Conducting
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224802761
2008-07-10T14:07:24Z
David Underdown
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[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 224801931 by [[Special:Contributions/222.127.47.17|222.127.47.17]] ([[User talk:222.127.47.17|talk]])
{{otheruses6|Conduct (disambiguation)|Conductor (disambiguation)}}
[[Image:MSUConductor.jpg|thumb|200px|A conductor conducting at a ceremony]]
[[Image:full score.jpg|thumb|200px|A conductor's score and batons]]
'''Conducting''' is the act of directing a [[music]]al performance by way of visible gestures. [[Orchestra]]s, [[choir]]s, [[concert band]]s and other [[musical ensemble]]s often have '''conductors'''.
==Nomenclature==
The principal conductor of an [[orchestra]] or [[opera]] company is sometimes referred to as a ''music director'' or ''chief conductor'', or by the [[German language|''German'']] word, ''[[Kapellmeister]]''. Conductors of [[choir]]s are sometimes referred to as ''choral director,'' ''chorus master,'' or ''choirmaster,'' particularly for choirs associated with an orchestra. Conductors of [[military band]]s and other bands may hold the title of ''bandmaster''. Respected senior conductors are sometimes referred to by the [[Italian language|Italian]] word, ''[[maestro]]'' ("master").
==History of conducting==
An early form of conducting is [[cheironomy]], the use of hand gestures to indicate [[melody|melodic]] shape. This has been practiced at least as far back as the [[Middle Ages]]. In the [[Christian]] church, the person giving these symbols held a [[Staff (stick)|staff]] to signify his role, and it seems that as music became more [[rhythm]]ically involved, the staff was moved up and down to indicate the beat, acting as an early form of [[Baton (conducting)|baton]].
In the 17th century, other devices to indicate the passing of time came into use. Rolled up sheets of paper, smaller sticks and unadorned hands are all shown in pictures from this period. The large staff was responsible for the death of [[Jean-Baptiste Lully]], who stabbed his foot with one while conducting a [[Te Deum]] for the king's recovery from illness. The wound became [[gangrene|gangrenous]], and he died two months later, after refusing surgery to remove the infected toe.{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
[[Image:Conductingbaton.jpg|thumb|left|200px|A modern wooden conducting baton]]
In instrumental music, a member of the ensemble usually acted as the conductor. This was sometimes the principal [[violin]]ist, who could use his [[bow (music)|bow]] as a baton, or a [[lute]]nist who would move the neck of his instrument in time with the beat. It was common to conduct from the [[harpsichord]] in pieces that had a [[basso continuo]] part. In opera performances, there were sometimes two conductors - the keyboard player was in charge of the singers, and the principal violinist was in charge of the orchestra.
By the early 19th century, it became the norm to have a dedicated conductor, who did not also play an instrument during the performance. The size of the usual orchestra expanded during this period, and the use of a baton became more common, as it was easier to see than bare hands or rolled-up paper. Among the earliest notable conductors were [[Louis Spohr]], [[Carl Maria von Weber]], [[Louis Antoine Jullien]] and [[Felix Mendelssohn]], all of whom were also composers. Mendelssohn is claimed to have been the first conductor to utilize a wooden baton to keep time,{{Fact|date=February 2008}} a practice still generally in use today. Amongst prominent conductors who did not or do not use a baton are [[Leopold Stokowski]], [[Pierre Boulez]], [[Dimitri Mitropoulos]] and [[Kurt Masur]] <ref>[http://www.orchestra-conductors.com/?p=3 The Baton: Necessity or Obstacle?]</ref>. [[Hans von Bülow]] is commonly considered the first professional musician whose principal career was as a conductor.
[[Hector Berlioz]] and [[Richard Wagner]] were also conductors, and they wrote two of the earliest essays dedicated to the subject. Berlioz is considered the first virtuoso conductor. Wagner was largely responsible for shaping the conductor's role as one who imposes his own view of a piece onto the performance rather than one who is simply responsible for ensuring entries are made at the right time and that there is a unified beat.
<!-- what about 1870 to 1990? -->
In the late 20th century, a New York composer [[Walter Thompson (Conductor)|Walter Thompson]] created a live composing sign language known as [[soundpainting]] to be used in the medium of structured improvisation. At present the language includes over 750 gestures used as communication tool by the composer/conductor to indicate the type of improvisation desired of the performers. In addition, a system called conduction, developed by [[Butch Morris| Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris]], is another prominent movement in the field. The latter is considered more effective to dictate relationships and transformations, giving the improvisers more control over the content they contribute.
==Technique==
Conducting is a means of communicating artistic directions to performers during a performance. There are no absolute rules on how to conduct correctly, and a wide variety of different conducting styles exist. The primary responsibilities of the conductor are to set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble.
An understanding of the basic elements of musical expression ([[tempo]], [[dynamics (music)|dynamics]], [[Articulation (music)|articulation]]) and the ability to communicate them effectively to an ensemble is necessary in order to conduct. The ability to communicate nuances of phrasing and expression through gesture is also beneficial. Conducting gestures may be choreographed beforehand by the conductor while studying the [[sheet music|score]], or may be spontaneous.
A distinction is sometimes made between orchestral conducting and choral conducting. [[Stereotype|Stereotypically]], orchestral conductors use a [[baton (conducting)|baton]] more often than choral conductors (though not always: this is up to the conductor's personal preference), and favor the use of [[beat pattern]]s over gestural conducting, which concentrates more on musical expression and shape.
The grip of the [[baton (conducting)|baton]] varies from conductor to conductor. Despite a wide variety of styles, a number of standard conventions have developed.
===Beat and tempo===
[[Image:Conducting-24time.svg|thumb|right|140px|2/4, 2/2, or fast 6/8 time]]
[[Image:Conducting-34time.svg|thumb|right|140px|3/4 or 3/8 time]]
[[Image:Conducting-44time.svg|thumb|right|140px|4/4 time]]
[[Image:Conducting-68time.svg|thumb|right|140px|slow 6/8 time]]
The [[Beat (music)|beat]] of the music is typically indicated with the conductor's right hand, with or without a [[baton (conducting)|baton]]. The hand traces a shape in the air in every [[bar (music)|bar]] (measure) depending on the [[time signature]], indicating each beat with a change from downward to upward motion. The images show the most common beat patterns, as seen from the conductor's point of view.
The [[downbeat]] indicates the first beat of the bar, and the [[upbeat]] indicates the last beat of the bar. The instant at which the beat occurs is called the ''ictus'' (plural: ''ictus'' or ''ictuses''), and is usually indicated by a sudden (though not necessarily large) click of the wrist or change in [[baton (conducting)|baton]] direction. In some instances, "ictus" is also used to refer to a horizontal plane in which all the ictuses are physically located, such as the top of a [[music stand]] where a baton is tapped at each ictus. The gesture leading up to the ictus is called the "preparation", and the continuous flow of steady beats is called the "takt".
If the [[tempo]] is slow or slowing, or if the [[time signature]] is [[Compound metre|compound]], a conductor will sometimes indicate "subdivisions" of the beats. The conductor can do this by adding a smaller movement in the same direction as the movement for the beat that it belongs to.<!---I can't find the words to make this more clear right now, but I don't think this is clear or understandable to the layman yet---not just quadruple metre--->
Changes to the tempo are indicated by changing the speed of the beat. To carry out and to control a [[rallentando]], a conductor may introduce beat subdivisions.
Some conductors use both hands to indicate the beat, with the left hand mirroring the right, though others view this as redundant and therefore to be avoided. This is also seen as improper practice by many. The second hand may be used for cueing the entrances of individual players or sections, and to aid indications of dynamics, phrasing, expression, and other elements.
===Dynamics===
[[dynamics (music)|Dynamics]] are indicated in various ways. The dynamic may be communicated by the size of the conducting movements, larger shapes representing louder sounds. Changes in dynamic may be signaled with the hand that is not being used to indicate the beat: an upward motion (usually palm-up) indicates a [[crescendo]]; a downward motion (usually palm-down) indicates a [[Dynamics (music)|diminuendo]]. Changing the size of conducting movements may result in unintended tempo changes because larger movements require the beat to traverse more space in the same amount of time.
Dynamics can be fine-tuned using various gestures: showing one's palm to the performers or leaning away from them may demonstrate a decrease in volume. In order to adjust the overall balance of the various instruments or voices, these signals can be combined or directed towards a particular section or performer.
===Cueing===
The indication of entries, when a performer or section should begin playing (perhaps after a long period of silence), is called "cueing". A cue must forecast with certainty the exact moment of the coming ictus, so that all the players or singers affected by the cue can begin playing simultaneously. Cueing is achieved by engaging the players before their entry and executing a clear preparation, often directed towards the specific players. An inhalation, which may or may not be a semi-audible "sniff" from the conductor, is a common element in the cueing technique of many conductors. Mere eye contact or a look in the general direction of the players may be sufficient in many instances, as when more than one section of the ensemble enters at the same time. Larger musical events may warrant the use of a larger or more emphatic cue designed to encourage emotion and energy.
===Other musical elements===
Articulation may be indicated by the character of the ictus, ranging from short and sharp for [[staccato]], to long and fluid for [[legato]]. Many conductors change the tension of the hands: strained muscles and rigid movements may correspond to marcato, while relaxed hands and soft movements may correspond to legato or espressivo.
Phrasing may be indicated by wide overhead arcs or by a smooth hand motion either forwards or side-to-side. A held note is often indicated by a hand held flat with palm up. The end of a note, called a "cutoff" or "release", may be indicated by a circular motion, the closing of the palm, or the pinching of finger and thumb. A release is usually preceded by a preparation and concluded with a complete stillness.
Conductors<!-- would a reference improve this? Strauss said (light-heartedly) "never look at the brass, it only encourages them", and Karajan sometimes conducted with his eyes closed --> aim to maintain eye contact with the ensemble as much as possible, encouraging eye contact in return and increasing the dialogue between players/singers and conductor. Facial expressions may also be important to demonstrate the character of the music or to encourage the players.
==See also==
*[[Cheironomy]]
==References==
*Norman Lebrecht, ''The Maestro Myth: Great Conductors in Pursuit of Power'', 2nd Rev&Up edition, Citadel Press 2001
*Brock McElheran, "Conducting Technique"
*Frederik Prausnitz, "Score and Podium"
*Max Rudolf, "The Grammar Of Conducting"
*Larry G. Curtis and David L. Kuehn, "A Guide To Successful Instrumental Conducting."
*Michel Faul, "Louis Jullien, musique, spectacle et folie au XIXe siècle" (editions Atlantica, France 2006).Dedicated site : http://louisjullien.site.voila.fr
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
* [http://www.theconcertband.com/conducting.htm Introduction to Conducting]
* [http://thinkingapplied.com/conducting_folder/conducting1.htm What to Think About When You Conduct]
* [http://www.artshub.com.au/au/?vmStr=E10FFA2E1C0BA96F76725BCCC526D6FFE0829318F3EDFFD4] Australian conductor Benjamin Northey on the experience of conducting. (Arts Hub Australia, May 29 2007)
* [http://www.hartenshield.com/choral_technique_01.html A Choral Technique]
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[[Category:Occupations in music]]
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