The American Spectator

p> TALES FROM TALLADEGA HALL br> Re: Stephen M. Davis’s Symphony Flags and the letters under “A Checkered Hoosier Past” in Reader Mail’s Boys Will Be Boisterous : /p>

Hopefully you can stand one more letter about applause at symphonies.

When I was in high school in Birmingham (the one in Alabama for all you Michiganders) one of my classmates and I went to the symphony. Having played an instrument and having had a lot of exposure to classical music, of course I knew not to clap between movements. However… For a particular piece during this performance, I was informed by my friend, who played the violin and lived and breathed classical music, that the first movement was so long that it was traditional to clap afterwards. (Unfortunately, not even Google can dredge up the name of the piece.) So, the first movement ends and we clap. On purpose. The only two true classical music aficionados in the entire hall. Now THAT’S pretentious. The conductor acted a bit surprised, looked over at us, and began the second movement. I decided not to listen to my friend anymore.

p>The Alabama Symphony Orchestra goes out of business every other year. Maybe that flag thing would be a great idea, especially with Talladega down the road. At least I could have hit my friend over the head with it. br> — Andrew J. Macfadyen , M.D. br> Omaha, Nebraska