Too-Many-Gigs-a-Blog™ and a Diversion on the Matter of Not Clapping

Too many good things on at St Anne and St Agnes this week! How amazing is it to have access to a lunchtime music setup where I can say that? Sadly, though, it's true - if I go to all three events this week I think it really will get a touch embarrassing at work so I will have to choose, something I am not good at. I am very keen to go to the Reformation Day service on Wednesday. Even though I am a disgusting doubter and not fit etc, I have not yet been struck by lightning for attending a service here, and the last such, er, religio-gig to which I went was fantastic.

I must just make a little emuārs-note to myself not to applaud.

• Vogel, do not applaud!

Last year I did, breaking every rule in the book. Not the Good Book, you understand (though that too) - I shall come back to this. I absolutely should not have done, especially off my home territory, and am supposed to know better, but some stupid musician/stage management instinct got the better of me when I saw performers going on in silence (duh, Vogel!) and I started clapping on my own like a p*ll*ck. Just for a second, gazes focused on me from all parts, and if people had lasers I'd have just been a pair of smoking shoes stood there on their own. Oops, in a very small voice. Fortunately, others were either also stupid or (more likely) kind, or both, and joined in - so I did not actually have to go and throw myself off the tower, but it was close. And the Supervicar Jana assured me that G*d would probably not mind too much, which was nice of her, and indeed nice of Him, Her, or Them too. I have, nevertheless, felt squirmingly embarrassed every time I think about it and I did for a while wonder if I dared go back there again.

When I say "breaking every rule in the book" I do not, as noted, mean The Book, but the book, which is my friend Dennis H's excellent and extremely limited edition book How to Clap at Concerts. I am very proud that I am acknowledged as the International Contributor in the updated and expanded edition of this very fine and indeed extremely handmade work. Since the "limited edition" was really very limited - about four copies I think - it is fortunate that some of it has found itself onto a webby web page interwebnet thingy for all to read. General Rules numbers 2 and 3 would seem to apply to my misbehaviour at SS A&A. This makes my embarrassing booboo all the worse. Tsk. Fool, Vogel, fool!

The subject of "right and wrong" clapping at concerts (not church services!) is one to which I must come back. I think I have mellowed a little regarding, for instance, clapping between movements, under some circumstances - so I've probably moved a bit leftwards from the stance of Dennis's book and my contributions therein. It's a tricky area though. But last year at the St Anne's service plus this doubt reminds me (again) about Matthew 7:1 (look it up), and I do not want to turn into some horrid glaring intolerant Prommer, so some soft pedal required here, perchance.

To return to the Gig-a-lot-o-Choice™ question, I think I will be spending lunchtime here at the office today, not round the corner at the church, is what it probably means. Sigh.

 

Ah but - writes our regular correspondent Mr H. Indsight - see comment below.