell phone ringing. I don't give a fuck who you are.
The way the conductor handled this almost made him worse than the guy whose phone rang.[/QUOTE]
Gandalf: And then you see it.
Pippin: What? See what Gandalf?
Gandalf: White shores... and the beyo-
PBRBRBRRBBRBRBRR- *From audience* "John here....."
Moment ruined.
[QUOTE=danielplazzy;34173010]Yeah, okay, but you'll look like an idiot if you get that heated over a cell phone ringing. I don't give a fuck who you are.
The way the conductor handled this almost made him worse than the guy whose phone rang.[/QUOTE]
It's not like someone's phone going off in a movie theater during a pointless action sequence or something. From the article's wording, it sounds as though the phone went off during a very moving, emotion-stirring part of the symphony, and that's terribly disrespectful to the audience, but especially to the orchestra and the conductor.
I don't know why people in here are mad at the conductor, It's unbelievably disrespectful to leave your phone on during a performance, and to have it start ringing in the front row, loudly enough for everyone to hear, distracting the audience, conductor, and the orchestra? Of course the conductor was pissed, he just had his performance interrupted during what was apparently the most important part.
And the guy doesn't sound like he even tried to turn it off quickly. It's like when people talk on their phone during a movie, only twenty times worse, because it's an orchestral performance.
Those things can be very expensive to attend, so having it interrupted like that is just ass.
How are some of you saying that the conductor is an asshole? Are your views really so warped?
[QUOTE=Cypher_09;34174211]How are some of you saying that the conductor is an asshole? Are your views really so warped?[/QUOTE]
America... Entitlement.
[QUOTE=Glitch360;34172902]He probably forgot to silence his phone, the conductor is a fucking asshole[/QUOTE]
If someone in the audience answers a phone that wasn't on silent and just has a nice old conversation during a performance of mine, I'm not exactly getting the impression he cares that much about the performance itself.
So no, the conductor wasn't a fucking asshole, the guy who answered his phone rather than simply hanging up was.
Simply turn off the fucking phone, this ruins the experience for everyone. If that guy didnt even say sorry then kick his ass out, he remained silent what an idiot.
[QUOTE=danielplazzy;34173010]Yeah, okay, but you'll look like an idiot if you get that heated over a cell phone ringing. I don't give a fuck who you are.
The way the conductor handled this almost made him worse than the guy whose phone rang.[/QUOTE]
You are a child.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.