EU noise regs after pipe bands, big orchestras
Brussels is out to protect the hearing of participants in musical ensembles, with new work rules:
The rules are part of the control of noise at work regulations, introduced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following a Brussels directive.The rules cap weekly average noise exposure at 85 decibels, meaning periods of loud play need to be cancelled out by quiet periods.
Now, this might not be a problem with orchestra music, which does get quiet. And rehearsals are only part of an orchestral musician's "work week" - there's also practice. But then there are the poor devils in bagpipe bands:
“You can’t play the pipe quietly; they haven’t got a volume switch.”
I don't know how many professional pipe bands there are. Since this is explicitly a work regulation, it shouldn't apply to amateur bagpipe bands, unless they have paid leaders. Nor to Belgian hunting horn clubs, which the story doesn't mention. Regardless, anyone who would take up the Highland pipes deserves what he gets, and the Euroweenies should butt out.
UPDATE: Thanks to Dr. Ross Duffin, this story about how the new rules are playing out in the orchestra world, including the scuttling of a premiere. As a linearly-oriented composer, I have to wonder about people who write excessively and incessantly loud music. What's the point?
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