It is striking how the venue, atmosphere and etiquette differed at each of these three events. For the orchestral music at Symphony Hall, silence is expected, with respectful applause being given at the end of each complete work. The quiet attentive atmosphere is necessary and desired to hear the timbres and subtle nuances of the instruments, and so as not to destroy the musical 'picture' being painted by the orchestra.
The above is a sharp contrast to the rock concert where the audience were expected and actively encouraged to sing along (loudly!). Applause, along with cheers and yelling was given at the end of each song performed. Sound quality and subtle details were given less importance than creating an overall lively and exciting atmosphere. Unlike the classical concert, audience members were free to come and go from their seats as they pleased, with people often standing for certain songs, or leaving to fetch more drinks.The jazz event sits quite neatly between these two contrasting experiences. Conversing during the performance was not actively encouraged, but I got the impression that a few quiet words wouldn't have been particularly frowned upon. Contrary to the other two concerts, applause here was given during performances (after each solo) as well as at the end. We had missed the opportunity for dinner, so during the interval we ordered a sit-down meal, which we enjoyed at our table during the second half of the performance. This would have been quite strange at the classical or rock concert, but seemed appropriate for jazz!
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