I’ve been cataloguing a Sammelband (a bound compilation) of some early nineteenth-century songs, and my attention was caught by the amount of applause resounding between the title pages. The audiences’ hands must have been tingling after so many – ahem – superlative performances of such outstanding compositions. So, I ask you, how should we work out which was most popular …?!
- with the most unbounded applause
- unbounded applause
- great approbation
- with enthusiastic applause
- with universal applause
- Sung with great applause
- the greatest applause
- with distinguished applause
Karen McAulay, Musicologist 