Haven't you noticed how the audiences in jazz recordings seem like they aren't there? As if they are all just silent, just listening? Compare that with audiences in classical recordings - many people cough and do other stuff.

Probably jazz audiences are more 'healthy' than classical audiences.

What do you think?

Probably I'm just paranoid.

Nope never noticed...

Maybe they are more into it... which I doubt. I really don't know.

I doubt there is a reason really. Maybe it's the way they record.

I dont doubt that at all. I think jazz audiences go because they like to hear jazz. Whereas classical audiences go for all sorts of other reasons, while only a few are there because they like to hear classical music. Kinda like church, you hear those coughs in church too, biding time until they're free to go....

Now that I think of it, yeah. I've gone to classical concerts just to go, not really to hear anything wowish (unless it's by a performer I really like). But whenever I see a jazz group/performer playing and I've heard of them, I'll try my hardest to go.

Oh, well, actually, I would have counted people like you in the few that are there to actually listen. I was referring to the bulk of the audience that is there for a social function of high society for appearances sake that really dont connect with or understand the performance.

But in addition, I do think the original poster may be correct about the health of the audience. The last concert I was at (Uchida w/Cleveland), I noticed almost everybody was in their 60s and beyond. I remember wondering how many people were wearing diapers in the audience.

Gee that's nice, Sid. My parents - both in their 70s - go to a lot of classical concerts, and I have several friends who are musicians in their "60s and beyond," who also go to concerts. They have all been an inspiration to me, and I have learned a lot from them. I'm sure they would all love to hear your opinions on classical vs jazz listener demographics as it relates to incontinance. Also, based on your charitable statements above, they would have the utmost sympathy for any decline in your own "intestinal fortitude" that you will inevitably experience as you grow older.

I digress.

Anyway, I go to a lot of jazz and classical performances myself. The main difference I observe is not a level of attentiveness in the audiences. The difference is the size of the respective venues. There are simply more people in lots of the classical concerts vs jazz.

dunno what upset you. I've said nothing about your parents or friends. Or made any connection between music and incontinence. There's lots of people at all ages that enjoy all sorts of music. I think you must have misunderstood.

As for attentiveness, my observations are very different. I see a lot of inattentiveness at classical concerts, including people whispering amongst themselves during the performance, or reading the program ads instead of listening. Guess we've gone to different shows.

No one's upset. The connection you made was between people "60 years and beyond" and wearing diapers, not between music and incontinance. Read your own words. You made that connection. It was a crude and insensitive statement, but don't worry. That happens a lot here.

As far as jazz vs classical: there's lot of inattentiveness at both.

Yes, older people suffer from incontinance more than younger people. I dont see the insensitivity here, since its a fact, and I have not passed judgement or ridiculed in anyway.

I'm not really interested in this negativity, so I'm going to move on. I dont know if there's a "kill file" feature on this forum, but maybe you'd like to put me in that so you dont have to read me anymore. And then wont distract this forum over whatever this is about with you.

you probably is paranoid... i don't think such a claim is true at all. any concerts, classical/jazz, are about the same, but they are definitely different from rock concerts!

I don't know about you guys, but the coughing in Richter's live recordings ticks me off! Show some respect!

... and obtain full mastery over your body's functions?

Concert goers could at least bring something to cough into to muffle the sound. A handkerchief helps considerably. I some places they teach you how to cough so that you're not hacking away while the performance is going on.

I've been to well over 50 concerts and I've never coughed or sneezed at one of them. For me, it is a matter of respect.

Agreed! I've heard some almost unlistenable Richter recordings, constant coughing!


Same as iamcanadian, I've never coughed while people are playing (though I'm usually the first to cough between movements). If you play yourself, you know how annoying it is..

actually people probably cough more in smokey jazz clubs..

I think though what you're hearing is an artifact of the recording process more than anything.. Jazz bands in small rooms will generally be close mic'd whereas in a concert hall, you'll have mics all over the room, up on stage, hanging from the ceiling, in the back of the room, and so people noises will get picked up more. They get mixed together during the process of engineering the recording and it's generally going to be easier just to leave a cough here and there in the recording than try to digitally edit it out.

-Paul