The conductor's visual language

The conductor's visual language and
the orchestra musicians' perception of the non-verbal communication

An R&D project on conductor gestures, communicative expression and musicians' perception of this, linked to two excerpts from central works in the orchestra literature.

Introduction

In the European symphonic orchestral tradition, conductors have developed a universal conducting language that is common to all conductors. Thus, every conductor can be understood anywhere in the world, despite the fact that all conductors seem to have their own way of "performing" this language.

This "language", or non-verbal communication, consists of everything that is perceived as communicating (or non-communicating) from a conductor, conveyed from the conductor podium to musicians, who are trying to interpret and respond appropriately and in accordance with the conductor's musical intention and will.

The structures or skeletons in this communication are the visual conducting patterns, which are basically the same from one country to another, from one tradition to the other. However, there are variations between different "conducting schools", but that does not prevent conductors from traveling from one orchestra one week to another orchestra in a completely different country the following week, in order to practice the same performance of the same conducting patterns and visual the language without having to "translate" it.

The reasons for the differences in the performance or use of this language can be many, and this is despite the fact that all conductors know how the patterns should be performed in principle. We are built differently, some conductors are large grown while others are the opposite, and this affects the visual execution of the conducting act itself. Then there are the eyes, gestures (ie. the use of arms, hands and fingers), mimicry, facial expressions, the way we stand and move.

More specifically, one can point out how to move the arms and not least how high one holds them (this does not apply to opera conducting from the orchestra pit) and how to use the gaze. I have formulated two approaches as a fundament for my research The academic approach How and to what extent will the results of my research broaden and nuance my work as a teacher of orchestral conducting, in order to facilitate the students possibility to discover and obtain their highest artistic level?

The artistic approach With reference to especially the Anatomical exercises and my work with Prof. Joseph Gifford, as described in D.1 - D.3, how and to what extent can the results of my research facilitate and enhance the communication between the conductor and the musicians in the moment, in order to create a musical interpretation on the highest level? I have collected about 100 pages of data from the interviews to be analysed. The results will be published in an academic report in addition to an article.

THE STUDY

In this study, I look at the connection between the conductor's non-verbal conveyance and the response that the orchestra gives as a consequence, with reference to the musicians' general perception of the interpretation framework for the piece.

Has the conductor, through his / her gestures* and non-verbal conveyance, emphasized and helped to reinforce and nuance the interpretation that is partly in the music itself, or is the conductor's projective presence restricting or disrupting the autonomy of the musical process?
Do the musicians perceive the gestures and musical conveyance as intentional, or do they experience a mismatch between the conductor's inner musical imagination and his / her ability to visualize the interpretation?
What does the musician want to see and respond to at a given moment or given section of a piece, that for the musicians is a well-known orchestral work? The research is exploratory, ie the survey units are few and oriented from a depth perspective. I have used qualitative method, ie interviews, in that I wanted to elicit nuanced responses related to given contexts.

I interview 7 musicians from the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, and I also let the musicians comment on various conductors who conduct similar excerpts on Youtube. This is done to support and nuance any tendencies regarding preferences for some conductors and their non-verbal communication.

*The term «gestures» includes the use of arms, (ie left arm, right arm, both) wrists, hands, fingers. For this I am using two excerpts from two orchestral works from the standard repertoire: Beethoven's Symphony no. 5, the opening of the first movement Brahms, Symphony no. 2, the opening of the 4th movement. These are both works that orchestras have on the repertoire and have played under several conductors. Some aspects I wanted to look into:

To what extent is the facial expression a reflection of one's inner music making. Is the gaze expressing a genuine musical presence, a consequence of one's musical intention, or do the musicians perceive the conductor's gaze as something superficial?
To what extent does the conductor create a constellation where the conductor’s musical initiative from the podium transfers a musical responsibility to the musicians, creating a situation where the conductor and the musicians are making music TOGETHER?
Has the conductor, through his or her gestures and non-verbal communication, emphasized and refined the interpretation that is implicit in the work, or has the conductor's musical presence to some extent disturbed the music's inner content?
Do the musicians perceive the conductor’s gestures and projection as conscious and intentional, or do the musicians experience a mismatch between the conductor's inner musical imagination and his / her ability to open up and convey his / her interpretation?

All these questions are relevant in defining the conductor's role and influence on the musical performance through non-verbal communication. This applies both in connection with rehearsals and in concert. The project was expected to be completed in December 2019. Due to unforseen circumstances combined with the fact that the analysis of more than 100 pages of data has taken more time than expected, the study will be completed in the Autumn term 2020.

Case Study

Beethoven Symphony No. 5, the opening of the 1st movement

This opening is demanding for the conductors, both musically and technically. Through these iconic bars, we gain insight into Beethoven's will and personality, not to say fate.

In the survey I question the following concerning the Beethoven extract:

In what way and to what extent does the conductor distort this through his / her gestures, gaze and musical presence?
How is this experienced by each musician?
In what way does the conductor’s influence interact within the instrument group and between the instrumental groups?

Brahms, Symphony No. 2, the opening of the 4th movement

This movement opens with a melody that may seem atypical to a romantic style due to its unison and chordal orientation. This gives the melody a "flat" expression, devoid of the archaic agogic that one would expect in a romantic melody. However, this context is of course concioulsy worked out on purpose by Brahms. This is set against the explosive contrasting transition in bar 23, before the monumental return of the main theme.

In the survey I question the following about the Brahms extract:

How do conductors treat this melodic condensation?
How is the intensity sustained through the long phrase, despite the static course of the melody?
In what way and to what extent does the conductor distort this through his /her gestures, gaze and musical presence? How is this experienced by each musician?
In what way does the conductor’s influence interact within the instrument group and between the instrumental groups?

The conductor's visual language and the orchestra musicians' perception of the non-verbal communication

THE STUDY

In this study, I look at the connection between the conductor's non-verbal conveyance and the response that the orchestra gives as a consequence, with reference to the musicians' general perception of the interpretation framework for the piece.

Has the conductor, through his / her gestures* and non-verbal conveyance, emphasized and helped to reinforce and nuance the interpretation that is partly in the music itself, or is the conductor's projective presence restricting or disrupting the autonomy of the musical process?

Do the musicians perceive the gestures and musical conveyance as intentional, or do they experience a mismatch between the conductor's inner musical imagination and his / her ability to visualize the interpretation?

To what extent is the facial expression a reflection of one's inner music making. Is the gaze expressing a genuine musical presence, a consequence of one's musical intention, or do the musicians perceive the conductor's gaze as something superficial?

To what extent does the conductor create a constellation where the conductor’s musical initiative from the podium transfers a musical responsibility to the musicians, creating a situation where the conductor and the musicians are making music TOGETHER?

Has the conductor, through his or her gestures and non-verbal communication, emphasized and refined the interpretation that is implicit in the work, or has the conductor's musical presence to some extent disturbed the music's inner content?

Do the musicians perceive the conductor’s gestures and projection as conscious and intentional, or do the musicians experience a mismatch between the conductor's inner musical imagination and his / her ability to open up and convey his / her interpretation?

Case Study

In what way and to what extent does the conductor distort this through his / her gestures, gaze and musical presence?

How is this experienced by each musician?

In what way does the conductor’s influence interact within the instrument group and between the instrumental groups?

How do conductors treat this melodic condensation?

How is the intensity sustained through the long phrase, despite the static course of the melody?

In what way and to what extent does the conductor distort this through his /her gestures, gaze and musical presence? How is this experienced by each musician?

In what way does the conductor’s influence interact within the instrument group and between the instrumental groups?

The conductor's visual language and
the orchestra musicians' perception of the non-verbal communication