[ Ref. 170312 MMDigest, Mechanical Music Videos On the Internet

I completely agree with Tom Hutchinson regarding the rudeness of people
who talk on top of a musical performance, whether mechanical or live.
I have witnessed this behavior many times over the years and it always
annoys me.

My wife is a talented pianist and in several of the concerts where she
has performed with a symphony orchestra, I heard stupid and thoughtless
audience members chatting with each other, presumably assuming their
voices would go unnoticed.  Not so!  I have -- right or wrong -- the
usual response to turn around and give these imbeciles the "death
stare" until they shut up.

The problem is that most people today have no clue as to proper
etiquette for the recital hall, concert hall, or a friend's living room
while she or he is playing a fine 19th century Swiss cylinder music
box.  In practically every concert, audience members start clapping
each time the musicians finish one passage or movement, even though
the piece is still continuing.  Kids (and some adults as well) think
nothing of using their cell phones for texting and Internet during
a concert, and in my wife's college classroom.

One of the most irritating offenders (in my opinion) are the TV news
crews who come interview a collector or restorer and talk right over
the soft sounds of the music box being demonstrated, _and_ edit the
performance to only a few seconds, presumably assuming their viewing
audience considers antique music boxes just background and not worthy
of being heard properly.

Please tell your friends, family, children and anyone with whom you
wish to share your treasures, that they need to be respectful of the
music, the mechanism making that music, and of you, the person who may
have spent a significant amount of money for restoration.

Respectfully,
Reg Smith - Sublime Harmonie Antique Music Box Restorations
Dahlonega, Georgia