"Are you quite finished?" - New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert when cell phone went o
98 replies, posted
[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;34176972]Well congratulations! You did an exceptional job at that![/QUOTE]
Thanks for noticing.
Well, this thread certainly went off track.
Really though, people in general seem to be in desperate need of learning respect. I can barely tolerate the theater anymore. People texting for half the movie, the rows in front and back of the theater with teenagers who literally do not stop talking for five seconds, the people running up and down the aisles...
I just don't get it.
[QUOTE=JeanLuc761;34177007]Well, this thread certainly went off track.
Really though, people in general seem to be in desperate need of learning respect. I can barely tolerate the theater anymore. People texting for half the movie, the rows in front and back of the theater with teenagers who literally do not stop talking for five seconds, the people running up and down the aisles...
I just don't get it.[/QUOTE]
While those are disrespectful, taking this isolated incident and getting all up in arms about it is pretty stupid. Yes, it wasn't good that it happened but the guy made a mistake, we are only humans.
[QUOTE=Super_Nova;34177069]While those are disrespectful, taking this isolated incident and getting all up in arms about it is pretty stupid. Yes, it wasn't good that it happened but the guy made a mistake, we are only humans.[/QUOTE]
It's an isolated incident that is indicative of a larger problem. That's why people are so angry about it. Beyond that though, it shows an EXTREME lack of class to be a part of an audience for a performance of an esteemed orchestra...and somehow finding a way to ignore the repeated requests to turn off all cell phones.
Before every movie and before every performance I've seen, there are at least three very clear messages that tell the audience to turn off their cell phones and watch the movie. And you know what? [U] You don't have an excuse to not have your phone off.[/U] Zero, nada, zip.
[QUOTE=Super_Nova;34177069]While those are disrespectful, taking this isolated incident and getting all up in arms about it is pretty stupid. Yes, it wasn't good that it happened but the guy made a mistake, we are only humans.[/QUOTE]
A mistake that he willingly let carry on for several minutes.
Yeah, I find it hard to say 'only human' here. That's just being hugely disrespectful.
I'd have been pretty pissed myself.
Not only is Mahler my favorite composer, but the 9th symphony is just one of the best symphonies ever written.
Also funny enough Alan Gilbert's rendition is my favorite.
The guy with the phone was Larry David wasn't it?
[QUOTE=Super_Nova;34176825]Insult? Lmao. If hendrix were alive he would of laughed it off and improvised a fucking awesome solo based off the ring tone.[/QUOTE]
no probably not.
i mean first of all you wouldn't even hear the ringtone in a concert like that.
while in this building, the room is acoustically geared towards an orchestra and any ringtone becomes very loud.
[QUOTE=Cypher_09;34174211]How are some of you saying that the conductor is an asshole? Are your views really so warped?[/QUOTE]
Uncultured idiots.
[QUOTE=JeanLuc761;34177260]It's an isolated incident that is indicative of a larger problem. That's why people are so angry about it. Beyond that though, it shows an EXTREME lack of class to be a part of an audience for a performance of an esteemed orchestra...and somehow finding a way to ignore the repeated requests to turn off all cell phones.
Before every movie and before every performance I've seen, there are at least three very clear messages that tell the audience to turn off their cell phones and watch the movie. And you know what? [U] You don't have an excuse to not have your phone off.[/U] Zero, nada, zip.[/QUOTE]
More like turn it into silent/vibrate, while I don't exactly use my phone 24/7 I'm sure as shit making sure that if there's an emergency someone can get in contact with me.
[QUOTE=Cypher_09;34174211]How are some of you saying that the conductor is an asshole? Are your views really so warped?[/QUOTE]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/fmiX3.jpg[/img]
"What's the big deal?"
[QUOTE=Canuhearmenow;34176835]This isn't some rock concert or band performance, this is a [I]symphony philharmonic performing classical music.[/I][/QUOTE]
A cell phone going off at a rock concert wouldn't be as bad simply because of the higher volume of the music, but if someone brought a megaphone (or anything louder than the music) to a rock concert I'd expect people to get angry as well
For those of you calling out the conductor, think of it this way:
[quote]
The lights are dimmed, the crowd is silent. The conductor raises his conducting baton, and the orchestra follows suit, raising their instruments. A motion of his hand, counting the measures, and the violins begin. They fade in softly, like a fawn walking into an unknown patch of forest, exploring. Then the horns come in, with the air of royalty. The action begins to pick up, setting the piece into a dramatic section played at forte. The drums come in, pounding away like the giant crashes of the footsteps of a behemoth monster. The horns and strings get louder, and louder, and louder. Things start to speed up, with the song almost coming to an end. The song is about to come to its peak, its climax-
When suddenly, the sound of a Marimba jingle. The conductor is aghast. He is covered with sweat, eyes gleaming in concentration, his brain focused on riding the wild inferno that is this piece. And the odd sound of a marimba? He turns, and sees the source of the noise. Its screen is lit up, vibrating around. The iPhone is in a man's pocket. He looks no more than thirty. There had been a warning about cell phones and flash photography before the show, and he simply [I]ignored[/I] it?
The conductor's concentration had made him hyper and angry. Perhaps, overreacting a little too harshly, but surely justified. They were about to reach the peak of the song! And this sound had ruined it. The orchestra has stopped playing, the instruments silent, the magic gone.
"Are you quite finished?"
[/quote]
Think about the circumstances of the conductor's situation. How would you feel?
I know a cellphone going off would make people pretty mad, But i sure wouldn't like it if everyone just stopped playing because of it.
They should have hanged him in the middle of the stage then continued with the performance.
[QUOTE=Jmir 54;34172674]The conductor sounds like a real douche[/QUOTE]
He apologized to the audience, did not kick the man out and then redid the song for them. How douchey.
I don't speak for myself when I say anyone who has actually been to see an orchestra understands how deeply involving it can be. It's not just music, when you're sitting in the audience listening, it's a whole different kind of experience. You're getting carried with the conductor as he, for lack of a less corny way to put it, tells a story. It's an incredible experience, which more people should try.
It's also worth note that Mahler probably woulda done likewise. He was known for his "death stare" to late coming concert goers.
Conductors are aways stuck up little bitchy whiney ass douches
[QUOTE=supercopter;34183382]Conductors are aways stuck up little bitchy whiney ass douches[/QUOTE]Good job not reading the thread and being completely uninformed.
ITT: people with no understanding of orchestral music
Realize this, orchestral music is very different from modern music, its meant to tell a story with the instruments, listen to a proper orchestra, and make sure to listen to the preamble about the song, then close your eyes and imagine the story, imagine the person running as the music speeds up, becomes more intense, feel the loss that the protagonist feels when the music slows down and becomes more mournful, now imagine that at the height of that all your hear is RINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRING, and you get knocked right out of the little world you had created with the aid of the music. Not only are you angry, but you cant just start back off where you were left, theres a buildup to the point where you can properly understand what the music is trying to convey.
And to those who are complaining about the conductor, think of him as the narrator, he also must get really into the music, conductors get so into what they are doing they loose all sense of what is happening around them, and when someone kicks them out of that, wouldn't you get pissed.
tl;dr READ THE POST
[QUOTE=supercopter;34183382]Conductors are aways stuck up little bitchy whiney ass douches[/QUOTE]
And all rock musicians are anarchist satanists, all rappers are gangsters with all the bitches, all country singers are conservative rednecks etc.
You guys don't know how annoying it is to hear BRING BRING BRING, whilst you're trying to play or conduct music, or hell, even listen!
[QUOTE=Glitch360;34172902]He probably forgot to silence his phone, the conductor is a fucking asshole[/QUOTE]
When you go to an orchestra turn off your goddamn motherfucking phone. Seriously. There's no excuse. How do you not think of that?
[QUOTE=Alex_DeLarge;34186642]When you go to an orchestra turn off your goddamn motherfucking phone. Seriously. There's no excuse. How do you not think of that?[/QUOTE]
My theory is that it's a lack of respect combined with an inflated ego. There are people who genuinely forget to turn their phones off and are hopelessly embarrassed, but they're few and far between. I, personally, don't understand it.
You're at a performance. You're there to WATCH the performance. You are not there to socialize (notable exceptions would be during a big outdoor concert like AC/DC or something).
[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;34183475]Good job not reading the thread and being completely uninformed.[/QUOTE]
I read it the conducter stopped the entire preformance just because a phone went off.
[QUOTE=supercopter;34186798]I read it the conducter stopped the entire preformance just because a phone went off.[/QUOTE]
Perfectly reasonable seeing as it was ruining the whole performance
[QUOTE=supercopter;34186798]I read it the conducter stopped the entire preformance just because a phone went off.[/QUOTE]
Yes, that's correct. He stopped the performance because an audience member was being obscenely disrespectful.
As someone above said, an orchestral performance is pretty much the polar opposite of a rock concert. It's 100% about emotion, expression, and really delivering a piece of music that is both a story and a work of art. Having that interrupted is inexcusable.
[QUOTE=supercopter;34186798]I read it the conducter stopped the entire preformance just because a phone went off.[/QUOTE]
please, go to a live orchestra some day when your older, say, 16 or 17 years old, maybe then you'll understand, thats what, 4 years away?
[QUOTE=viperfan7;34186933]please, go to a live orchestra some day when your older, say, 16 or 17 years old, maybe then you'll understand, thats what, 4 years away?[/QUOTE]
Every year, my middle school band and the chorus go to a performance either by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra - in Hartford, CT - or the Springfield Symphony Orchestra - in Springfield, MA. Every single fucking year, there's some douchy class of second graders, or some adults with no common sense sitting behind our group yacking away. People don't really seem to understand how moving an orchestra performance can be, and how ruined it can become when a sound besides that of the violins strings vibrating, air moving through and over parts of woodwind instruments, trumpets blaring, and drums beating, can be heard.
That being said, I think the conductor did very little compared to what he could have done, and I applaud him for keeping himself composed and in a civilized manner waiting for the man to turn off his phone, and then apologizing to the audience.
Just a little insight from everyone's favorite thirteen-year-old.
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