Re: GG: audience voyeurism (was Re: Ecstasy and obligation)

[Robert Kunath <kunath@hilltop.ic.edu>]

Dear F-Minors,

	A question raised by Frederic's comment (which I hope I haven't
misunderstood--my apologies if I have): is it really voyeurism when we
take pleasure in another person's skill and happiness?  Sharing what gives
us happiness is a beautiful part of human nature (and, dare I say, part
ofwhat has brought this list together!), and even Gould felt that impulse
towards the audiences at his public concerts (example: his advocacy of the
music of Ernst Krenek).  I admit the nature of that dynamic is altered
when money starts to change hands, but I don't think even that necessarily
converts sociability into voyeurism.

	Interesting issues...

Robert


On Sun, 1 Jun 1997, Frederic Howell - EECS wrote:

> >
> > The one thing that kept occuring to me as I read this was that live
> > performances are supposed to be fun. If a performer isn't having fun,
> > trust me, it communicates itself to the audience and ruins it. Conversely,
> > if a performer - musician, actor, whatever - is having a great time, the
> > audience picks up on that, and the music automatically becomes better -
> > musically, perhaps technically, perhaps not.
> >
>
>
> I think you've given a great example of the voyeurism of the audience that
> Gould disliked in the concert experience.  I'm not sure he wanted people
> estimating how he felt from the 20th row, and I'm almost positive he
> didn't want that estimation to play a part in how they perceived his
> performance.
>
> Frederic Howell
>