Klarinet Archive - Posting 001054.txt from 2000/10

From: "Karl Krelove" <kkrelove@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] A conductor
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 21:45:05 -0400

To the extent that his facial expression and movements reasonably conveyed
information to the players about dynamics, phrase direction, maybe even tone
quality he wanted (particularly from the larger sections), this type of
conducting can be as useful as clear time-beating and more helpful than the
erratic and unreliable tempo some conductors indicate.

The other responses you've gotten are on target: you can't get away with
this approach with students or inexperienced amateur players. They mostly
need a constantly visible beat to hang rhythms and entrances on. With an
experienced orchestra, especially one used to playing together and able to
trust what they hear in a familiar hall, the time beating can get in the way
and better precision is possible if the players don't have to choose between
what they see and what they hear once a tempo is established. Of course, the
conductor one way or another must set the tempo (if he's competent), and he
always has the position from which to start beating more definitely if
there's a need. The better the orchestra, the less often the need will
arise.

Karl Krelove

> -----Original Message-----
> From: William Wright [mailto:Bilwright@-----.net]
> Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 2:34 AM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: [kl] A conductor
>
>
> Tonight I saw a 1999 video that was conducted by Antonio Campori (I
> hope I have the name correct).
> Although his body language frequently indicated the basic tempo, he
> was not conducting the piece beat-by-beat. In fact, for half of the
> piece, he held his baton by the middle so as not to stab himself,
> similar to how you might hold a clarinet in the middle until you needed
> it again.
> ...anyway, he had magnificent facial expressions which (to my
> perception) said more than any hand waving or pointing could, and he
> used his arms often in the fashion of ballet to indicate the mood he
> wanted rather than to indicate the beat, without getting so ridiculous
> about it that he would distract the audience's attention. There were
> moments when he just stood there and let the orchestra play.
>
> My question for those of you who play in orchestras is: Is this
> the type of conducting under which you would rather play? Or not?
>
>
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