[Hornlist] Conductors

[WIlliam Botte]

The past 15 years, I've been pleased and/or plagued with excellent and 
less than excellent conductors.  The excellent conductors were niether 
timid or tyranical.  They were universaly clear in direction and 
consistent with cues and tempi.  No surprises.  No tantrums.  No 
compromises.
The plagues were incompetent time wasters, ill prepared, inconsistent 
withe cues, tempi and beating patterns.  There is nothing more 
terrifying than to look up at conductor twirling the baton in the air 
like a skylight.  Or looking for the noexistent downbeat. WTF!!!  Or the 
micromillimeter twitching of the right hand to indicate pianissimo.  
AAAAAAARRRRGH.  Communicate with troops in the back row, not just the 
octet semicircle within whispering distance.
--wabotte
_______________________________________________
post: horn@music.memphis.edu
unsubscribe or set options at 
http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org