Thanks. I'm making the same point in reporting Anatole Leikin's comments at the symposium in my feature article on the subject, to be published at an SFCV near you Real Soon Now.

I must say the guy who responded was really dickish. No valid reason to applaud between movements? None, ever? Then there's no valid reason to applaud at the end, either. It's just a ritual. The performers make noise; the audience makes noise in response.