ARTICLES
Maestro Santi… !!
This video fragment (prelude to “La Traviata”) demonstrates what the true art of management, conducting in an opera house is. The experience of dealing with an orchestra, choir, soloists at the same time, each with their own individual characteristics requiring a special approach, a backstage orchestra, acoustic features of a given room and many other things that make their own adjustments on this very day and hours of performance…. It is difficult for the uninitiated to appreciate the outstanding abilities of this maestro, who at this age looks like an elderly, obese, sedentary person, who even seems to be holding on to the counter with his left hand so as not to lose his balance. In fact, these priceless shots demonstrate with all the sharpness and persuasiveness how a conductor should manage this entire huge mass of performers, indicating and highlighting only what is required, at the right moment, with minimal, precise gestures and achieving a full ensemble, balance and inspired performance. All this sums up both the enormous experience, and talent, and intuition! I hope this example is very important in contrast to the modern established style of conducting to exhaustion, when these very qualities are taken for dedication, complete immersion in music and demonstrative inspiration!
Body and Soul
Sooner or later we are faced with the inevitable question of why we came into this earthly life, what we will take with us, what we will leave behind... I recall one episode when, talking to a still fairly young Orthodox man, but already a father of many children of a large Jewish family, I asked him directly how he combines such concepts as serving God, constant development of his personality, concern for the prosperity of his large family and at the same time the outwardly not very neat appearance of his suit, battered car, constant anxiety to get everything done within 24 hours? His answer was simple and clear, in which one could feel a deep understanding of how to spend your earthly life with maximum benefit for yourself and the people around you. The division between the material and the spiritual is one of the cornerstones of our life. What do you put the greatest emphasis on and how will your earthly life, priorities, responsibilities, duty, reality change when you make your main decision in life, namely, what is more important to you, material or spiritual development...? "Conventionally speaking, the house that you build in your material life, despite its perfection or lack thereof, is less important than the spiritual house that you are also building brick by brick, which is in a parallel world where you will sooner or later come. Hence, your priorities are much more invested in strength, health and the time of life allotted to you. The development of the soul and everything that it acquires in earthly form is the main goal. Such a transformation of your experience in life does not disappear and remains with your soul forever. That difficult experience full of all aspects of positive and negative is the heaviest burden that falls on the shoulders of everyone without exception! This experience, your decision what you consider the most important, defining for yourself is your guide to action. It clarifies what your essence is and how you ultimately appear to the people around you." Everything material is extremely important in the earthly form and it is impossible to brush it aside, but in the end it is up to you to decide where your resources and thoughts will be spent, what you will leave behind and what you will take with you...
A world-renowned conductor
“When the orchestra under the direction of Neeme Jarvi starts to sound, you can almost certainly recognize who is behind the pool. This is called a bright individuality and it manifests itself every time, no matter what orchestra he conducts. When you are in the hall where he performs or rehearses, this in itself is already a great success, because you can hear and see the one who is now the main culprit of what is happening. In this short video episode, everything I said above is very clear, audible and tangible. They will tell me, but this is the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra! And yet this is an absolutely recognizable sound of Neeme. Touching on the technique of conducting an orchestra, today he is one of the rarest true masters of this business, when the conductor really does not take on the role of the musicians to perform, but manages them, competently influences them, stimulates, provokes, encourages, leads!”
Stokowski conducts Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet
Stokowski stands as an undeniably exceptional musician and interpreter, distinguished by his individual sound and a unique sense of tempo and rhythm that renders his phrasing profoundly meaningful and deeply expressive. Listening to his interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s most popular overture, one cannot help but notice how he unveils the drama inherent in its opening—something rarely captured despite the countless technically impeccable performances that exist.
This music, familiar to the point of ubiquity, seems to gain a renewed vitality in his hands. Each turn in its development feels unexpectedly fresh, brimming with heightened expressiveness and dramatic intensity. Yet, his performance, including its unconventional ending, will undoubtedly divide listeners. Some may find it pretentious or overly mannered, and critiques of his artistic liberties—his corrections, additions, and alterations—are not uncommon.
To me, these modifications speak to something deeper: an unfulfilled creative yearning, perhaps linked to his unrealized ambitions as a composer. His extensive catalog of orchestral transcriptions only reinforces this interpretation. It raises a question worth contemplating: What ultimately defines Stokowski’s identity as an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind interpreter?
This question, of course, remains for each listener to answer in their own way.
What is the Conductor's Interpretation
(excerpt from an article).
“When you start to interpret and at the same time are firmly connected with the musical text, then no changes in it are naturally acceptable. Other elements of expressiveness are used, such as, for example, episodic changes in tempo, rubato, additional expressive articulation, highlighting or obscuring individual elements of texture, and of course, intonation and a peculiar timbre coloring inherent in this episode, melody, undertone and character as a whole. All this is intended to reveal the inner meaning and give the performance the character of a monologue, as it happened in the performance of great dramatic actors of the past. The interpretation can be conditionally divided into 3 periods. The first is your preparatory table work, when, along with mastering the text, you begin to conduct a virtual dialogue with the composer of this music, and not a passive novice, but an active interlocutor, assimilating the inner meaning and nature of the future performance of the performance. At the same time, the means of expression are revealed by themselves and the elements of musical expressiveness that you will use at the rehearsal and concert are emphasized in order to reveal the inner meaning and emphasize the features of this character of performance. The second is the rehearsal itself, when at the very first reading of the material you reveal the main elements of the character of this episode, primarily by conductor's methods, gestures, facial expressions, without resorting to a detailed lecture, and an explanation of how it should be performed in your opinion. This is, first of all, your ability as a conductor to influence musicians. The minimum words, clarifications in the pauses between the game or accompanying it should be optimally short, capacious and applicable only when specific changes, clarifications and amendments are required. Conducting a professional, highly experienced orchestra, you are first of all a musician, a leader, and not a teacher or a musicologist. And finally, the third, most responsible, summing up and the meaning of all preparation is the performance itself in a concert. This is where your ability to be both a director and an actor comes to light. Your conviction in your vision and listening to this music with your inner ear, and especially the energy that is not visible, but tangible by both musicians and the public, become the main levers of your playing and interpretation. Interpretation should not be confused or replaced with the regular cleaning of the orchestra, which no one has canceled, and which is necessary to maintain order, general tuning, coherence of playing and balance between individual performers or groups. But fortunately, this is only the necessary work of the leader of the orchestra, and the role of the interpreter and the Musician with a capital M is that decisively important feature that distinguishes one interpreter from another”.
The craft of Conducting
A conductor is not merely a profession nor a career pursuit; it is a natural calling, one that transcends the allure of fame or the authority of standing above the orchestra. It is not simply a role but a mission—a profound vocation entrusted to the rare few destined for it.
To assume the mantle of a conductor is to accept immense responsibility and, at times, a significant burden. It demands an extraordinary blend of qualities: the artistry of a master musician, the strength of character to lead, the diplomacy to unite diverse personalities, and the wit to navigate even the most challenging moments with grace.
The highest compliment a conductor can receive is not to be seen as a figure of authority but as an exceptional musician—one who inspires through artistry rather than command. In the nuanced craft of orchestral leadership, the conductor wields not just the baton but also an invisible connection, using their conducting technique and psychophysical influence to transform the orchestra into an extension of themselves, as if it were their own instrument. This rare ability achieves instant results that no amount of rehearsals or instructive lectures can replicate, saving time, resources, and the well-being of the musicians.
The greatest conductors of history are defined not only by their technical mastery but by the artistic legacy they leave behind—the unmistakable mark of genius that elevates their craft above mere competence. Their ability to unlock the profound emotional and dramatic depths of music sets them apart as visionaries.
A conductor must embody the spirit of an actor and director, channeling these qualities to interpret and bring to life the drama embedded in much of the symphonic repertoire. They must also possess the imagination of a painter, capable of crafting vibrant musical landscapes and weaving orchestral colors into a symphonic tapestry.
Above all, a conductor’s artistry must bear a unique personal intonation—a singular voice that breathes life into the music, just as the legendary singers Chaliapin, Callas, and Pavarotti imbued their performances with unmistakable individuality. It is this essence, this combination of vision, talent, and authenticity, that defines a truly great conductor.