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The Role of the Conductor While early conductors
such as those in the 1700’s mainly only kept time for their ensembles,
conductors of classical music today have a much larger role in the
music-making. Throughout history, the
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of the conductor has evolved from marking the beat to
shaping the entire interpretation of a work for the ensemble. The conductor serves as a leader for the
musicians in various ways, including guiding the tone, coordination, and
accuracy of execution. In earlier times before
the Romantic Period, the conductor was mainly responsible for maintaining an
even tempo. The conductor was usually
an instrumentalist in the ensemble, very often the composer him or
herself. For example, the composers
who wrote for the churches often served not only as music writers, but also
as “chapel masters,” orchestral organizers, and conductors. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and other great
composers would often lead performances of their works from the keyboard. Over time, the structure
of music continued to change and become more complex, incorporating rhythmic
changes, irregularities, and other types of expression. At the same time, the demand for music
continued to grow and reach ever wider audiences, so that people began to
expect more accurate and precise performances. As a result, the conductor began to play a
larger role in terms of interpreting the score and “coaching” the ensemble in
performance. The conductor would
indicate entrances and cutoffs, guide musicians who could not fully hear what
musicians on the other side of the orchestra were doing, provide a single
reference point for the rhythm, set the color and tone through different
movements, and keep control of the music throughout changes in tempo. In general, the role of the conductor has come to
be the overall leader of the ensemble, responsible for everything from the
musicianship of the performers to attracting audiences to sometimes serving
as the public “face” of the group. |
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All articles (c) 1999-2006 by LIFTOFF! |