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Chapter Two in the Antisocial Lives of Violinists?

News: Two prominent violinists were given notice by the a local municipal in UK that they must not play their violins at home at any time or risk having their violins confiscated. deeming that playing violins is antisocial.

From Frank Self
Posted August 23, 2009 at 03:50 PM

Almost two years ago Times Online [UK] published an article with the headline "Council says playing violins is antisocial," which began: 

"Two of Britain’s most promising young classical violinists have been told that their precious instruments could be seized by antisocial behaviour officers if they carry on playing Mozart or     practising their scales at home.

"Oliver Morris and Hazel Ross, both 25, graduates of the Royal Northern College of Music, are rapidly making a name for themselves as freelance violinists for the BBC Philarmonic Orchestra and other major orchestras.

"The couple insist that they rarely practise at home for more than two hours, and not every day, or in the evenings, but they have fallen foul of an irate upstairs neighbour who has complained to Manchester City Council.

"They have now received a formal warning from the council that their behaviour is unacceptable and must stop. Further breaches will lead to a noise abatement order and forcible entry to their flat to seize their violins."

Have they been able to continue their careers? Is this a local anomaly? How have other musicians been effected?  Any modifications made in such legal practices?

Maybe some people out there have some answers. 

If it is disturbing their neighbors and complaints have been filed, the violinist need to find a different place to practice. It would be no different than a garage band playing their noise and disturbing their neighbors.

There's a substantial difference between amplified garage bands and violins, IMO. Sounds like the neighbor is a disgruntled jerk.

I love humanity - it's people I can't stand.

Quite right too - there is nothing worse than listening to somebody else practicing the violin.

Once my neighbour banged on my door around 11pm ( I was preparing the Tchaik)

She said;

"You know I really love the violin. it's just that you keep playing the same bit over and over again...."

Practice mutes?

This is pretty much what kept me from studying violin for years, though I didn't require notice from the authorities.  When you live in the same building with others, common decency alone should pretty much tell you that things like violin, trumpet, and drums aren't an option.

But when I discovered I could get an electric violin off ebay for a hundred bucks, I hesitated only long enough to do a bit of comparison shopping before going for it.  When the upstairs neighbours are out I cut loose with the acoustic, but with the electric + rubber mute, I can practice any time.

Sorry, Bob, but I couldn't disagree with you more. An nuisance is a nuisance. Just because some people think the violin is a beaitful instrument, the fact is, it's loud and some people don't appreciate it. I can't blame them for that, even though I disagree with that notion.

My understanding is that previous cases here in the U.K had determined that practising up to 11 p.m. was o.k., but after that could be subject to complaints.

I would have thought that for professional players it would be recognized as essential. Wonder what the union (MU) has to say - after all that's what they're there for, to defend members.

I wonder if it could be considered a "restraint of trade"?

Out of interest, I googled this one and it appears that the council then back-tracked furiously with the director of housing saying that maybe another approach would have been better - bureaucrat speak for "we got it wrong", but they never admit that.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1019598_violinists_to_quit_home

No problem, Marty. We may differ on our definition of what makes a nuisance, but I'll defend to the death your right to be annoyed.

Thanks, Bob. If you need me to defend to the death anything, let me know :)

Marty

This post reminds me of some time ago in a previous life, I had a Garage sale that ended up attracting an ad-hoc band; neighbors that stopped by started playing acoustic instruments, etc. and it was a real event.
So the garage sale visitors didn't get too hungry and leave, I even served lunch. Note this was mid-day on a weekend, not evening weekday.

Someone did complain about the noise. The local police stopped by, and apparently we had to stop the music. The rest of the garage sale could continue.

Interesting point; since it was acoustic, it was covered under the same ordinance as dogs barking, loud voices, and such. If the music had been electronic, such as electric guitars, etc. then it would have been under a different ordinance that listed the maximum decibel level and a quiet time in the evening. So, had they been electric guitars, it could continue; strings and woodwinds could not.

Would not the same problem apply to singers? Or if you have your TV on too loud? And what if you and your significant other shout and argue a lot?

There's a wonderful story in Sir Thomas Beecham's autobiography. He was living in a small English town, and he was trying to learn how to play all of the instruments of the orchestra. He came to the trombone. He was too loud for his apartment. They wouldn't let him use the practice rooms at the local music school because he drowned out all the violinists and pianists in the building. He tried playing in a graveyard behind a church, but he kept disrupting services. Finally, he was forced to renting a boat, rowing out on the lake, and there he could practice his trombone.

And you think you've got troubles.

It seems that in Paris you only can play the piano if you live in an underground apartment, otherwise you will have to rent sound proof rooms with pianos, which are available.  I find that quite a sad thing.  On the other hand we are exposed to bad music in many places.

I remember Mozart mentioning in a letter that in the building he was living there were violinists, trumpet players, etc.

As a violin maker I make some noise sometimes too.

www.manfio.com

I finally checked out the link Malcolm found.  After reading that and, even better, watching the video, and reading the many responses in this Discussion, I am wondering if the street is totally one-way.  If "noise makers" make their sounds during approved hours, the sound level is not extreme, and a neighbor still objects, what about requiring that neighbor to make some modification to their own "sound reception," say, using ear plugs.  That neighbor also moved into a flat and shouldn't expect that situation, in terms of sounds, odors, etc., to be the same as a single dwelling on a heath.  Everyone needs to be responsible and thoughtful.  If the media have presented an accurate view of this particular incident, clearly these musicians were both responsible and thoughtful and the neighbor was not.   

 >I love humanity - it's people I can't stand.

Bob, that line is just hilarious. Must post it on my refrigerator for a laugh when I need one.

Boy, all of these anecdotes, and the subject itself, are amazing and galling and funny but not. Acoustic, no, electric, yes? Oh, for chrissakes. Roland - I loved your garage sale (and Tchaikovsky) story. 

It's an interesting world we live in, full of all sorts of interesting people.

I lived in city apartments when I was a student, and often practiced using a heavy metal practice mute.  I don't have it any more though ----- it was mistaken for brass knuckles by airport security and confiscated!

Ruth Brons

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