Sorry for the naive question here. After seeing an LDS service as being a visitor from of a mainline Protestant denomination I was struck by a few differences in the services.

Is it considered irreverent for LDS members to applaud a musical performance or for a speaker to call for members to give a round of applause to someone being recognized for their efforts?

At the LDS service I would have expected the speakers to call for a round of applause to recognize someone who had fulfilled their calling and was being released.

Also, do Mormons ever clap during a service? Either for a musical performance by the choir or by a soloist?

At my mainline Protestant congregation we sometimes clap for musical performances and when the minister thanks members for doing something she often calls for a round of applause by the congregation.

Just wondering if what I saw was an exception or if it was a cultural difference between LDS and other denominations.

No clapping. Ever. Never.

Traditionally, applause was never done in a church, or following liturgical music, even if it was performed in concert. Times have changed, and I've heard people applaud the organ postulude or a special holiday program.

Guess I'm becoming a fuddy-duddy. Nowadays, in a classical program, people often applaud between movements. I find it very annoying, but I lose sleep over other things.

For what it's worth, before the 20th century applause between movements was the norm. Some venues today are trying to bring it back, like the Center for Chamber Music in Paris. So, don't get too annoyed.

i grew up in a very traditional High Church Anglican/Episcopal church even sang in choir and applause was not done during services.

There was some VERY good music done in services, however the music was done to glorify God not to glorify the performer(s), at least that is what was taught. The Choir was in a loft at the back of the church for the same reason.

"Let all mortal flesh keep silent and stand with fear and trembling"

I remember there was wedding and the grooms mother was some sort of soap opera actor and there was applause when she entered the church. ( The bride grew up in that parish) The priest stopped and admonished the congregation for clapping.

But if it were a Christmas pageant etc and not part of the service clap away.

I still do not feel comfortable clapping in church, and the non denominational churches that was forced to go to for weddings etc are always clapping and shouting and running around for "prasie and worship"

>>the music was done to glorify God not to glorify the performer(s)<<

Yeah I've heard this many times. The problem is, who says I'm applauding for the performers? Maybe the applause is also done to glorify God.

Reminds me of the "No loud laughter" rule.

I assume a kazoo is out of the question...

What about vuvuzelas in South African?

Maybe only for something really important, like a high council speaker.

I attended recitals held in the stake center chapel on
Saturday evenings in the 1970s and applause was both permitted
and appropriate. On one such event I remember being seated
among my contemporaries some of whom looked around during the
applause with some surprise and apprehension.

I think applause in the chapel was considered inappropriate
during meetings. Women wearing slacks was strictly forbidden,
to the point that on nights where jeans were appropriate or
required, MIA opening exercises were held in the cultural hall.

Hope that dates me.

BcE

if a speaker tells a joke should there be loud laughter ?

Not only is applause considered irreverent, but it would awaken those that are happily asleep.

Depends on the setting. If it's a program of some sort (not Sacrament, or Conf.) such as a musical program, YES YES YES applause is encouraged. That was my experience.

When our third child was around 4 yrs old, a guy in our ward in Provo sang a special musical number. He was a music major at BYU and it was an amazing number. When the musical number ended, our 4 year old stood up on his chair and started applauding. Our little guy was quite embarrassed that no one else was applauding...only looking at him and getting a chuckle out of it :)

Even if it were "allowed" (which it's usually not), applause wouldn't ever be appropriate.
Nothing that happens in a mormon church merits applause.
Ever.

After thinking about this overnight, I realized I was wrong. There is one thing that happens in mormon church that merits applause...

It being over. :)

You're still right, but for a different reason.

Nothing in a Mormon chapel is ever appropriate. Ever. There's always something wrong that the leaders can criticize (ahem, "admonish") you over.

Sadly, that's true.

Back when I was a kid in the 1960s, we had music performances in the chapel, and people applauded. I still remember a decade or so later when church leaders began to deem it "inappropriate," Mormons' favorite word. In the 1960s, women were never allowed near the chapel if they were wearing pants. That had already been deemed "inappropriate."

(Weird things are "inappropriate." The bishop once asked me to give a reading for Christmas. I chose "The Vision of Sir Launfal" by James Russell Lowell. The bishop, having never read it and being totally unfamiliar with it, deemed it "inappropriate," even though it is essentially the same story as "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief," finding that the poor person you're helping could be Jesus himself. My classical guitarist friend Brian S. performed medleys of hymns during sacrament meeting back in the 1960s. Twenty years later he was prevented from doing so because... Guitars.)

Only if you stomp your feet and whistle too.

Oh. I forgot.

And a "YEEEEEEEEE-HAWWWWWWWW!!!!!!"

I'm nevermo so I don't have an answer for you. I did want to make the comment, though, that you must mean 'mainstream', rather than "mainline (Protestant church)"

I believe a slow clap is appropriate as you walk out of Sacrament meeting on your way to submitting your resignation letter.

I remember the Bishop telling us (not sure if EQ or joint SS) that applause was never, never, allowed in any church meeting.
I assume sacrament, F&T, PH and SS were meant, although I cant remember if they were specifically mentioned

I think something had happened to provoke the lesson, but I missed the actual incident

Applesauce is too messy. Try a baggie of Cheerios.

I was never ok during Sacrament Meeting or Stake Conference....oh wait, you were talking about the snack food and not me, Applesauce! applesauce

Well there was this time back in the 40s or 50s at a general conference priesthood meeting when Hebes J Grant announced the church was going to become popular with the world and any old badgers whod got duped into the odious burden of multiple wifery could now ditch the women they found disagreeable...many did...lots of old jokers took up with the comely younger wife and cast the rest adrift...there was a standing ovation with clapping of hands and stomping of feet if you believe the account of the old gent who told me the story...he was an honorable decent old fellow and i have no reason to doubt his story...he was there...it doesnt happen often...but it did then

We applauded the bishop when he cut short Sac meeting, telling us to get home and watch the first moon landing.


"I don't know about clapping in church, but I once got the clap from a Methodist lady in a Baptist church!"
--Groucho Marx, lying again.

EOD, I don't know why, but a Methodist lady in a Baptist church giving you the clap just puts a smile on my face. Was her name by any chance Claudia?

You'll have to ask Groucho! I was just quoting him.

Can I suggest blowing raspberries?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQgAbxZI_nA