The Symphony Orchestra
Conductor
The symphony orchestra is a very large ensemble of musicians. For this reason, it generally needs a conductor to keep everyone playing together (at the same time) and balanced (with the right level of volume relative to one another). But this is not the only thing a conductor does. Great conductors, like the late Leonard Bernstein, make decisions about how the music should be performed so that the result is the best possible interpretation of the piece. This requires a careful study of the orchestral score, which includes all the parts played by the orchestra musicians. As opposed to what is acceptable practice in other types of ensembles, traditional symphony orchestra musicians do not improvise their parts. An intimate knowledge of the score is, therefore, a must for the professional orchestral conductor.
The most obvious aspect of the conductor's job is to keep all the musicians in the orchestra playing together in a synchronized manner. The famous British conductor Sir Thomas Beecham (1879-1961) once joked that the two most important things for an orchestra were for the players to start and finish at the same time.
Nowadays, good conductors do much more than just beat time. Every single variation of speed, volume, and the shaping of musical phrases depends largely on the leadership, technical skill, personality, and musical knowledge of the conductor.
A great part of the conductor's activity happens outside the concert hall. Decisions about interpretation (such as the ones listed in the prior paragraph) need to be worked out well in advance during rehearsals, just as decisions about a play, a team sport, or a dance happen in practices and rehearsals. Sometimes orchestras allow the general public to attend rehearsals. Do not let the opportunity of attending an orchestral rehearsal pass you by. You will learn a great deal about the instruments, the music, and the way an orchestra figures out all those details that make for a good rendition of a piece.
What Makes a Great Conductor? [ 00:00-00:00 ]
Alan Gilbert
The Art of Conducting: Great Conductors of the Past
Before the 19th century, the job of the conductor was mainly to beat time. In the Baroque period (roughly mid-17th to mid-18th centuries), the conductor was frequently the composer of the music who provided a steady pulse, either from the keyboard or from the violin section by using the bow. German composer Louis Spohr (1784-1859) is supposed to have been the first to use the modern baton in 1820 at a concert in London. Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) and Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) (remember the Symphonie Fantastique?) were among the first famous composer-conductors of the 19th century.
Gradually, the role of the conductor became more important. Listing the names of famous conductors would be a monumental task. Keep in mind, also, that there have been famous women conductors. These days, famous conductors are true jet-setters that dash from continent to continent conducting the most prominent orchestras in the world.