What are Classical snobs?

[cuberdrift]

Who are these creatures? What're they in for?

[j_menz]

Classical snobs are a subspecies of classical afficionados.  They only like classical music and speak disparigingly of other forms.

They also generally hold strong views about the merits of particular pieces/composers/performers/recordings which are at odds with all objective reason (which is to say, with my opinion).

Mostly, but not always, the only instrument they have ever mastered is the gramaphone.

[nanabush]

Jazz snobs are worse... they try to scare you with overanalyzing EVERY SINGLE FREAKING harmony in a piece, and then proceed to dismiss it as musical garbage.

But ya, Classical snobs generally feel threatened by other types of music.  There was one kid who was saying that rap/hip-hop is "only about drugs".  I don't listen to rap or anything, but that is about as naive as saying "classical is ONLY for old people".  They are just another branch someone who just listens to rap, or metal, or rock, or punk, or jazz, etc, etc.... obsessed with the music they listen to, "and everything else is crap".

If music is only good if it was written by a famous composer, then you may as well just listen to the top 40 charts on the radio... it's the same deal.

[iansinclair]

If you really want a good laugh (at the expense of the snobs!) hang around the lobby during the interval of a concert or opera or ballet performance... and listen to the comments which are being made by about 90% of the audience.  Who are clueless, but you surely wouldn't know it to listen to the "knowledgeable" comments one hears!

But they do help pay the bills...

[cuberdrift]

Sorry, I'm not that exposed, you mind sharing some of your experiences with these audiences?

[quantum]

Sorry, I'm not that exposed, you mind sharing some of your experiences with these audiences?

It is something better experienced.  Repeating the words alone is not enough. 

Even the experience of waiting for the concert to start while you are in your seat, can give you glimpses of nearby conversations. 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Someone who rages at you for calling something a song.

Person A:  wow, Rachmaninoff's first sonata is such a beautiful song!

Person B:  what did you just say?   

Person A?  That song was really beau-

Person B:  what the heck?!  Are you kidding me?!  How dare you call this work a song?!  There's no singing in it!  Don't ever call that a song again or else I'll smash your head in The qwdbjiewbfvfijwbejifbvswefijtgjtnhn!!!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Someone who rages at people in the audience for not wearing tux's, or at performers for not wearing tux's with tailcoats that drag to the end of the stage, or giant dresses that completely blankets the bench.

Person A:  Wow!  I really like Yuja Wangs dress!

Person B:  what the heck are you stupid?!  How dare she wear that dress!  Does she think she's a porn star or something?!  She's completey ruining Prokofiev's music!

Person A:  How?!  I'm pretty sure that your clothes doesn't affect your playing.

Person B:  Yes it does!  And you're in no position to talk!  Where the heck is your tux!!!  You're supposed to dress up you know!!!  The next time you don't dress, I'm going to smash your head in the hdijasfgiheeifnhwbgibfvhebhfiehvnjvd!!!!!

[j_menz]

Someone who rages at you for calling something a song.

Person A:  wow, Rachmaninoff's first sonata is such a beautiful song!

Person B:  what did you just say?   

Person A?  That song was really beau-

Person B:  what the heck?!  Are you kidding me?!  How dare you call this work a song?!  There's no singing in it!  Don't ever call that a song again or else I'll smash your head in The qwdbjiewbfvfijwbejifbvswefijtgjtnhn!!!

LOL, that's amateur stuff. The real snob would go:

Person A: Rachmaninoff's  first piano sonata is such a beautiful work

Snob:      I can't bear to hear it ruined. Of course the only performance where it wasn't ruined is Fiorentino's. Not the commercial recording, of course. It was a little private recital he gave. The recording is really quite a travesty.

BTW, I take it The qwdbjiewbfvfijwbejifbvswefijtgjtnhn!!! is some form of Americanism. We don't use that word around here.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

That person who sits behind you who cries during EVERY performance, claps extra try hard, screams EXTRA LOUD, "BRAVO! BRAVO! ENCORE! ENCORE"

And they ALWAYS get the first and last clap!

[quantum]

Another scenario:

Person A: Rachmaninoff's  first piano sonata is such a beautiful work

Snob: I really didn't care for his pedaling, it was too resonant and romanticized.  I prefer a cleaner articulated approach with carefully tailored phrase endings.  Besides that Steinway sounded awful, I like to hear Rachmaninoff played on a Fazioli.  Steinways are more suited to Beethoven, unless of course they are New York Steinways.  Look there is John Smith sitting in the box, he's the music critic for the PS Times, I had lunch with him yesterday. 

Snob 2: I don't think there was anything wrong with his pedaling at all.  He did exactly what the score says.  Here take a look... I brought three different urtext editions to follow along. 

[sphince]

I don't have a real problem with snobs as long as they keep their distance.My real problem is people who DON'T KNOW WHEN TO CLAP!.I was in a concert and someone was giving a recital with chopin works(2 years ago for the 200th anniversary).And last piece was the ballade no.4
AND 4-5 PEOPLE CLAPPED BEFORE THE CODA STARTED,RUINING THE PIECE DRAWING THE REST OF THE CROWD WITH THEM FFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU. 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Snob 2: I don't think there was anything wrong with his pedaling at all.  He did exactly what the score says.  Here take a look... I brought three different urtext editions to follow along. 

Lol that's so tryhard!

[zezhyrule]

And last piece was the ballade no.4
AND 4-5 PEOPLE CLAPPED BEFORE THE CODA STARTED,RUINING THE PIECE DRAWING THE REST OF THE CROWD WITH THEM FFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU. 

That's pretty sad. Many times when I go to concert things, people clap between movements. Even if they're clearly told not to do so, which sadly seems to be required lately.

One time at a piano recital it got to the point where no one would even start clapping until the pianist got up and bowed, because they'd already clapped before he was finished like twice