There’s an awful lot more going on than just arm waving, as demonstrated in the beautiful clip above of him conducting Candide. Olefirowicz is known for his genius abilities and methods to deliver his interpretations. Each has developed a unique style to get the desired effect. However, his techniques worked and he is now seen as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century.Ĭonductors’ interpretations are different, every performance is unique. His determined attitude towards the orchestras he worked with was infamous, displaying strong views on and off the concert platform. The late Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache is well known for his refusal to have his music recorded, believing it should only be heard in the concert hall. You can see communication and passion expressed through Bernstein’s face and then Carreras’ frustration at not being able to deliver the level of precision required.Ĭonductors can seem to be the most stubborn of breeds. They are both trying to create perfection. There is a famous excerpt that demonstrates the tension between Bernstein and the young tenor soloist Jose Carreras through rehearsals for the recording of Westside Story. He allows the musicians emotional control but leads the very difficult rhythmic timing, speeds and beat. Watch Igor Stravinsky conduct and you will see how he keeps an exact beat, very rigid and solid with no emotion. The movement in the left hand signifies dynamics, emotion and expression while the right hand is mainly used to signify speed and beat.Ĭonductors have unique styles and skills. This is when the arm waving comes into play. The physical becomes important when verbal is not possible (when the audience is present and in earshot). Conductors need to form a relationship with their musicians: trust, skill and leadership are essential. Primarily we are communicators, both verbal and physical. The closer my hands are together, the softer I want the choir to be, the larger the distance, the louder the sound. For example, the proximity between my hands influences volume. A good conductor has a bag of tricks (developed through experience) to call upon for any musical situation.
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