Klarinet Archive - Posting 000624.txt from 1996/10

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Berlin Phil clarinetists?
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 1996 12:46:38 -0400

Hey all,
Let's not start an argument for no reason. I said
nothing about conductors needing to do **ONLY** traffic cop stuff. Please
don't read meanings into messages, which are not there. To paraphrase
Freud, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar".
OF COURSE A GOOD CONDUCTOR CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE!!!!!!
Why else would there be so many orchestras with conductors. However, the
sad fact remains that the vast majority of conductors, even with some of the bes
t
orchestras, are little more than "nachschlagers" (German for those who
beat after the note has been played, e.g. follow the orchestra rather
than lead it, as in just keeping time and adding nothing else.)
And yes, I HAVE experienced excellent conductors who area
pleasure to play under. They all have one quality in common: THEY DON'T
GET I THE WAY! They are there with the right cues at the right time, they
have a concept of the piece which they communicate clearly and they
rehearse efficiently.

Fred Jacobowitz
Clarinet/Sax Instructor, Peabody Preparatory

On Thu, 24 Oct 1996, Jonathan Cohler wrote:

> >Fred, your comments are right on the nose! I conduct a church orchestra
> >and have found out that I am only important during rehearsals to
> >pinpoint mistakes and in performances to set tempos and direct tempo
> >changes and fermatas. Once in a while a musician will look up for a
> >cue, but usually they are very busy with the music.
> > The best thing that a conductor can do is stay out of the way until
> >needed and not add any fancy conducting to confuse the musicians!
> >
> >Deborah Shaw
>
> Along, the lines of my previous message, if all a conductor does is stay
> out of the way and act as "traffic cop" in the necessary parts, then you
> will have one dull performance for sure.
>
> -----------------------
> Jonathan Cohler
> cohler@-----.net
>