# Entertaining conductors



## Rondo

If you have seen videos of various conductors (either on Youtube or DVD, or elsewhere) you'll notice that there is not only a lot of variation in the performances and interpretation but also in their style of conducting. Some conductors are very energetic, while others aren't. And, most interestingly, with many, you would never guess how they are conducting just by listening to the performance alone. As many people know, they are often a different person in rehearsal. Futhermore, some conductors are just as entertaining when the volume is on "mute". 

Aside from performances and degree of musical perfection, some of the conductors I have noticed to be the most entertaining to watch are Seiji Ozawa and Carlos Kleiber. They both seem to have their own style--as most do. Who some others which spring to mind? 

I know this seems like an "off the wall" topic, but I have been thinking about it for a while. When you buy a DVD of a performance (the few of you out there who still do) or watch a video on Youtube, it is, in some cases, part of the fun in watching it.


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## David C Coleman

Oh! surely Mr. Bernstein must be up there somehwere. As for more modern conductors, have you seen the facial grimmaces from Simon Rattle??....


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## shsherm

Frederick Fennell was a very entertaining conductor. He would discuss the music either before or after the music was played. He was the occasional conductor of the Dallas Wind Symphony and the conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble. He died about three years ago.


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## Moldyoldie

I like watching Karajan conduct; he wouldn't mark the beat so much as "stir the ingredients", so to speak -- it's the way I "air conduct" at home. There are those who express contempt toward his practice of conducting with his head bowed and eyes closed, but I see it as a show of reverence to both the music and the orchestra as well as a byproduct of intense rehearsal.

Frankly, I find most conductors a bore to watch and would just as soon close or avert my eyes and concentrate on hearing what he/she and the musicians are conjuring or cooking up. After all, the performance is about the music, right? I'm guessing the majority of conductors would prefer it that way, but I'd have no way of knowing.


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## Rondo

David C Coleman said:


> have you seen the facial grimmaces from Simon Rattle??....


LOL yes, I have, now that you bring it up. He also twitches his fingers very rapidly during the long string passages of a song. Nevertheless, he is a pretty good conductor.

As for Bernstein, there is talent there, as well. In addition to Daniel Barenboim, he is the only conductor I've seen conduct while at the same time playing solo piano.


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## opus67

David C Coleman said:


> As for more modern conductors, have you seen the facial grimmaces from Simon Rattle??....





Rondo said:


> LOL yes, I have, now that you bring it up. He also twitches his fingers very rapidly during the long string passages of a song. Nevertheless, he is a pretty good conductor.


 Reminds of the video of Rach's Paganini variations. Look at him "jump on spot" during the opening. (and the blinking, too!)






I'm not sure if it's Ms.Podger or Mr.Manze conducting, but it sure seems like he is conducting with his head. 





(I realise that it is no mean task to play as a soloist and conduct, but that video sometimes makes me laugh.)


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## Rondo

If you think that is good conducting, check out Ozawa in this performance:




(Bare with the introductions and watch the performance)

But, considering all the crazy conducting we are talking about, it could be a lot worse:


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## David C Coleman

Rondo said:


> If you think that is good conducting, check out Ozawa in this performance:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Bare with the introductions and watch the performance)
> 
> Yes, I see what you mean...I haven't seen him for a while now..is he still director in charge of something these days???..


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## opus67

Rondo said:


> If you think that is good conducting, check out Ozawa in this performance:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Bare with the introductions and watch the performance)


I've seen that before.



> But, considering all the crazy conducting we are talking about, it could be a lot worse:


But _that_, I'm not sure.  I might have, a long time ago. I'll be watching that after the somewhat long playlist of mine is over. Thanks.


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## Allfredo Kultura

I've always thought Zubin Mehta very entertaining to watch.

AK


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## Atabey

How about Gergiev and his toothpick?


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## Rondo

Atabey said:


> How about Gergiev and his toothpick?


I never noticed he was holding a toothpick...I just thought he was a baton-less conductor like Ozawa. Here he is with it. A few times in that video, it looked as if he came close to poking his eye out with it. OUCH!


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## Rachovsky

Atabey said:


> How about Gergiev and his toothpick?


I still don't quite understand why he uses that tiny little thing. He gets along fine with his hand it seems. I can be sitting at home alone watching him and feel embarrassed for him since he tends to produce a lot of sweat while at the same time shaking that little thing around.



> have you seen the facial grimmaces from Simon Rattle??....


Ugh, I've noticed them and they actually hinder my listening of the performances. His Mahler is especially annoying; he's a proto-Bernstein.

The most entertaining conductors I would say for me are Gustavo Dudamel (don't hate me), Esa-Pekka Salonen (love the way he strikes the baton like he's stabbing somebody), and my first love, Herbert von Karajan (no comment needed ).


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## mueske

Barenboim can be pretty funny... The faces he made on this years new years concert were hilarious at times.


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## Rondo

mueske said:


> Barenboim can be pretty funny... The faces he made on this years new years concert were hilarious at times.


You should see the one Ozawa conducted a while back.


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## PostMinimalist

The funniest conductor I've worked under is Jerzy Maksimiuk! He knows hardly any English so he babbles on is the most hilarious incomprehensible polish/english. He has a sort of stutter and gets very excited very easily. I wish I had some footage of him rehearsing with the BBCSSO in the 80's.

I found a photo which is almost certainly from that period. Note the tartan Cummerbund!


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## confuoco

Bernstein and Dudamel.

Do you know video of Bernstein "conducting" without hands?





 - from 3:48

And the least entertaining conductor ever is Celibidache I guess :-D


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## Atabey

Celi is entertaining.It depends on which way you look at him.If you take him serious his style or baton technique or music he makes is definitely the least entertaining of all i encountered.However he is the most fun conductor to mock.


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## Atabey

Carlos Kleiber is also quite entertaining to watch.There is a Youtube video of him conducting Bavarian State Orchestra in J.Strauss II's Unter Donner und Blitz polka.Wonderful...


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## Atabey

Rachovsky said:


> , and my first love, Herbert von Karajan (no comment needed ).


Ah,those closed eyes and beautiful geometric shapes he draws with his arms.Herbie is entertaining no doubt...


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## confuoco

Atabey said:


> Celi is entertaining.It depends on which way you look at him.If you take him serious his style or baton technique or music he makes is definitely the least entertaining of all i encountered.However he is the most fun conductor to mock.


 Good remark, maybe he is the most entertaining in a sense.


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## Rondo

Atabey said:


> ... beautiful geometric shapes he draws with his arms....


Reminds me of another famous conductor who has very deliberate, and almost robotic arm movements. The name escapes me...


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## World Violist

confuoco said:


> Do you know video of Bernstein "conducting" without hands?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> - from 3:48


Haha! Only Bernstein would have the sheer nerve to conduct with only his face!


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## Rondo

World Violist said:


> Haha! Only Bernstein would have the sheer nerve to conduct with only his face!


(I certainly hope I'm not starting a tidal wave with this)

Barenboim has also conducted somewhat in that manner: no hands, only facial expressions.


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## YsayeOp.27#6

What about Mr. Gulda?


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## Atabey

C.Kleiber did the only eyes thing in his two Vienna New Year's Concerts.


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## opus67

Rondo said:


> I never noticed he was holding a toothpick...I just thought he was a baton-less conductor like Ozawa. Here he is with it. A few times in that video, it looked as if he came close to poking his eye out with it. OUCH!


[Off-topic] That video just made me want to explore Shosti symphonies. Thanks.


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## david johnson

john philip sousa and solti.

dj


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## shsherm

Fritz Reiner was the conductor I saw with the least movement. He was almost immobile.


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## World Violist

shsherm said:


> Fritz Reiner was the conductor I saw with the least movement. He was almost immobile.


I've seen Youtube videos of Reiner, but it featured none of the "postage stamp" conducting I hear about... the rest of his body is totally immobile, yes, but his right arm gives very pronounced down-beats.


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## JTech82

Has anyone ever seen Gunter Wand conduct? It's pretty funny. While the music is good, because he's one of the greats, he is funny to watch in his later years, because he looks like he's about fall asleep. then all of sudden his eyes open as if somebody had just poured hot water down his pants.


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## opus67

JTech82 said:


> Has anyone ever seen Gunter Wand conduct? It's pretty funny. While the music is good, because he's one of the greats, he is funny to watch in his later years, because he looks like he's about fall asleep. then all of sudden his eyes open as if somebody had just poured hot water down his pants.


Quite. Yet he is said to have been a master at conducting Bruckner.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=wand+bruckner&search=Search


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## spatny

I always like watching Gianandrea Noseda. He always reminds me of John Cleese playing Basil Fawlty. Honestly, its very entertaining to watch, and he is a great conductor too.


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