MANNERS AT RECITALS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 107, 7 May 1923, Page 3

MANNERS AT RECITALS

10 THE EDITOR.

Sir,—For sheer bad manners the Sunday night audiences at the organ recitals take a lot of beating. Because they are free they seem ta think it is quite unnecessary to beha-ve as they would if they "paid for their music. They come in late, bang the seats down, and bang round their umbrellas on a wot night; while to-night two young people deliberately walked but as noisily as possible directly after the commencement of the "Lovely Romance," and shut the door noisily. The whole recital, from the opening bars of the symphony to the final bars of the Silas " Fantasia " waa completely spoilt by ceaseless whispering and talking. Mr. Page at last turned round and_ said he was waiting for the * conversation to cease before playing the next item. . Unfortunately for those who go to listen, it did not cease. If people w,ant to talk, why go inside? They can v talk perfectly 'well in the corridors. Both the organist' and the people who want the music are at the mercy of the three or four couples who go to talk and the few others who disturb the whole- hall. Probably people do not realise that the organ acts like a sounding board, and the organist can hear the slightest whisper as well as the unfortunates sitting in front of them. It is' up to the audience who go for the music to see that people are made to behave or else made to go out. It would warm the atmosphere a little if it struck some of them to make a noise with their hands when the organist appears, and give their tongues a rest. How the organist stands it goodness knows. It must be lil«j playing to lumps of half-baked dough.—l am, etc., CITIZEN. 6th May.