Not a Concert, but a fancy-dress event for the wealthy!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Classic Act (The Hindu)

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is all set to enthral the Chennai audience with a spectacular performance of classical music, its first ever in the city, on March 29. Divya Kumar has the details

Its one of the biggest ever undertakings by a British orchestra in India. The celebrated BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) will embark on a three-city tour of India, beginning with its first ever performance in Chennai on March 29.

The performance will be held at the Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall at 7 p.m. on March 29. The mandatory dress code is black tie/ Indian formals.

I'm cross. I wrote to [email protected] ....

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra should be welcomed to Chennai, and all music lovers should be welcome to the concert. But they are not: "The Mandatory dress code is black tie / Indian formals."

The very idea of a dress code to appreciate and enjoy music is absolutely ridiculous.

Is this a concert or a fancy-dress event? One of the things that Western classical music has had to struggle with is its off-putting aura of elitism: that classical music is not for all, it is for those, for instance, who can afford and choose to buy and wear evening dress.

I have been to Covent Garden wearing jeans, and, although it is true that I more self-concious person might have felt out of place, at least nobody tried to tell me that I could not enjoy Wagner on account of my clothes.

Ask for concert decorum by all means. Tell people they will not be allowed in after the start, and that they should be seated and quiet during the performance. Carnatic music here would benefit from a dose of Western concert decorum. But by insisting on dress that a limited sector of the public will even own, or not allowing people who need to come straight from the office, many true or possible music lovers are left rejected. This is a travesty of art.

Unless the aim is to conduct a fancy-dress event for the wealthy, rather than to bring rare classical music to Chennai, this foolishness should be reconsidered . It is a foolishness that you would not find, for instance, at London's Royal Festival Hall.

I am personally very disappointed to be excluded, but the principle of making the music available to all is far more important than the effect on just one person. This absurd restriction should make all art lovers, even those who do own and wear evening dress, very angry.

 

[hydra]

I agree completely. As long as people maintain decorum, and are dressed decently, nothing else matters. I'd hate to dress up just to listen to music. And black tie/formal dress in this heat? Ha!

 

[canchi]

You could, of course, cock-a-snook at them and turn up wearing ONLY the black tie !!

 

[prepress]

^ I completely understand your concern and agree with you.
IMHO May be they have planned for this so that the audience look gentlemen, well mannered (we are but this is just to represent) and reputed (like we see in Oscar's Ceremony) not colorful. However it doesn't matter what we are wearing (T-shirts, Jeans or other casuals) but may be this is ONLY because we (Indians) want to represent a good image in front of BBC Symphony Orchestra (so that they can see we have some standards too) or just to show consciousness.

Overall, we are trying to be like western countries but implementing on those things which are not really important and ignoring (or don't have guts) to do those things which make the difference and keep you on the top.

PS This is my opinion, some FMs may not agree with this so if you aren't, please don't take it too seriously.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

You could, of course, cock-a-snook at them and turn up wearing ONLY the black tie !!

:lol:

Actually, I probably wouldn't be turned away wearing smart vesti/kurta (as I usually do), especially if both were silk (which I usually only wear to get married) --- but the principle still applies. Are people going for music, or to take part in a charade? The organisers are making it a charade.

 

[prepress]

You could, of course, cock-a-snook at them and turn up wearing ONLY the black tie !!

:lol: Somebody who is not really interested can do such thing to teach them a lesson :lol:

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

True, but they would have to invest in a ticket, and probably get arrested outside the hall. Not only am I far too old for such capers, but also, it is my grandson's school: I might get thrown out of the family!

So far as "Indian formal" is concerned, I assume they mean the high-collar (Nehru?) jacket. I always thought they were, indeed, very smart, and quite fancied one for a long time. It would have been good in the London climate, but absolutely not for Chennai.

Whatever, even if I did have the clothes, the principle of exclusion still annoys.

Also, even though I am not Indian, the imposition of Western-origin dress seems to me something that should be resisted whatever the event. Independence happened, right? I turned down an invitation from a Madras Boat Club member because I know they would not let me in. I'll gladly leave my sandals at the door, and go barefoot, but I will not put on heavy western shoes and uncomfortable clothes to be approved by them. If Indian dress will not do then they should move their precious club to London!

Grrr!

 

[hemantwaghe]

Just OT - or maybe related

To save power, Bangladesh bans suits and ties - CSMonitor.com

To save power, Bangladesh bans suits and ties
By Eoin O'Carroll, Blogger / September 5, 2009


NEWSCOM

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In an inspiring display of sensibility, the prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has ordered male government employees to stop wearing suits, jackets, and neckties.

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In addition to eliminating pointless and uncomfortable decorative elements from men's clothing, the move will help minimize the need for air conditioning. Accompanying the government's laudable decision was an order not to turn air conditioners in government buildings below 75 degrees F.

According to the BBC, Bangladesh has been suffering from a major energy shortage, with daily blackouts as the state-owned power plants are unable to meet demand. The British news service reports that the plants' output has not been able to keep up with the country's economy, which has been growing 6 percent annually for the past five years.

Additionally, the energy sector has been plagued by allegations of corruption, which, if true, could possibly be exacerbated by the low morale that inevitably results from forcing workers to tie useless strips of fabric around their necks every day.

Under the new dress code which applies even to the highest levels of government men may also wear their shirts untucked, instead of stuffing the bottom portion into their pants for no good reason other than to conform to some arbitrary display of professionalism.

The BBC reports that the government plans to encourage private businesses to follow its example.

As can be expected, Sheikh Hasina was praised for her compassionate and pragmatic albeit long overdue change to the official dress code. Writing in The New Nation, an independent English-language news source in Bangladesh, columnist Maswood Alam Khan suggests that the new attire, in addition to saving energy, might help restore a sense of national pride.

Wearing suits and stuffing our necks with a tie, in spite of ourselves, is a sartorial fashion we have borrowed from the British who were our colonial rulers. Our ancestors enjoyed punishing themselves by mimicking the British style and fashion, which was seen as synonymous with being chic and modern. They wanted in vain to be 'brown sahibs'! So, as a legacy our office executives-the fashion victims-now find it prestigious to chill their car and office chamber to [64 degrees F.] so that they and their guests can wear pinstripe suits and silk ties wrapped over the designer shirts when the weather outside is extremely hot and humid and when the general people are sweating and panting due to power outage.
Despised by all but the most inveterate masochists, the necktie traces its origins to the uniforms of 16th century Croatian mercenaries in the employ of King Louis XIII of France. In a sartorial choice that has baffled and dismayed people ever since, upper-class Parisians adopted the mercenaries' knotted scarf, which they called a "cravat" a mispronunciation of the word "Croat" probably caused by a restricted larynx.

The cravat eventually "evolved" into the modern necktie, which was eventually paired with an outfit consisting of a heavy jacket and flimsy slacks, a design that guarantees that its wearer will be uncomfortable regardless of the ambient temperature.

The predecessor to the modern suit and tie emerged in Britain the early 1800s, with Beau Brummel, an influential fashion arbiter and friend of the Prince Regent, the future George IV. Brummel, who claimed to have spent two hours getting ready each morning, can also be blamed for introducing the expectation that men should have to shave their faces every single day.

==

Speaking of archaic practices, the use of homing pigeons is making a comeback. At least it is in South Africa. Internet speeds are so slow that one business held a race between email and a pigeon. Who won? Click here to find out.

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[greenhorn]

Especially ironic given

"This is an element of music-making I have dedicated so much time to, and I'm thrilled to be joining other organisations equally serious about exposing this music to all parts of a community, not just to the folk who can afford to attend the concerts."

Benedetti thrilled to be joining orchestral Indian tour | Herald Scotland

 

[shanmune]

Thad, I can't think of wearing even a silk vesti/kurta in Chennai summer

 

[grubyhalo]

I was quite enthusiastic when I first saw the ad., till I reached the part about Indian formals. From the parts I'm from, it could just be a half-sleeved, cotton, semi-crumpled 'khadi' shirt, mostly in white along with dark slacks and leather 'flip-flops'. Maybe, I will attend the concert...

 

[srinisundar]

Thad,

Good that you have written to the Hindu,i have posted comments and it is moderated and also i wrote to admin(att)smvrch.com and no response so far . Hope they will remove this and i am quite sure there will be protest from good section of people.

Or they want only to attend BIG donor persons who chat in phone while music performance and not an ordinary persons who really listen to music.

 

[denom]

Thad, I don't think you will be shown the door with you dressed in the manner you usually do, coz after all it is also a type of formal attire from the southern part of India. Infact, you will stand out from the crowd!

Pls take a pic in your best 'attire'

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

denom, you may be right --- but I'm sure the organisers are visualising an array of guys in "penguin" suits, whether Western or Indianised.

Thad, I can't think of wearing even a silk vesti/kurta in Chennai summer

My wife feels the same about silk saris. In fact, it is a wonder to me that the local Kanchipuram sari, which is particularly heavy, became popular.

srinisundar, glad that you have responded too.

 

[thx911]

Could the black tie improve acoustics? reduce resonance? absorb vibrations? limit visually distracting the conductor? i'm sure its got to do with improving and preserving sonic fidelity hyeah:

 

[vkirti]

So far as "Indian formal" is concerned, I assume they mean the high-collar (Nehru?) jacket. I always thought they were, indeed, very smart, and quite fancied one for a long time. It would have been good in the London climate, but absolutely not for Chennai........

If Indian dress will not do then they should move their precious club to London!

Grrr!

A club in Delhi (another one of those fossilized institutions where people visit to turn up their noses at others) of which I am a member also insists on the western dress code. An exception is a Khadi white kurta pajama and black sandals which is described as the "National Dress". Am sure one could attend the concert in Chennai wearing a Mundu and a white half sleeved shirt. Of course a Thevar style mustache would help too

 

[greenhorn]

Could the black tie improve acoustics? reduce resonance? absorb vibrations? limit visually distracting the conductor? i'm sure its got to do with improving and preserving sonic fidelity hyeah:

Silk does have better acoustic properties, after all, they make tweeters and midranges with it

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

... Am sure one could attend the concert in Chennai wearing a Mundu and a white half sleeved shirt. Of course a Thevar style mustache would help too

This side of the mountains we call it a vesti, and, indeed, it has become my customary dress, so no problem there --- but I still see no reason why the wearer of jeans and t-shirt should be excluded

 

[Santy]

Do you mean to say this man cannot gain entry for the Symphony?

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

According to at least one other tamil friend, he is formally dressed, so I suppose he should be admitted. Informal dress, according to that friend = lunghi.