The
NYT reports that a number of European orchestras have come up against EU workplace noise regulations. In at least one case, a conductor dropped a work from an upcoming concert because it was deemed too loud. In another, a conductor walked off in the middle of a performance becuase his musicians refused to play at the level of fortissimo that he called for.
This issue is bound up in all sorts of thorny questions; is this an example of paternalistic regulation run amok? Or is it the classical community coming to grips with an issue that has long been known, and to some extent addressed, in rock n roll circles?
As a lifelong music lover who suffers from mild tinnitus, I really don't know what I think about this. On one hand, I do
not want Big Brother dictating how loud the music I listen to should be.
On the other hand, if I were a string player sitting right in front of the brass section, I would probably welcome a little relief. It seems obvious to me that a lifetime spent in a large orchestra playing large-scale works is likely to cause hearing damage.
What do you think, folks...?