berlioz the orchestral conductor. theory of his art

7/30/2019 Berlioz the Orchestral Conductor. Theory of His Art

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The Orchestral Conductor. Theory of His ArtAuthor(s): Hector BerliozReviewed work(s):Source: The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol. 7, No. 159 (May 1, 1856), pp. 227-230Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3370919 .

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THE MUSICAL TIMES.-MAY 1, 1856.TH E MUSICAL TIMES, singer before the end of a phrase, they exclaim:-n.fingingTa (irniular)


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THE MUSICAL TIMES.-MAY 1, 1856.warms them, his electric glow electrifies them, his proof, in seeing how old operas are given in townsforce of impulse excites them; he throws around him where the traditional mode of performanceno longerthe vital irradiationsof Musical Art. If he be inert exists. In ten different kinds of time, there willand frozen, on the contrary, he paralyses all about always be at least four taken wrongly. I once heardhim, like those floating masses of the polar seas, the a chorus of Iphigenia in Tauride performed in aapproach of which is perceived from the sudden German theatreallegro assai, two in the bar, insteadcooling of the atmosphere. of allegro non troppo, four in the bar; that is toHis task is a complicated one. He has not only say, exactly twice too fast. Examples might beto conduct, in the spirit of the author's intentions, a multiplied of such disasters, occasioned either bywork with which the performershave alreadybecome the ignorance or the carelessness of conductorsofacquainted, but he has also to give them this ac- orchestras; or else by the real difficultywhich existsquaintance, when a work is in question that is for even the best-gifted and most careful men, tonew to them. He has to criticise the errors and discover the precise meaning of the Italian termsdefects of each, during the rehearsals, and to organise used as indications of the time to be taken. Ofthe resources at his disposal in such a way as to de- course no one can be at a loss to distinguish a Largorive the best use he can of them, with the utmost from a Presto. If the Presto be two in a bar, apromptitude. For, in the majority of European tolerablysagacious conductor,from inspection of thecities now.a-days, Musical Artizanship is so ill dis- passagesand melodial designs contained in the piece,tributed, performers so ill paid, and the necessity will be able to trace the degree of quicknessintendedof study so little understood, that economy of time by the author. But if the Largo be four in a bar, ofshould be reckoned among the most imperative simple melodial structure, and containing but fewrequisites of the orchestral conductor's art. notes in each bar, what means would the haplessLet us now examine what forms the mechanical conductor have of discovering the true time ? Andpart of this art. in how many ways might he not be deceived ? TheThe talent of beater of the time, without de- different degrees of slowness that might be assignedmanding very high musical attainments, is never- to the performanceof such a Largo are very nume-theless sufficiently difficult to obtain; and very few rous; the individual feeling of the orchestral con-persons really possess it. The signs that the conductor must thence become the sole authority; andductor should make,-although generally very simple after all, it is the author'sfeeling, and not his, which-nevertheless become complicated under certain is in question. Composers therefore ought not tocircumstances, by the division and even the subdivi- neglect placing metronome indications in theirsion of the time of the bar. works; and orchestral conductorsare bound to studyThe conductor, above all, is bound to possess a them closely. The neglect of this study on the partclear idea of the principal points and character of of the latter, is an act of dishonesty.the work of which he is about to superintend the I will now suppose the conductor to be perfectlyperformanceorstudy; in order that he may, without well acquainted with the times of the differenthesitation or mistake, at once determine the time of movements in the work of which he is about toeach movement desired by the composer. If he have conduct the performanceor rehearsals; he wishes tonot had the opportunity of receiving his instructions impart to the musicians acting under his orders, thedirectly from this latter, or if the times have not rhythmical feeling within him, to decide the durationbeen transmitted to him by tradition, he must have of each bar, and to cause the uniform observance ofrecourse to the indications of the metronome, and this duration by all the performers. Now, this pre-study them well; the majority of composers having cision and this uniformity can only be established innow a-days the precaution to write them at the head the more or less numerousassemblage of band andand in the course of their pieces. I do not mean by chorus, by means of certain signs made by theirthis to say that it is necessary to imitate the mathe- conductor.matical regularity of the metronome; all music so These signs indicate the principal divisions, theperformed would become of freezing stiffness, and accents of the bar, and, in many cases, the subdivi-I even doubt whether it would be possible to observe sions, and the half-accents. I need hardly here ex-so flat a uniformity during a certain number of bars. plain what is meant by the ' accents' (accented andBut the metronome is none the less excellent to unaccented partsof abar); I am pre-supposing thatconsult, in order to know the original time, and its I address musicians.chief alterations. The orchestral conductor generally uses a smallIf the conductor possess neither the author's lighlt stick, of about a foot in length, and ratlerinstructions, tradition, nor metronomeindications,- whitish than of a dark colour (it is seen better),which frequently happens in the ancient master- which he holds in his right hand, to make clearlypieces, written at a period when the metronomewas distinct his mode of marking the commencement,not invented,-he has no other guide than. he vague the interior division, and the close of each bar. Theterms employed to designate the time to be taken, bow, employedby someviolinist-conductors(leaders),and his own instinct; his feeling-more or less dis- is less suitable than the stick. It is somewhat flex-tinguishing, more or less just-of the author'sstyle. ible; this want of rigidity, and the slight resistanceWe are compelled to admit, that these guides aretoo it also offersto the air, on account of its appendageoften insufficient and delusive. Of this we have of hair, render its indications less precise.

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THE MUSICAL TIMES.-MAY 1, 1856.The simplestof all times,-two in a bar,--is likewise beaten imply.The arm and the stick of the conductorbeingraised, o that his hand is on a level with his headhe marksthe first beat,by droppingthe point o

his stick perpendicularlyromup to down 2(by the bendingof his wrist, as much as Wpossible; and not by loweringthe wholearm),and the secondbeatby raisingper-pendicularly the stick by a contrarygesture.Thetime-one inabar-being inreality, 1and particularlyor the conductor,but the time oltwo in a barextremelyrapid,shouldbe beatenlikethe preceding. As the conductors obligedto raisethe pointof his stick,afterhavinglowered t, more-overnecessarilydivides this into two portions.In thetime-four in a bar-the first gesture,from up to down, is universally adoptedformarkingthe firstaccentedpart, tlie commence-ment of the bar. r1The secondmovementmadeby the conducting-stick,from right to left, rising, X indicatesthe secondbeat (first unaccentedpart). A third,transversely,romleft to right, )> >- indicatesthe thirdbeat (secondaccentedpart); anda fourth,obliquely, from down to up, indicates the fourthbeat(secondunaccented art). The combinationfthesefourgesturesmaybe figured hus:-

4+ It is of importancethat the conductor, indeliveringthus his dif-ferentdirections, hould%2H 3>_3 not movehis armmuch;and consequently,notallow his stick to pass\ 1"v over much space; for.1each of these gesturesI shouldoperatenearly n-stantaneously;or at least,takebutsoslight a move-ment as to be imperceptible. If this movementbecomeperceptible,on the contrary,multipliedbythe numberof timesthatthis gesture s repeated,tendsby throwingthe conductorbehindhand n thetime he is beating,and by giving to his conductinga tardiness hatproves njurious. This defect,more-over,hasthe resultof needlessly atiguingthe con-ductor, and of producing exaggeratedevolutions,verging on the ridiculous,which attractthe spec-tators'attention,and become very disagreeableowitness.In the time,three in a bar,the firstgesturemadefromup to down, s likewiseuniver-sally adopted, or markingthe firstbeat; but there are two ways of 2markinghesecond. The majorityoforchestralconductors indicateit by T /a gesturefrom eft to right; thus:- 1 41

9Iyf

f]IF

3

Some GermanKapel-meistersdo the contrary;andcarry he stickfromrightto left; thus:-B This way has the disadvantage,-2 when the conductor urns his backto the orchestra,as takes place intheatres,-of permittingonlya small-number of musicians to perceive1 the very importantndicationof thesecondbeat; the bodyof the conductor henhidingthemovement f hisarm. The othermethodof pro-ceeding s preferable;sincethe conductorstretcheshis arm outwards,withdrawingt from his chest;and his stick,which he takes care to raise slightlyabove the level of his shoulder,remainsperfectlyvisible to all eyes. WVhenhe conductorfacestheplayers,t is immaterialwhetherhe mark he secondbeatto the right, or to the left.However hatmaybe, the thirdbeat of the time,

threein a bar, s alwaysmarked ike the last of thetime, four in a bar; by an oblique movementupwards.2w

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or2or 21The times,-five and seven in a bar,--would bemore comprehensible for the performers, if, insteadof indicating them by a particular series of gestures,they were treated as though the one were composedof three and two in a bar, and the other composedof four and three. 5

Then, these timeswould Mbe beaten hus:- -_ 2

941Exampleof seven in a bar:-

These different times, in order to be divided inthis way, are assumed to belong to movements ofmoderate measure. It would not hold good, if theirmeasure were either very quick or very slow.

II

II

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THE MUSICAL TIMES.-MAY 1, 1856.HE MUSICAL TIMES.-MAY 1, 1856.The time, two in a bar, I have already signified,cannot be beaten otherwise than as we have beforeseen-whatever its degree of rapidity. But if, as anexception, it should be very slow, the conductorought to subdivide it.A time, four in a bar, very rapid, on the contrary,should be beaten two in a bar; the four accustomedgestures of a moderate movement becoming then sohurried, as to present nothing decided to the eye,and serving only to confuse the performerinstead ofgiving him confidence. Moreover,-and this is ofmuch more consequence,-the conductor, by makinguselessly these four gestures in a quick movement,renders the pace of the rhythm awkward, and losesthe freedom of gesture which a simple division ofthe time into its half, would leave him.Generally speaking, composersare wrong to write,in such a case, the indication of the time as four ina bar. When the movement is very brisk, theyshould never write any other than the sign (, andnot that of C, which might lead the conductorinto error. 3It is exactly the same for the time, three ~in a bar, fast 3, or 3. Then, the gestureof the second beat must be omitted; and,by remaining the periodof a beat longer onthe first, only raise the stick at the third. y A1&2It would be absurd to attempt to beat the three ina bar of one of Beethoven's scherzos.The contrary is the case for these two times, asfor that of two in a bar. If the movement be veryslow, each time must be divided; and consequentlyeight gestures must be made for the time, four in abar, and six for the time, three in a bar, repeating(and shortening) each of the principal gestures wehave before instanced.

The time, two in a bar, I have already signified,cannot be beaten otherwise than as we have beforeseen-whatever its degree of rapidity. But if, as anexception, it should be very slow, the conductorought to subdivide it.A time, four in a bar, very rapid, on the contrary,should be beaten two in a bar; the four accustomedgestures of a moderate movement becoming then sohurried, as to present nothing decided to the eye,and serving only to confuse the performerinstead ofgiving him confidence. Moreover,-and this is ofmuch more consequence,-the conductor, by makinguselessly these four gestures in a quick movement,renders the pace of the rhythm awkward, and losesthe freedom of gesture which a simple division ofthe time into its half, would leave him.Generally speaking, composersare wrong to write,in such a case, the indication of the time as four ina bar. When the movement is very brisk, theyshould never write any other than the sign (, andnot that of C, which might lead the conductorinto error. 3It is exactly the same for the time, three ~in a bar, fast 3, or 3. Then, the gestureof the second beat must be omitted; and,by remaining the periodof a beat longer onthe first, only raise the stick at the third. y A1&2It would be absurd to attempt to beat the three ina bar of one of Beethoven's scherzos.The contrary is the case for these two times, asfor that of two in a bar. If the movement be veryslow, each time must be divided; and consequentlyeight gestures must be made for the time, four in abar, and six for the time, three in a bar, repeating(and shortening) each of the principal gestures wehave before instanced.

Exampleof fourin abar,veryslow:Exampleof fourin abar,veryslow:

4

2> y 3

1

4

2> y 3

1

Example of three in a bar,very slow:Exampleof three in a bar,very slow:

3

/r 2/A\

Y-T

3

/r 2/A\

Y-T1The arm should remain wholly unaiding to thelittle supplementary gesture, instanced for the sub-division of the bar; merely the wrist causing thestick to move.(To be continued.)

1The arm should remain wholly unaiding to thelittle supplementary gesture, instanced for the sub-division of the bar; merely the wrist causing thestick to move.(To be continued.)

MUSICAMONG THE POETS AND POETICAL WRITERS.

By MARY COWDENCLARKE.(Continued from page 214.)" Sweet music has been heard

In many places;-some has been upstirr'dFrom out its crystaldwelling in a lake,By a swan'sebon bill; froma thick brake,Nested and quiet in a valley mild,Bubblesa pipe; fine soundsare floatingwildAbout the earth."-Keats.American farm sounds, out-door and in-door, arechronicled in the following passages :-

"Patiently stood the cowsmeanwhile, and yielded theiruddersUnto the milkmaid's hand; whilst loud and in regularcadenceInto the sounding pail the foamingstreamletsdescended.Lowing of cattle and peals of laughterwere heard in thefarm-yard,Echoed backby the barns. Anon they sank into stillness;Heavily closed, with a creaking sound, the valves of thebarn-doors,Rattled the woodenbars, and all for a seasonwas silent.* * * * *Fragments of song the old man sang, and carols ofChristmas,Such as at home, in the olden time, his fathersbeforehimSang to their Norman orchardsand bright Burgundianvineyards.Closeat her father's sidewasthe gentle Evangelineseated,Spinningflax forthe loom, that stoodin the cornerbehindher:Silent awhile were its treadles, at rest was its diligent

shuttle,While the monotonousdrone of the wheel, like the droneof a bagpipe,Followed the old man's song, and united the fragmentstogether.As in a church, when the chant of the choir at intervalsceases,Footfallsare heard in the aisles, or wordsof the priestatthe altar,So, in each pauseof the song, with measuredmotion, theclock clicked."-Longfellow."The unnumber'doundshatevening tore;The songs of birds-the whisp'ringof the leaves-The voice of waters-the greatbell that heavesWith solemn sound,-and thousandothersmore,That distanceof recognizancebereaves,Make pleasing music, and not wild uproar."-Keats.

"It is the hour when fromthe boughsThe nightingale'shigh note is heard;It is the hourwhen lovers' vowsSeem sweet in every whisper'dword;And gentle winds, and watersnear,Makemusic to the lonely ear."-Byron."I* have sent through the wood-pathsa gentle sigh,And call'd out each voice of the deep-bluesky,From the night-bird's ay through the starry-time,In the groves of the soft Hesperianclime,To the swan'swild note by the Iceland lakes,When the darkfir-bough nto verdure breaks."Irs. Hemans.

(Continued on page 235.)K The Spring.

MUSICAMONG THE POETS AND POETICAL WRITERS.

By MARY COWDENCLARKE.(Continued from page 214.)" Sweet music has been heard

In many places;-some has been upstirr'dFrom out its crystaldwelling in a lake,By a swan'sebon bill; froma thick brake,Nested and quiet in a valley mild,Bubblesa pipe; fine soundsare floatingwildAbout the earth."-Keats.American farm sounds, out-door and in-door, arechronicled in the following passages :-

"Patiently stood the cowsmeanwhile, and yielded theiruddersUnto the milkmaid's hand; whilst loud and in regularcadenceInto the sounding pail the foamingstreamletsdescended.Lowing of cattle and peals of laughterwere heard in thefarm-yard,Echoed backby the barns. Anon they sank into stillness;Heavily closed, with a creaking sound, the valves of thebarn-doors,Rattled the woodenbars, and all for a seasonwas silent.* * * * *Fragments of song the old man sang, and carols ofChristmas,Such as at home, in the olden time, his fathersbeforehimSang to their Norman orchardsand bright Burgundianvineyards.Closeat her father's sidewasthe gentle Evangelineseated,Spinningflax forthe loom, that stoodin the cornerbehindher:Silent awhile were its treadles, at rest was its diligent

shuttle,While the monotonousdrone of the wheel, like the droneof a bagpipe,Followed the old man's song, and united the fragmentstogether.As in a church, when the chant of the choir at intervalsceases,Footfallsare heard in the aisles, or wordsof the priestatthe altar,So, in each pauseof the song, with measuredmotion, theclock clicked."-Longfellow."The unnumber'doundshatevening tore;The songs of birds-the whisp'ringof the leaves-The voice of waters-the greatbell that heavesWith solemn sound,-and thousandothersmore,That distanceof recognizancebereaves,Make pleasing music, and not wild uproar."-Keats.

"It is the hour when fromthe boughsThe nightingale'shigh note is heard;It is the hourwhen lovers' vowsSeem sweet in every whisper'dword;And gentle winds, and watersnear,Makemusic to the lonely ear."-Byron."I* have sent through the wood-pathsa gentle sigh,And call'd out each voice of the deep-bluesky,From the night-bird's ay through the starry-time,In the groves of the soft Hesperianclime,To the swan'swild note by the Iceland lakes,When the darkfir-bough nto verdure breaks."Irs. Hemans.

(Continued on page 235.)K The Spring.

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berlioz the orchestral conductor. theory of his art

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