The Orchestra

[LewPaper]

I enjoy listening to music and on occasion to watch a concert on the telly. But there's one or two questions which have always bugged me and as time, experience or intelligence has yet to shine a light on them I'm asking from those with a greater knowledge than mine.

I can understand the purpose of a conductor at the rehearsals; he/she wants the music played in the way they feel best reflects their interpretation, but at the actual concert there they are, in front of the orchestra, waving their arms about, the movements of which appear to bear no relationship to the beat or rhythm of what's being heard. With every musician reading their music, I don't think anyone even takes any notice of him anyway.

Then there's the leader. Is he a sort of substitute conductor, taking his place if necessary. He sits there playing his violin just left of the conductor yet his importance to the orchestra is completely lost on me.

Could someone please explain so I could enjoy the music without distractions?

[Mr Veritas]

I agree that (sometimes) the conductor of an orchestra can appear to be superflous;but a GOOD conductor shouldn't be!
Up till the middle of the 17thC there was no such thing as a conductor.
The orchestra would (usually) be kept in time by the actual composer of the music that the orchestra was playing.
Wikipedia has a good article (that says more that I can) avout the history and role of the conductor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conducting
Personally,I think most conductors work out how a piece should sound in rehearsal.This might lead you to imagine they are not doing much when the piece is played in front of an audience.
What they are really doing is providing visual cues for the orchestra to remind them of what was agreed in rehearsal.
That is why some conductors don't appear to be conducting with a beat,they don't really have to,it's all been settled before.
It was mainly conductors before the 1960's that had set regualr beats.The more modern ones just uses gestures that the players will recognise.
The leader USED top be a susbsitute conductor,but now he is (usually) just a liason between the podium and the players.In the time of Johann Strauss (especially) the lead violin WAS the conductor,so he performed two jobs.
Nowadays,he is also the orchestra's (sort of) unofficial shop steward,and is also the boss of the orchestra when the conductor is not around,or the orchestra is on tour
PS:~
Do read the story (in Wikipedia) of the composer/conductor Lully,it's sad and yet funny!
All the above information is courtesy of my Grandson in Law,who was Leader of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden Orchestra.He is now a solo violinist.

[LewPaper]

Thank you Mr Veritas. All that's a real eye-opener and your connections are very impressive. I reflect sadly on many hours for many years of piano practising when a youngster before deciding the result hardly justified the effort. Now condemned to listening instead of participating.

[saxy_jag]

I play in wind bands rather than classical orchestras, but the principal is much the same, although we don't have leaders.

It's very difficult for a non-player to fully appreciate a good conductor, because what you don't see is what goes on in rehearsals - hours and hours of them, making sure that everyone's idea of things like 'mezzoforte' and 'allegro' is the same as everyone else's - or at least the same as the boss'. And then there are the cues? Exactly when am I supposed to start playing this little solo that's so bloody difficult to count in? Watch the conductor, because he'll have arranged a little cue for me to follow. How long are we supposed to hold this pause? Watch the boss - he'll signal when he wants us to move on.

And those arm movements? Well. a bad conductor beats time. A good one sets the tempo, maintains the tempo and indicates to the band/orchestra exactly what he wants them to do - if only they would watch him! As a spectator, try to see the relationship between his movements and what the musicians are doing. Check out the instances of eye contact between the two. You'll be amazed. I have little notes scribble on tricky bits of my music, saying 'WATCH!', meaning if I watch the conductor carefully, he'll count me through this and I won't make an idiot of myself.

All this of course, needs a certain level of trust, which can only be built up during rehearsals. Going into a concert with an unknown, untried and unrehearsed conductor is unbelievably scary. It's where I doff my cap to the pro players who seem to do this as a matter of course.

[LewPaper]

Thanks for that saxy. Very interesting answer. Both of these answers have reopened my interest into the theory of music and will hopefully lead to a new understanding of it. Many many thanks to both of you.