http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=7839
The conductor, more or less, does nothing important during the actual performance. That is why they have “guest conductors” sometimes, who are amatuers. The Conductor trains the band the play the piece correctly, so after he is done, any doofus can get up there and wave their arms. I am oversimplyfing, of course. “Lead 2nd trumpet”
I may be wonderful, but I think you’re wrong, Daniel. I tend to agree more with Drum God’s statement, above. In addition to tempo, dynamics are another important factor controlled by the conductor…what do you do in a conductorless orchestra when it’s time for your English Horn solo and the trumpet section is playing their mezzo-piano part forte? Stand up in the middle of the performance and yell at them?
DAVE, forgive me, but…“drum trolls”…mmmmfffff…gulp…HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!
As one who has done time as both a performer in professional orchestras as well as on the podium of orchestras made up of both students and pros, perhaps I can give you some information about the conductor’s role. Indeed the conductor is the dictatator when it comes to interpreting the music and organizing (or failing to organize) rehearsals. Most of the traditional, common-practice (pre 1900) literature does not, in fact, require a conductor to keep the orchestra together, but the conductor is the one who makes decisions about tempos, phrasings, etc. A great conductor will employ his or her physical gesture and particularly his or her face to show how a passage should be interpreted. The best rarely need to say much. I played in one rehearsal with a major orchestra wherein the conductor never said a word throughout the entire first reading of a ballet suite, yet the orchestra knew exactly how it would be done based on his gestures and expressions. On the other side, I have a friend who told me about playing a concert with a professional orchestra in Mexico where the conductor was late to the concert, so the orchestra started the Rossini overture without him. Apparently when he arrived, he was very angry about them starting without him and told the manager to stop them. They wouldn’t stop, so he had the house turn the lights off, and they kept playing (the audience loved that.)
So much for the conductor’s role of time-keeper… Actually the conductor-as-star is a relatively recent development. In the classical era and before, the orchestra was usually led from the concertmaster’s seat. He would lead with his bowing and with body gesture. Many chamber orchestras do this today, especially baroque ensembles, and Orpheus Chamber Ensemble has in fact recorded some very difficult contemporary literature without conductor. With most difficult modern music, a conductor is essential for beating the changing meters and tempo changes, however if his or her beat pattern is unclear (as many are), they are often more trouble than they are worth (I’ll avoid mentioning the guilty, since I still play for a living…).
Hopefully this gives some information. Let me know if you want more worthless opinions from me.
And…by the way, the main reason we use conductors for even the easy music is because there should be a pushy, opinionated jerk at every party, and by having a conductor, we ensure such a presence.
Also, the story gets more complicated in expanded situations, where you have more than just one ensemble participating, such as in opera or oratorio performances. When on stage in an opera, you cannot hear the orchestra accurately–you hear them at a considerable time delay. Being able to see the conductor is the only way to keep the ensemble (the music as a whole) together. Singers who never get the hang of this are always behind the beat, even if they can’t tell.
The same goes for oratorio performances, where you usually have a chorus placed behind the orchestra on stage. Same problem as above. The only instruments that project backwards as well as forwards are the percussion and some of the winds (especially the horns).
No.
Yeah, keep laughing, horn boy. You won’t see the humor in a couple paradiddle riffs upside your head.
Thank you very much - I am much more enlightened now as to how the orchestral process works. Evidently the conductor is relatively important after all.
Your responses and the time taken to make them were greatly appreciated.
Una
Hey, Uke, if you feel the urge to stuff that (pardon my language) drummer into a big ol’ horn, you can borrow my tuba. With rare exceptions, the drummers in the three bands I’ve been in have been completely irrelevant to the meter-- The reason that folks play drum is that they’re guaranteed to screw up whatever they do, so they might as well just screw up the time, rather than the time and the tune.
Perhaps relevant to the OP is the summation of the situation provided by my college band director: “In charge and out of control”.