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Many folks wonder why professional orchestras need conductors. Counting musical time is usually second nature for most career musicians, so what's the point of having a conductor? On this week's Ethercast, join producer Christopher Burrus for a look at the history of the position, and a deep dive into what conductors really do for the orchestras they lead.
Heard on this week's show:
Edward Elgar -The 'Enigama' Variations, variation III
Jean-Baptiste Lully -Atys -Overture
Richard Wagner -Tannhäuser -Overture
After you've listened to the podcast, check out a couple of the Ether Game Brain Trust's favorite conducting videos!
Here's footage of composer Richard Strauss conducting. Strauss had a reputation for looking devoid of emotion and even right out bored at the podium.
on the flip side, here's Herbert Van Karajan, who is regarded as one of the greatest conductors in modern history
The famous starting phrase of Beethoven's 5th symphony has a reputation for being difficult to cue. All conductors have different strategies for getting through it. This is among the stranger of them.
