Klarinet Archive - Posting 001088.txt from 2000/10

From: "Don Yungkurth" <clarinet@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] A conductor
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2000 00:45:32 -0400

I've lost track of the author of the quote which follows (taken from a
response by Roger Garrett):
[SNIP]
> ...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?

Roger gave a considered response as a professional which implied that there
are many case where just letting the orchestra play is quite appropriate (my
words - not Roger's). I can add an experience from a College-Community
Orchestra which clearly agrees with this point of view.

We were playing Tchiakovsky's 5th Symphony. In the second movement, the
Andante Cantabile, the strings play for eight measures followed by a horn
solo with responses for clarinet. Our conductor rehearsed this opening a
few times and then told the horn player not to watch her and simply play the
solo. After trying that she told me (on clarinet) not to watch her either
and to simply respond to what the horn was playing. Even though this was
not a professional situation, I think we played better because of her
suggestion to listen to each other instead of by trying to follow her beat,
and she has a clear beat - probably the best conductor I've played for with
any regularity. This was teaching at its finest - she helped us prove to
ourselves that we could play together better by listening than by trying to
follow her, but her beat is there if we need it!

I drive a 55-mile round trip to play for her for free and am never
disappointed!

Don Yungkurth (clarinet@-----.net)

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