Why do people clap during performances ???

[pianopfile]

well for example yesterday, i was playing Rachmaninoff's prelude in c sharp minor in a big concert hall, and when i reached the second part (the agitato part) the whole damned crowd started clapping along, and completely messed my rythm, and everything up.
i had a similiar experience when i was a lot younger and playing Joplin's maple leaf rag... ok that was ragtime, so i can kind-of understand that... but shouldn't it be allowed to clap during classical performances?
god, i'm still so ******* pissed right now.

[j_menz]

If that's the worst an audience ever does for you, you'll have lead a charmed life.

It's much better than the polite little clap at the end, or being booed off stage.

[outin]

well for example yesterday, i was playing Rachmaninoff's prelude in c sharp minor in a big concert hall, and when i reached the second part (the agitato part) the whole damned crowd started clapping along, and completely messed my rythm, and everything up.
i had a similiar experience when i was a lot younger and playing Joplin's maple leaf rag... ok that was ragtime, so i can kind-of understand that... but shouldn't it be allowed to clap during classical performances?
god, i'm still so ******* pissed right now.

I think this must have come from sports...some kind of encouragement to the performer... I hate sports anyway, they make seemingly intelligent people regress into a mindless crowd...

[slobone]

That's a new one on me. I've heard people applaud between movements, but never clap along in time. I can understand why you'd find it a bit disconcerting -- did they then stomp the floor every time you hit one of the big chords in the last section? In any event I'd take it as a compliment and move on.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

That's happened to me a couple times.

I immediately STOP playing and tell them to stop clapping.

I play no games!

[lloyd_cdb]

That's happened to me a couple times.

I immediately STOP playing and tell them to stop clapping.

I play no games!

Stone-faced killer.

I think it's less that people are excited and more that a few too many have surprisingly never heard the piece. The people that know it subsequently join the ignorant like sheep.

[andreslr6]

They should ban clapping completely  Glenn Gould was right.

Fortunately for me, I've never had problems with people clapping between movements or even worse clapping along (although I must admit, I do empathize with you but it would have been funny to witness that event  ). I always politely ask the public to applaud only between works or at the intermission and end of the recital.

[lloyd_cdb]

They should ban clapping completely  Glenn Gould was right.

Fortunately for me, I've never had problems with people clapping between movements or even worse clapping along (although I must admit, I do empathize with you but it would have been funny to witness that event  ).

I've had people tapping along with stadium style seating, so it echoed. THAT is annoying.

[birba]

I think that's hilarious!  I think i'd prefer that to a nokia tune from some wayward cell phone...

[rmbarbosa]

When this happens to me, I only think that it`s very good the audience is made of humans and not monkeys (sometimes, its very difficult to understand the difference...) because monkeys will clap with hands and feet and the noise will be horrible ))

[johnnybarkshop]

I have had people humming the tune in, say, a Chopin Nocturne.  It was disconcerting and not at all helpful for my performance.  I'm afraid we have to take the audience as it is.

[piano6888]

I totally feel ya on this, and yes I believe if the audience does not have enough courtesy and respect for the performer, then they don't deserve to see (or listen) to the concert.  I really hope future concerts (if you do still perform in the future) don't have these situations and if anything put up a sign to say refrain from clapping until after the concert; or just have the announcer (person that gives the introduction of the night's program/concert before the actual performance) tell the audience the rules.  If things do get ugly or so, then you can just tell them to stop (or worse, just leave); better yet, if it is just one individual or a handful of people, then maybe security can escort them out of the concert hall? Hope this helps and again sorry to hear that you been through this kind of bs, you don't deserve to be treated like that, you deserve more respect from the audience and if the audience can't do that, then they don't deserve to listen to you and you can perform for a more well-mannered audience

@rachmaninoff
I would do the same too, especially if it is severe enough to cause me to mess up that much. 

@johnnubarkshop
While most performers are trained to just ignore the distractions and continue to concentrate and perform, it really depends though, if they are being overly disconcerting and distracting enough to where it is impossible to continue, then the performer DOES have the choice to just walk off stage (or tell them to stop).  I have seen that happen before when some audience member in the front row (I was in the middle back row) was being a nuisance to the performer and severely interfering with the performer's ability to perform.