Klarinet Archive - Posting 000723.txt from 1996/10

From: David McClune <dmcclune@-----.EDU>
Subj: Conductors
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 1996 17:25:15 -0500

I have finally decided to jump into this fray about conductors. I play in
one and sub in two other orchestras (20-30 concerts a year), but my full
time job is a small college band director and single reed teacher.

There is definitely a love/hate relationship that the ensemble and
conductor's develop. The ensemble dosen't play up to the performance in the
conductor's mind/heart (do we always meticulasly prepare for the first
rehearsal?!), and the players feel (often justified) that the conductor is
vaguely beating the air to impress the audience with their "getting into the
music." Ideally the conductor should lead the ensemble with a vocabularly
of mime-like gestures which communicate the desired playing changes to the
performers, modifications of dynamics, articulation, mood, energy, phrasing,
etc. If the conductor is successful, they seldom have to stop and say
"louder"; clear gestures should tell the players, an instant before playing,
that "I" want this loud(er), lighter, fuller...

Some of you have written that pro's do not seem to need a clear beat, but
lesser players do. Well,,,. About ten years ago I had one clarinet in
band, so I had to play first and somehow direct (Times were desperate that
semester). I treated the band like a big chamber music group. We learned
to look at lead players, listen to each other, and follow the raised
eyebrows and nods of me. They were all accountable to keep a steady tempo,
play the dynamics, and count their own parts. There was no conductor
pointing or waving big at them. Amazingly, it worked quite well. The music
was full of tempo and style changes, and demanded a great amount of
listening and watching. For about three more years I opted to play eb
clarinet (had a bigger band!) in the Spring concerts. Interesting experiment.

Players must be held responsible at every level for their own parts, holding
a steady tempo and at least playing what is on the page. Conductors can
inspire excellence, averageness, or just get in the way. Even local
community ensembles might play together if the conductor counted them
off--jazz style, then walked off the podium.
(What do you expect on late on a Monday afternoon)
Dr. David McClune
Professor of Music-Clarinet/Band Director
Music Department
Union University
Jackson, TN 38305
901-661-5294-office

   
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