The Cambridge Companion to Conducting

Written by many working conductors, this book considers all facets of musical conducting.

José Antonio Bowen (Edited by)

9780521527910, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 20 November 2003

368 pages, 25 b/w illus. 5 tables 19 music examples
24.4 x 17.5 x 2 cm, 0.66 kg

'… this volume clearly succeeds in providing illuminating insight, practical advice and insider information that is otherwise often unavailable in academic circles. The current volume encourages conductors, and to a certain extent scholars, to seriously examine their own music philosophies and performance concepts. It offers examples of how to rethink, retool, and make responsible and informed choices about the presentation of music to a variety of listeners. Most notably, however, this collection of essays displays the fundamental impact the conducting profession has had, and continues to have, on fostering creativity and engendering social and cultural change.' Nineteenth-Century Music Review

In this wide-ranging inside view of the history and practice of conducting, analysis and advice comes directly from working conductors, including Sir Charles Mackerras on opera, Bramwell Tovey on being an Artistic Director, Martyn Brabbins on modern music, Leon Botstein on programming and Vance George on choral conducting, and from those who work closely with conductors: a leading violinist describes working as a soloist with Stokowski, Ormandy and Barbirolli, while Solti and Abbado's studio producer explains orchestral recording, and one of the world's most powerful managers tells all. The book includes advice on how to conduct different types of groups (choral, opera, symphony, early music) and provides a substantial history of conducting as a study of national traditions. It is an unusually honest book about a secretive industry and managers, artistic directors, soloists, players and conductors openly discuss their different perspectives for the first time.

Part I. Practice: 1. The technique of conducting Raymond Holden
2. Conductors in rehearsal Charles Barber
3. Studio conduction Michael Haas
4. The conductor and the soloist Joseph Silverstein
5. Choral conducting Vance George
6. Opera conducting Sir Charles Mackerras
7. The orchestra speaks Robert L. Ripley
Part II. History: 8. The rise of conductors José Antonio Bowen
9. The central European tradition José Antonio Bowen and Raymond Holden
10. The French tradition David Cairns
11. The Italian tradition Michael Rose
12. The American tradition José Antonio Bowen and David Mermelstein
13. The English tradition Stephen Johnson
14. The Russian tradition David Nice
Part III. Issues: 15. The conductor as Artistic Director Bramwell Tovey
16. Women on the podium Michelle Edwards
17. Conducting early music Bernard Sherman
18. Training conductors Harold Faberman
19. The composer/conductor and modern music Martyn Brabbins
20. Managers and the business of conduction Stephen Wright
21. The future of conducting Leon Botstein.

Subject Areas: Techniques of music / music tutorials [AVS]