I wish Conductors acknowledged Composers...

[FMiguelez]

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I don't know if this gets me sad, annoyed or just mildly angry, but I really wish that conductors, as they receive people's ovations, would at least point up to the sky to remind the (usually ignorant) audience of who is really responsible for such wonders and magic (if the Composer is no longer with us).
They just proudly bow as if they felt all that greatness belonged solely to them.
Ok. I KNOW there is a symbiotic relationship between composers and conductors/players. They need each other to make music possible. But why do the latter take all the glory??

I know for a fact that there was a famous conductor who always acknowledged the composers they just played, but I don't seem able to recall who he was... it was certainly NOT Karajan

Do you think there's a grain of validity to my feelings, or am I just being too romantic about this?

[mhschmieder]

Dead on. My sister gave me a wonderful book a few years ago, called "The Maestro Myth". Much to my surprise, my favourite conductors came out looking pretty good; whilst few others remained unscathed. The author purports that conductors are essentially unnecessary, and that these days they are overpaid ego machines as they are rarely on home turf to do the actual work of prepping the orchestra for concerts (there are exceptions).

And yes, many feel that the orchestra is their instrument and they are the interpreter, and that the music is nothing until they have bloomed it to life. Yet I don't think very many concert pianists take this same attitude.

[Nigel Keay]

My wish for a conductor, if they are going to conduct my music, is less ambitious. I'll be happy if they get the tempi right and don't want to make any cuts! Actually, my experience with conductors has been black and white; the good ones were really good and the whole experience has been exhilarating and very satisfying.

I've had other less good experiences where the conductor insisted on making cuts. That's happened on two occasions, the first time where an incompetent conductor even made the cuts mid-phrase. The second occasion seemed to stem from a programming botch-up, an overly long programme, and, of course conductors build their reputations with the standard repertoire, so it's of course little consequence to them to cut a work that's being presented for the first time. On this second occasion the conductor then proceeded to take a movement way slower than indicated which completely defeated the purpose of the cut, to reduce the duration. The harmonic pacing was naturally completely upset etc. At the after-concert function I heard the conductor bragging about how good he was at making cuts(!) which was really rubbing salt into the wound...

I remember seeing a TV programme one time about Luciano Berio. A particular conductor said to him "these couple of pages seem unecessary to me, I want to cut them". LB just shook his head and said "no way".

[monkey man]

Funny, the only conductor I know is an extraordinarily humble and personable fellow.

Makes sense, as the few who're not egomaniacs have to balance the many who seemingly are.

[FMiguelez]

My wish for a conductor, if they are going to conduct my music, is less ambitious. I'll be happy if they get the tempi right and don't want to make any cuts! Actually, my experience with conductors has been black and white; the good ones were really good and the whole experience has been exhilarating and very satisfying.

I've had other less good experiences where the conductor insisted on making cuts. That's happened on two occasions, the first time where an incompetent conductor even made the cuts mid-phrase. The second occasion seemed to stem from a programming botch-up, an overly long programme, and, of course conductors build their reputations with the standard repertoire, so it's of course little consequence to them to cut a work that's being presented for the first time. On this second occasion the conductor then proceeded to take a movement way slower than indicated which completely defeated the purpose of the cut, to reduce the duration. The harmonic pacing was naturally completely upset etc. At the after-concert function I heard the conductor bragging about how good he was at making cuts(!) which was really rubbing salt into the wound...

I remember seeing a TV programme one time about Luciano Berio. A particular conductor said to him "these couple of pages seem unecessary to me, I want to cut them". LB just shook his head and said "no way".

Ouch...
I'm so sorry to hear that.

Personally, I haven't had the honor of having my music played by a real orchestra, but believe me, I can totally feel your pain. Hopefully one day you will be in the same position as Berio, so you will be able to make the director play exactly what you write, the way you want it.

You also commented about something that I'm not too crazy about: Orchestra managements seem to be so afraid of playing new repertoire by new composers. Here in Mexico, when they do, it's almost always only one modern piece, and the rest of the program consists of the traditional repertoire.
The old Masters will always be MASTERS, and I admire and respect them, but I just don't know how many more times I can listen to Mozart's 21st piano concerto, or Brahms' second symphony. GREAT music. The work of genius. BUT, we also have NEW talent and genius, and for most of these new ones it is almost impossible to get their work played (at least here), because they are always afraid that the audience will not like it, so they play it safe with the traditional pieces.

I know orchestras have a hard time surviving at all. To me, in a country like this, it is almost a miracle that we still have a few full orchestras. So I kind of understand their decisions. And, to make it worse, the notion of "playing it safe" is confirmed concert after concert. We always have sold-out tickets when they play Beethoven (of course), Mozart, etc. But, when they opt for a more "modern" program, nearly half the seats remain empty

In your case, it seems that not only it is NOT particularly easy to get your music played, but when it does then you need to put up with the crap you mentioned...
For a composer, having a conductor want to "dismiss" or cut your music, would almost be as a doctor telling a new father "I think we don't need your baby's right leg. Let's cut it out"

BTW, I see you live in Paris, but are you originally French? ( I'm just curious, because you speak good english, as opposed to most French people I know, and your name doesn't "sound" French to me).

I'd love to listen to your music. Where can I do so?

---------Duh! Never mind. I just found your website.