Klarinet Archive - Posting 000954.txt from 2003/06

From: "LARISA DUFFY & DAVID DOW" <DUFFYL@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: [kl] Left hand conductors
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 11:20:46 -0400

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Leeson" <leeson0@-----.net>
Subject: [kl] Left hand conductors

I tend to find the parrallel conductor to be the very worst type of all.
not only can they not seem to get both arms to work together it is also a
problem for the player which arm to follow...it also astounds how well I
find conductors without the baton get fine results. People like Kurt Masur,
Otto Klemperer and Leopold Stokowski and even Herbert von Karajan rid
themselves of the hindrance of the baton.

As to fatigue I agree that it must be quite tiring after about 2 hours or so
to do this parallel thing with the arms....I know that just watching it is
very monotonous.

Many years back I remeber seeing Abbado in Berlin conduct Brahms 2cd and can
honestly say I never imagined how fine his conducting really was until the
slow movement. His ability to comunicate the rythmn in the slow movement
with his right arm was simply astounding! The other thing which was a
wonder was Abbado's ability to get a nuance from a phrase with the simplest
gesture. As to recordings his records never topped this particalar evening
in Berlin...that is truly something.

As to the art of conducting I think the left hand traditionally should be
for expression and dynamic shading....something lacking in the amateur
conductors I work with from time to time....

Sincerely

David Dow
Symphony NB

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