The Minute's Applause

[Laddy Muck]

I am just wondering what everyone's view is on this. Personally, having recently observed it (on TV) at various stadia (or should that be stadiums?) following the very tragic death of Gary Speed, I actually quite like it. At a stadium anyway, it strikes me as more fitting than the minute's silence. Having said this, I am not so sure how appropriate applause might be, for example, at the Cenotaph.

[Loz]

I think it depends. If you are marking loss from a terrible event, like war, then silence is appropriate. On the other hand if, like with Speed, you are celebrating the life he had then applause seems a fitting way to see him off.

[KalamityKel]

A minutes applause though? Is that not a little excessive? Most big orchestras/artists/ensembles dont get that kinda reward after their gigs!

[ratty]

It's a nice touch and useful at football matches where there will always be some a-hole who wants to ruin it. Minutes applause drowns it out.

I was at Pompey for the minutes silence for Georgie Best. His name was sung throughout it! Nice touch!

[DulwichFox]

WW1 2 Minutes Silence

The silence represents the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918,

when the guns of Europe fell silent.

This silence is marked by the firing of a field gun on Horse Guards Parade to begin and end the silence.

The Silence gives us all a moment to relect on lost commrades and lost family members and is a sign of respect.

I feel that a Minutes Silence should be just that.

Every Individual being able to privately show their Respect and Reflect on there memories of anyone passed on.

Refs Whistle to start and end the Silence

Loud Applause should be used to Break that silence. That would be a nice touch.

Just my view

Fox

[Lozellen]

Actually most artists and orchestras receive far more than a minutes applause. Conductor usually leaves and reenters the stage at least three times, and then takes time to acknowledge some individual members of the orchestra. When you're sat on stage it's time mostly spent either grinning inanely, patting your colleagues on their back or planning the quickest way to pack up, change and hit the bar before the queue gets big! Best reward after a concert though comes in certain parts of Germany where you are handed a beer as you exit the stage...

[PeckhamRose]

And during Funerals when I always have a minute's silence so those with faith can say a silent prayer in their own time, I am often completely overwhelemed when - at the end - there is sometimes and completely unpredictably an applause for the joy given by the life of the person who has died. The length of applause usually relates to how many people are there and the age of the deceased.

[Laddy Muck]

Thanks all. Some interesting viewpoints.

[KalamityKel]

Lozellen a minute is much longer than you think - you'd be surprised how much applauding, congratulating and all that can be done in that time.