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Conducting is certainly the most challenging, musically all-encompassing, and intricate of the innumerable subjects that establish the playing field for musical performance. As the most important requirement, the conductor keeps the script in his or her thoughts during practices and shows, memorizing how every note and harmony were put together and scored by the transcript (Meier 309). A conductor has to demonstrate his or her temper and exhibit a wide-ranging variety of moods. The orchestra players will hold back if they do not see the conductor expressing his very soul through his body (Seaman 88).
The abilities that are mandatory in conducting at the top levels are anything but easy to attain—and many conductors fail to ever reach them at all. Indeed, what the audience often recognizes as the charm and the magnificence of the baton is the result of the conductor’s countless years of thorough training and constant effort, not counting natural talent, of course. Though necessary, talent alone is not sufficient to achieve success as a conductor—no matter how much talent a person has, it has to be cultivated, fostered, and polished (Schuller 6). Ultimately, an effective conductor must retain a complete assortment of different aptitudes and obtain a broad and profound understanding of the music that goes further than what is required of any other kind of performer; moreover, all of these qualities have to be embraced in a spirit of humility before the art of music that comprises a deep adoration for and solid pledge to ministering that art.
As seen in his performance, Kleiber is an exceptional conductor, even outstanding, and he can rightfully be called a sensation (Samuel van Swol). This high praise does not mean that he is a flawless conductor, but he has several amazing characteristics that make him a significant representative of the art of leisure and performance. His conducting skill and body language are not only amazingly easy to read but incredibly open and supple. From moment to moment, Kleiber puts his baton down, seeming as if he’s done conducting because he wants to enjoy listening to the orchestra playing. But instead, he gives his orchestra signs and instructions with his body language. His conducting represents a creativeness and lateral thinking to which the key is the diversity of his signals. His gesticulations are typically brief, vibrant, and well timed—not to mention to the fact that Kleiber almost never conducts using the same gestures from previous performances, as his performance is never prepared in advance. He is an improviser who has limitlessly different ways of signifying himself.
Kleiber is not only an exciting conductor, but he also embodies a show that is worth seeing. He is careful about what he decides to emphasize by his signs to the orchestra and the audience. Kleiber is effectively conveying his ideas to the ensemble as this conductor’s gestural “vocabulary” is beyond comprehension; he looks like a magician with magic wand in hand as he conducts the orchestra with excellent grip and with such a delight of musical creation, moving smoothly from moments of relaxation to fervent and nearly euphoric outbreaks, that the audience can only express approval in astonishment. The best part of his performance is the feeling of effortlessness and sureness in what he does.
It is hard to overemphasize the surprising change in the score that was completed by Kleiber. Undoubtedly, it is uncommon to listen to opera conducting of such aptitude and solicitude (Said 115). Considering the fact that being an average conductor is not easy and being a great conductor is nearly impossible, it’s worth mentioning that sometimes musicians don’t have respect for the conductors who just can’t keep up. The story goes that one day a leading tenor took the baton from a conductor who was falling behind and started to direct the orchestra himself. It is a well-known fact that members of professional orchestras regularly experience negative feelings towards conductors (Krause 34). But this was not the case for Kleiber. He became a respected conductor and proved his authority over many years; most importantly, he gained respect in a classy manner, unlike some of his pushy and arrogant colleagues.
In conclusion, the amount of work done by conductors is enormous, and conductors deserve audience respect and recognition as much as the orchestra members. In this performance, Kleiber’s vision is the perfect example of mastery in the field of conducting. His interpretation of Mozart shines with warmth and feeling, in contrast to the many more cut and dry conductors. In Kleiber’s hands, this piece is an undeniably uplifting and magnificent work of art as he brings the luxury of confidence and ease to the symphony. Kleiber was a conductor of diverse talents with a deep knowledge and understanding of his work, but his most important attributes were his profound love for and unswerving commitment to serving the art of music, both of which are evident during his moving performance.
Works Cited
Krause, Ken. Music Is a Difficult Instrument: That’s My Opinion. Chicago, IL: XLIBRIS, 2013. Print.
Meier, Gustav. The Score, the Orchestra, and the Conductor. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.
Said, Edward W. Music at The Limits. New York: Columbia University Press, 2008. Print.
Samuel van Swol. “Carlos Kleiber Mozart Symphony No 36 Brahms Symphony No 2”. Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 2016. Web.
Schuller, Gunther. Compleat Conductor. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.
Seaman, Christopher. Inside Conducting. Rochester, NY: Boydell and Brewer Limited, 2013. Print.
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