Conductor's batons

[Rhw66]

What did conductors use to conduct orchestras before the baton was introduced in the early 19th century?

[andy hughes]

In the earliest days of the orchestra, the responsibility for keeping the musicians together in time was usually taken by the first violin. When conductors became more popular, the earliest examples of the craft used to bang time on the stage using a large wooden pole. Because this proved too much of a distraction for the musicians and the audience alike, the pole was substituted by a violin bow. Gradually over time, the bow has evolved to be shorter, and lighter, and has become the baton used by conductors in modern orchestras.

[Lindsey]

The Italian composer Lully actually died when he accidentally hit his foot with the wooden staff he used for conducting. The wound turned septic, and he contracted gangrene and died shortly after from blood poisoning