Applause and Its Discontents
Anyone who listens to live music has ample time to consider the code of clapping. When to clap (much more than why clap) is often a concern of jazz and classical music fans. Matthew Erikson points out the social stress accompanying applause in "Classical Clap Trap: When Should the Audience Applaud the Music?" He quotes Glenn Gould, naturally, who argued against the whole goofy ritual in his famous 1962 essay, "Let's Ban Applause!"
Gould wrote, "I believe that the justification of art is the internal combustion it ignites in the hearts of men and not its shallow, externalized, public manifestations. The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but is, rather, the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity."
Gould's compromise permitted applause on weekends but prohibited it the rest of the week—but I think he might have been kidding. The pianist Emanuel Ax notes on his blog that, "All of us love applause, and so we should—it means that the listener LIKES us! So we should welcome applause whenever it comes." Ax prefers spontaneity over ritual in applause, concluding, "Just one favor—even if you don't like a concert of mine, please PLEASE applaud at the end anyway."
Jazz audiences are divided on the subject between those who think soloists deserve immediate gratification and those who fell the audience should wait until the end of the tune before giving it up to them. The former option makes clapping something like part of the show. Bonus percussion!
And if you and a pal happened to learn minimalist composer Steve Reich's "Clapping Music," the band might even take you on the road (especially if you can juggle, too).