The conductor makes no difference.
I've been watching the Proms, and some tit stands there waving his/her baton around.
Often with no relevance to the music being played.
I think that the orchestra members all know their bit, and don't even look at the conductor.
The music sounds fine anyway.
Do you know what I think?
A wanker AND a pansy apparently.
Oh, and a wimp, and 'not a real man'.
Oh, and a wimp, and 'not a real man'.
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Phillip Phlopp
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Re: Do you know what I think?
A conductor makes sure that the orchestra both starts and stops at the same time.
"It's easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled"
- Mark Twain
- Mark Twain
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Julian Mince
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Re: Do you know what I think?
Having played in Orchestras over the years, players tend to keep the conductor's arms in the corners of their eyes to maintain speed. It's a shame that we don't have a conductor for the band to keep our wayward drummer in check.
I know a man who taught his dog to play the trumpet on the London Underground.
He went from Barking to Tooting in an hour.
He went from Barking to Tooting in an hour.
Re: Do you know what I think?
There was a programme a few years back with various 'celebs' learning how to conduct.
It surprised me how complicated it was, the orchestra is slightly behind the conductor to allow them to see what the conductor's gestures are asking for.
Katie Derham won, if I remember rightly.
It surprised me how complicated it was, the orchestra is slightly behind the conductor to allow them to see what the conductor's gestures are asking for.
Katie Derham won, if I remember rightly.
“Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it... Yet.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Re: Do you know what I think?
I stand corrected.
A wanker AND a pansy apparently.
Oh, and a wimp, and 'not a real man'.
Oh, and a wimp, and 'not a real man'.
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Phillip Phlopp
- Posts:30447
- Joined:Mon Oct 22, 2018 7:16 am
Re: Do you know what I think?
There was a bit on the radio about the conductor's purpose.
The performance is preceded by lengthy rehearsals where the conductor imposes their interpretation of the composers musical score. To us mere mortals a performance conducted by one conductor sounds the same as another conductor but to the trained ear of the music aficionado they are chalk and cheese. You can sometimes spot them in the audience with the music score on their laps. I suppose it's similar to a director of a play, say, Shakespeare, and might have directed an actor to put more emphasis on certain words or movement on the stage.
James O'Brien's Mystery Hour is a fount of random information.
The performance is preceded by lengthy rehearsals where the conductor imposes their interpretation of the composers musical score. To us mere mortals a performance conducted by one conductor sounds the same as another conductor but to the trained ear of the music aficionado they are chalk and cheese. You can sometimes spot them in the audience with the music score on their laps. I suppose it's similar to a director of a play, say, Shakespeare, and might have directed an actor to put more emphasis on certain words or movement on the stage.
James O'Brien's Mystery Hour is a fount of random information.
"It's easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled"
- Mark Twain
- Mark Twain
-
RockitRon
- Posts:3609
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- Location:Left a bit, down a bit, right a bit... there
Re: Do you know what I think?
Alas, no. It was Sue Perkins.Red Baron wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2026 7:47 amThere was a programme a few years back with various 'celebs' learning how to conduct.
It surprised me how complicated it was, the orchestra is slightly behind the conductor to allow them to see what the conductor's gestures are asking for.
Katie Derham won, if I remember rightly.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maestro_( ... TV_series)
I also remember Andre Previn doing an episode of Omnibus on the subject, opening with him walking off the podium, leaving the LSO to carry on (playing the first movement of Beethoven's Symphony No 5), without him, which, of course they did perfectly. But, of course there is more to it than playing the right notes in the right order...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUdQtF0fDMc
Re: Do you know what I think?
Cue Morecambe and Wise.........RockitRon wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2026 8:51 pm
I also remember Andre Previn doing an episode of Omnibus on the subject, opening with him walking off the podium, leaving the LSO to carry on (playing the first movement of Beethoven's Symphony No 5), without him, which, of course they did perfectly. But, of course there is more to it than playing the right notes in the right order...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUdQtF0fDMc