Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Most hilarious phone interruption ever!

Last week, I recorded a piano and violin recital as a favor for a friend of my family. I've never been to a recital like this, and certainly never recorded one (as I don't really know what I'm doing as far as recording goes, especially with multiple instruments involved). Anyway, they played some Brahms, Grieg, and Schubert. The most hilarious moment was after the second movement of a Grieg sonata, when there was a most perfectly timed interruption by an audience member's cell phone. (I know there shouldn't be clapping between movements, but the audience didn't know better, so there was.)

You just have to hear it for yourself.

Here's the end of the movement (with the gain raised so you can hear the interruption clearly):
https://www.box.com/s/7cb74d12eb393b84bcc9

(and for completeness, here's the recording of the whole movement, with the interruption cut from the ending: https://www.box.com/s/22e623559c28691d8f2f )


Do you have funny interruptions like this that you've witnessed or recorded?
I know they're annoying, but it's probably best to laugh when they happen instead of getting upset by them. I admit it's easier to laugh when they are as well timed as this one was though

I agree, as rude as it was, it's nice that everyone could just laugh it off. Otherwise it could have put such a damper on the recital.

I was at as Keith Jarret concert many years ago when someone took a picture during his playing. He stopped playing, got up and went into a real tirade about how there can be no 'snapping, clicking or any noises" during his playing. I understand where he was coming from but still... I never enjoyed Jarrets playing quite as much after that.

I was at the symphony a couple of years ago &, just as they were about to start the first piece, someone's cell phone rang. The conductor spun around to face the audience & said "Well, go ahead and answer it. We'll wait." & the whole audience erupted in laughter. Bet that person never again forgets to turn his/her phone off.

Yeah ringing phones in a concert is like a bomb going off.. Maybe they should put a fine on this that is more compensatory to the real damage. Like a new concert ticket for everyone that wants to get there (including travel expenses and lost revenues?) plus orchestra and hall rent.

And yes you can see that as funny, yet it totally spoils the mood of the piece, right?

Yes, and it's too bad some people in the audience can be clueless at times, but this musician rose above his circumstance.



Glen

It kinda does, but life is too short for me to take this so seriously, especially in the informal setting where this was taking place (a free recital in someone's living room). If I had paid $300 for tickets, I might feel very differently.

I hardly ever get phone calls. Only important things.
Was in a job interview. My cell phone rang. Handed it to the irritated interviewer and said: It's your office.

For me it's not about the money spent, but about all the effort to get there (both for me and for the orchestra) and then it's broken down in a split second. As I said, it's like a bomb going off or the roof crashing down. Or to spend hours on a delicious meal and then dropping it on the ground just halfway serving.

I'm very hesitant to laugh over it, as it probably gives some people the idea that they got away with it

Brilliant! And funny. He could have let it ruin the recital and instead he used it to elevate the moment.