Klarinet Archive - Posting 000643.txt from 2005/03

From: Roger Hewitt <rogerclarinet@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] conducting
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 09:37:20 -0500

J. D. Stackpole wrote:
>As Mr. Touchin notes "it is a sign-language which has to be self-
>explanatory, for no one ever gives the musicians the same
>vocabulary book the conductor learns when studying. "
>
>Is there at least a "standard" sign language for keeping the beat?
>
>Just curious.

I would say that there is a standard in the sense that there is a
commonly used "normal" way to conduct. I was taught that beating time
should be with the right arm and has a standard pattern for 2, 3, 4 in
a bar, that 5 is one of three ways depending whether it is 2+3, 3+2 or
five separate, 6 is either subdivided 2 or subdivided 3. After that
you pretty much do what you like, except that the downbeat is always
the same and the last beat always leads to it and so is always the
same.

But beating time is only a minor part of conducting - it should be
totally automatic for the conductor and should always look basically
the same for the players (I have seen left hand time-beats and
mirror-image right-handers and always find it difficult to follow).
Having got the beat totally automatic, the conductor can then use the
left hand & arm for cuing entries, showing dynamic changes, expression,
pauses and all the rest (but vary rarely just duplicating the beat),
while the right hand & arm change only for some style (e.g. smooth flow
for legato or larger movements for more grandiose, etc, but always
giving clear beat).

Having said all that, conductors vary considerably and some of the best
only beat strict time when necessary, trusting the players to keep
steady tempos going without direction. This allows much more
expression to be conveyed, but can be dangerous with less experienced
musicians.

Note also that conducting a choir is often a different ballgame;
choristers often get given syllables rather than beats, and many
excellent choir conductors are hopeless at conducting an orchestra or
band! (I'll get comments on that I bet!)

Roger H

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