Talking While Musicians Perform
This quotation from Al Franken's Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them is for Isaac. Franken's talking about being at a big White House Correspondents Dinner, at which Ray Charles was performing. This is what he reports happening (p. 210):
The man [Charles] may be a national treasure, but three thousand Beltway biggies were not very interested in listening to him sing. About five minutes into his set, folks were walking around, schmoozing, speaking loudly in order to be heard over the din. It must have been like playing the lounge at a Holiday Inn in Phoenix, but worse.
Unfortunately, one doesn't have to go to the Holiday Inn in Phoenix to find this kind of unthinking, rude behavior. The church where Isaac is organist (and music director) is far enough (although the problem seems universal). There is no remedy any of us (who care) have found to keep people from talking — loudly! — while people are performing music during services. Particularly popular is important conversation during preludes, and the immediate need to get out pent-up thoughts during postludes. However, any musical interlude is generally seen as a commercial break during which talking is encouraged. I'm always surprised that no one goes down to the kitchen for a sandwich during the anthems. We've even experienced uppity photographers, doing their thing as the congregation is still leaving, whistle and wave at the organ loft and yell out "Hey! Could you hold it down! We're trying to take pictures here!"
I suppose we should take some comfort in knowing that even Ray Charles was not immune, but it doesn't really make me feel any better.