Comments on: Guardian Writer Says Conductors Are Overpaid And Not Needed http://www.soundpostnews.com/2009/10/09/guardian-writer-says-conductors-are-overpaid-and-not-needed/ Providing you with relevant news and information regarding the world of classical music Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:16:16 -0400 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Jaime Herrera http://www.soundpostnews.com/2009/10/09/guardian-writer-says-conductors-are-overpaid-and-not-needed/comment-page-1/#comment-56 Jaime Herrera Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:16:33 +0000 http://www.soundpostnews.com/?p=550#comment-56 An orchestra is like an army and a conductor is like a general - both forces essentially perform for their leader. Without the leader, there would be absolute mayhem. As for being over compensated, sure they are, but so is Anne-Sophie Mutter. An orchestra is like an army and a conductor is like a general – both forces essentially perform for their leader. Without the leader, there would be absolute mayhem. As for being over compensated, sure they are, but so is Anne-Sophie Mutter.

]]> By: Andrew http://www.soundpostnews.com/2009/10/09/guardian-writer-says-conductors-are-overpaid-and-not-needed/comment-page-1/#comment-51 Andrew Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:29:37 +0000 http://www.soundpostnews.com/?p=550#comment-51 I agree with Kev Kev... this is a horribly ignorant article on the part of Ms. Ibbotson. I also agree that the issue of conductors being overpaid is another issue that is actually worthy of being debated. I agree with Kev Kev… this is a horribly ignorant article on the part of Ms. Ibbotson.

I also agree that the issue of conductors being overpaid is another issue that is actually worthy of being debated.

]]> By: Kev Kev http://www.soundpostnews.com/2009/10/09/guardian-writer-says-conductors-are-overpaid-and-not-needed/comment-page-1/#comment-49 Kev Kev Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:52:37 +0000 http://www.soundpostnews.com/?p=550#comment-49 Well said, Ian. I went over and read the complete article and I'm fairly sure that Ms. Ibbotson really has no idea what she's talking about. That are just so many different variables in music that to make a generalization that conductors are irrelevant is simply absurd. Sure, a lot of music from the Baroque and Classical periods could be performed by an orchestra without a conductor, as was originally done. However, the further you move ahead in music history, the more you find that orchestral music was written with the knowledge that there would be a conductor at the helm. I couldn't imagine even a top-tier orchestra being able to pull off a stirring performance of a Mahler symphony without someone taking serious lead of the orchestra. There are even philosophical arguments that a conductor enhances the performance by acting as the focal point for the music, so that all of the efforts of the orchstra are focus and maximized by the conductor. The great maestri are conduits for the music . As far as conducotrs being overpaid, that's a different thing, of which I can't say I feel strongly either way. Just like great sports players, I think conductors will be paid as much as we are willing to pay for the entertainment of hearing great music. Well said, Ian. I went over and read the complete article and I’m fairly sure that Ms. Ibbotson really has no idea what she’s talking about. That are just so many different variables in music that to make a generalization that conductors are irrelevant is simply absurd. Sure, a lot of music from the Baroque and Classical periods could be performed by an orchestra without a conductor, as was originally done. However, the further you move ahead in music history, the more you find that orchestral music was written with the knowledge that there would be a conductor at the helm. I couldn’t imagine even a top-tier orchestra being able to pull off a stirring performance of a Mahler symphony without someone taking serious lead of the orchestra. There are even philosophical arguments that a conductor enhances the performance by acting as the focal point for the music, so that all of the efforts of the orchstra are focus and maximized by the conductor. The great maestri are conduits for the music .

As far as conducotrs being overpaid, that’s a different thing, of which I can’t say I feel strongly either way. Just like great sports players, I think conductors will be paid as much as we are willing to pay for the entertainment of hearing great music.

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