Comments on: Why does someone always cough in the quiet passages during a classical music concert?

By: AdamF

AdamF — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:05:21 +0000

I just came from a Keith Jarrett concert last night at the Disney Concert Hall here in L.A. Solo piano. Sensitive room and sensitive concert. People were asked not to cough beforehand if they could help it. Lo and behold, not only was the coughing some of the worst and rudest I’ve ever heard, I think it may have been exacerbated by the asking. At one point my attention was distracted from it all and wondered if the famously outspoken Keith would say something. He did. I was glad he did. Just asked if people would stop. On a personal reflection; I do believe it to be a psychological issue. The. Quietness and sensitivity of the situation, the knowledge of how easily the fabric of that quiet could be ruined by any one person…. But we as Americans like to establish our democracy: our limitations. We have it in our hands to ruin ‘legitimately’ or not. Many, in their fickleness and immaturity choose to, for the same reason we complain about thedumbest and smallest inconveniences in societal or political situations. We are spoiled, prissy children that often don’t deserve the privilege of the art or music before us, and we are afraid of ourselves and our ‘rights’ so we don’t do enough about it. It’s high time people know that they are humanly able to hold in or save their cough, just as tgey would during some other pressing situation if they saw the need to. If they were broader minded and more focused, like some kind of magic, the coughing problem would readily mitigate. I noticed that when Keith was playing free or a couple slow songs in a row people coughed more. But when he started stamping his foot into 4/4 time it suddenly died down. Americans must grow up and get some art, or stop pretending and stay home with their 90′s pop/rock albums. Otherwise, something more should be done about this.

Adam F.
Pianist NYU ’04

By: bearcat

bearcat — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:02:59 +0000

The ones that bother me more than those that cough are the ones that bring their babies so they can cry through the performance. Forget getting a decent recording of the concert. Besides, although I can’t prove it, I just know that at least four or five of the printed programs have small print at the bottom that says "you are a designated cougher for this performance, please comply !!

Musician, composer, teacher.
References :

By: Jen

Jen — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:38:59 +0000

Because they are stupid.
References :

By: suhwahaksaeng

suhwahaksaeng — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:54:59 +0000

For the same reason that people cough during Sunday morning sermons: they’re bored.
You don’t hear very many people coughing during movies, rock concerts, or any other events which people consider more exciting.

Someone brought up this subject before. Someone told of a piano recitalist who laid a basket of cough drops on the stage and announced that they were free for anyone who needed them.
References :

By: del_icious_manager

del_icious_manager — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:22:59 +0000

As a manager of professional musicians sitting-in their concerts over the years, I have been aghast at some of the thoughtless and downright rude things people do in concerts. Of course, it is difficult to stifle a cough, but usually a person can hold back until a loud passage. Those that hack away all through a performance should not be there. It’s not their fault they are unwell, but they ruin it for everyone else – including the hard-working musicians. I feel like dragging them out by the hair and shooting them sometimes.

I once had to take-away some sweets from a member of the audience. She was sitting there twiddling one of those crinkly and oh-so-loud wrappers during the concert. I quietly got up from my seat, went over to her and calmly took them from her. The look on her face was one I will remember forever. I have also had to reprimand people for taking flash photography during a concert (ANY photography without permission is not allowed) and also the cellphone of someone who thought it was OK to have a loud conversation in the middle of a concert.

I have also been present at a concert where the conductor stopped the performance and screamed at a person talking on their phone and demanded they leave the hall before he continued with the performance.

There’s nowt as stupid as folk!
References :

By: scoutma53

scoutma53 — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:33:59 +0000

Of course they know they are doing it. Maybe they do it all along but you only hear it when the music is quiet. I don't suppose they do it just to annoy others. Faced with an uncontrollable urge to cough, they have to weigh up whether it would be more disruptive to cough or to get up and leave(everyone has to stand up, seats clonking etc). Unfortunate but that's what happens when many people are gathered together.
References :