| The Silent Musician: Why Conducting Matters Contributor(s): Wigglesworth, Mark (Author) |
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ISBN: 022662255X ISBN-13: 9780226622552 Publisher: University of Chicago Press OUR PRICE: $23.75 Product Type: Hardcover Published: March 2019 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Music | Instruction & Study - Conducting - Music | Genres & Styles - Classical |
| Dewey: 781.45 |
| LCCN: 2018042648 |
| Physical Information: 1" H x 6.2" W x 9.1" (1.05 lbs) 264 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: The conductor--tuxedoed, imposingly poised above an orchestra, baton waving dramatically--is a familiar figure even for those who never set foot in an orchestral hall. As a veritable icon for classical music, the conductor has also been subjected to some ungenerous caricatures, presented variously as unhinged gesticulator, indulged megalomaniac, or even outright impostor. Consider, for example: Bugs Bunny as Leopold Stokowski, dramatically smashing his baton and then breaking into erratic poses with a forbidding intensity in his eyes, or Mickey Mouse in Fantasia, unwittingly conjuring dangerous magic with carefree gestures he doesn't understand. As these clich s betray, there is an aura of mystery around what a conductor actually does, often coupled with disbelief that he or she really makes a difference to the performance we hear. The Silent Musician deepens our understanding of what conductors do and why they matter. Neither an instruction manual for conductors, nor a history of conducting, the book instead explores the role of the conductor in noiselessly shaping the music that we hear. Writing in a clever, insightful, and often evocative style, world-renowned conductor Mark Wigglesworth deftly explores the philosophical underpinnings of conducting--from the conductor's relationship with musicians and the music, to the public and personal responsibilities conductors face--and examines the subtler components of their silent art, which include precision, charisma, diplomacy, and passion. Ultimately, Wigglesworth shows how conductors--by simultaneously keeping time and allowing time to expand--manage to shape ensemble music into an immersive, transformative experience, without ever making a sound. |
Contributor Bio(s): Wigglesworth, Mark: - Mark Wigglesworth is an internationally renowned and Olivier Award-winning conductor. He has written articles for the Guardian and the Independent and made a six-part TV series for the BBC entitled Everything to Play For. He is currently the principal guest conductor of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. |