conducting

[communist]

is anyone here a conductor or knows how to conduct. i know a little about conducting but is there something really complicated about it?

[rachfan]

I was not a music major as an undergrad, but took several music elective courses including conducting.  The final exam was conducting the university symphony orchestra, which had over 80 members.  If I had to pick one thing that is the most difficult, it would be this: when the conductor "leads" the orchestra he must do exactly that.  He has to be a fraction of a second ahead of the players at all times, must anticipate the progress of the score, and must telegraph the beat, articulation, cues, dynamics, phrasing, inspiration, etc. as information in advance to the ensemble.  It sound quite easy--until you're up on the podium trying to do all that and more effectively. 

[gerry]

I agree, it's really much more intricate and difficult than it appears. I remember being in a small venue watching someone conducting a complex 20th century work - he must have had his score marked extensively as he would keep the beat with RH while he would use his LH to anticipate the section entrances by holding it up several beats prior to entrance then giving them the downbeat - it was fun to watch. It's particularly challenging when you're involved with amateur and/or "pick-up" orchestras as opposed to those professional ensembles who seem to be able to play works in the sleep without much input from a conductor.

[furtwaengler]

Here is something I read about Pierre Boulez on a listserv from Martin Anderson, founder of the label Toccata Classics:

A tale from Boulez' days as the chief conductor of the BBCSO: all hell
 is going loose in multiple rhythms, instrumental texture, in a rehearsal
 in the BBC Maida Vale Studios, and mate of mine can't see where he is supposed
 to come in. Boulez stops the rehearsal and asks my mate why he didn't
 enter on cue. "I'm sorry, maestro", he says, "but I just could follow your
 beat." Boulez, already conducting two different time-signatures with each arm, now says: "Watch my left leg", and standing on one leg he conducts three
different, conflicting time-signatures. Stuff like that reduces any
orchestra to gap-mouth compliance.

[elspeth]

Another quote, Sherlock Holmes this time... 'They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains. It's a very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work.'

Same goes for conducting, it's still a bad definition but it applies. As conductor you need to know the piece inside out... the interpretation is yours. How fast, how loud, how long to hang on to that trill for, making sure everone gets the style right... and make sure everyone gets their cues in the right time signature as well. And then there's things like running rehearsals, and choosing the repertoire, and if you're working with singers, probably singing their cues. And if you're working with dancers, remembering what position that person's got to be in before you can start and how long you've got to start before they fall over from waiting for you. It's a minefield... but it's fantastic fun to do!

[gerry]

Years ago, I was chatting with a big city music critic who had recently interviewed a young, somewhat amateur conductor who had recently organized a suburban philharmonic orchestra. When asked how he prepared for concerts, the young man replied, "I play a recording and practice in front of a mirror". The critic told me, "I couldn't print THAT!"

[elspeth]

A conductor of my acquaintance used to set  her living room up to represent the sections of the orchestra, put a recording on and conduct the furniture...

[gerry]

A conductor of my acquaintance used to set  her living room up to represent the sections of the orchestra, put a recording on and conduct the furniture...

I suppose that's one way - but it's such a pregnant dog when the china hutch misses a cue...