Cell phone stops Mahler 9 at New York Philharmonic

[bhodges]

This is all over the news, but this account is one of the most interesting. During last night's Mahler 9th Symphony with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic, a cell phone went off and wouldn't be silenced, so Gilbert stopped the piece:

http://mkitch.tumblr.com/post/15661821971

Incredible...

--Bruce

[Karl Henning]

Did the phone really go on ringing for five minutes plus?

[Lethevich]

Weird. After the first minute if I was sitting next to them I would have told them either to leave, or I would smash it.

1 min does seem a reasonable enough gratis time before a justified stamping.

[Mirror Image]

How rude and inconsiderate. It rang for 5 minutes? In a concert hall and for a conductor to stop an orchestra because of this ringing, those 5 minutes most of felt like an eternality. I can only imagine Gilbert's frustration.

[bhodges]

Did the phone really go on ringing for five minutes plus?

From all accounts I'm piecing together (I wasn't there), the ring did go on for much longer than a minute or two. This is the first time I've ever heard of an incident in which a phone ringing actually stopped a concert.

But bravo to Gilbert for his response, and it sounds like the rest of the audience was right there with him.

--Bruce

[Mirror Image]

"Whether I make them or not, there are always sounds to be heard and all of them are excellent."
     --John Cage

What a nonsense quote from one of the biggest musical jokes in history.

[madaboutmahler]

I do not know what to say....

This person deserves to be arrested. I applaud Alan Gilbert.

[Mirror Image]

This person deserves to be arrested.

Lol...that's a bit over-the-top, but I love it! Yeah, arrest the uncouth hillbilly!

[mahler10th]

I do not know what to say....
This person deserves to be arrested. I applaud Alan Gilbert.

Yes.  Arrested, then beaten to death with large elephant tusks. 

[bhodges]

I do not know what to say....

This person deserves to be arrested. I applaud Alan Gilbert.

It does leave one almost speechless. Gilbert, however, has even shown a bit of humor about the whole thing. He's on Twitter (@GilbertConducts) and wrote today:

"Something I learned last night: there's a reason Mahler never wrote for marimba."

Yes.  Arrested, then beaten to death with large elephant tusks. 

Ooh, I like that idea. Very imaginative. 

--Bruce

[Wanderer]

Incredible. The culprit should be fined and have his mug shot hung in concert hall walls across the globe (he may be traveling). 

[Szykneij]

Yes.  Arrested, then beaten to death with large elephant tusks. 

Beating ignorant audience members with genuine large elephant tusks has been illegal since the 1950's when the use of ivory for piano keys was banned. You must now use synthetic tusks fashioned from "ivorine" or "ivorite" to pummel offending cell phone villains.

[Kontrapunctus]

Weird. After the first minute if I was sitting next to them I would have told them either to leave, or I would smash it.

1 min does seem a reasonable enough gratis time before a justified stamping.

+1. I wish Gilbert had smashed it!

[mahler10th]

Beating ignorant audience members with genuine large elephant tusks has been illegal since the 1950's when the use of ivory for piano keys was banned. You must now use synthetic tusks fashioned from "ivorine" or "ivorite" to pummel offending cell phone villains.

Ach yes, you're right, I forgot about that.  Well...I suppose an alternative would be for ten orchestra members to pound the cell phone fanatic to death on the sidewalk with an array of golden flutes and willow violin bows.

[Szykneij]

Ach yes, you're right, I forgot about that.  Well...I suppose an alternative would be for ten orchestra members to pound the cell phone fanatic to death on the sidewalk with an array of golden flutes and willow violin bows.

Paddle him with pernambuco !!!

[mahler10th]

Paddle him with pernambuco !!!

Lets form a posse Tony!  We'll get the bastard!   

[stingo]

This is all over the news, but this account is one of the most interesting. During last night's Mahler 9th Symphony with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic, a cell phone went off and wouldn't be silenced, so Gilbert stopped the piece:

http://mkitch.tumblr.com/post/15661821971

Incredible...

--Bruce

Aww I thought for sure you'd've been there and we'd have a GMG exclusive for the next issue of GMG World...

[madaboutmahler]

Yes.  Arrested, then beaten to death with large elephant tusks. 

and a large Mahler hammer

It does leave one almost speechless. Gilbert, however, has even shown a bit of humor about the whole thing. He's on Twitter (@GilbertConducts) and wrote today:

"Something I learned last night: there's a reason Mahler never wrote for marimba."

--Bruce

haha

This is great for the GMG magazine by the way! I can imagine it: "Angry GMGers search for idiotic person who left their phone on in a live Mahler 9, armed with elephant tusks and Mahler hammers.".

[bhodges]

Aww I thought for sure you'd've been there and we'd have a GMG exclusive for the next issue of GMG World...

Part of me wishes I *had* been there, just for the newsworthiness of it all. (I heard the same concert last Saturday night, blessedly cell-free.) But then, considering when the offense occurred - the final dying measures of the Ninth must be one of the worst places in classical music for this to happen - I would have been livid, having the contemplative mood completely and utterly shattered.

This is great for the GMG magazine by the way! I can imagine it: "Angry GMGers search for idiotic person who left their phone on in a live Mahler 9, armed with elephant tusks and Mahler hammers.".

--Bruce

[Lisztianwagner]

That's outrageous, I'm speechless! Mahler must be turning over in his grave.