Journal of the Conductors Guild Volume 22, Nos. 1 & 2 Winter/Spring - Summer/Fall 2001 6219 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660 Table of Contents T: (773) 764-7563; F: (773) 764-7564 Commentary page 1 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] The Metronome Indications in page 2 Website: www.conductorsguild.org Beethoven’s Symphonies by Max Rudolf Officers Harlan Parker, President Tonu Kalam, Secretary A Pilot Study of the Expressive page 14 Emily Freeman Brown, President-elect Frederick Peter Morden, Treasurer Gestures Used by Classical Michael Griffith, Vice-President Wes Kenney, Past-President Orchestra Conductors Board of Directors by Thüring Bräm and Penny Boyes Braem Virginia A. Allen Jonathan D. Green* Lawrence L. Smith Beauty’s Plea: An Introduction page 30 Henry Bloch* Murray Gross Mariusz Smolij to the Music of William Alwyn Glenn Block Alan Harler Jonathan Sternberg* by Brian Murphy Mark Cedel Thomas Joiner Alton Thompson Charles P. Conrad* Anthony LaGruth Diane M. Wittry Organizing and Conducting page 45 William H. Curry Michael Luxner Burton Zipser* the College-Community Orchestra Sandra Dackow Kirk Muspratt * ex-officio Allan Dennis Melinda O’Neal by Victor Vallo Jr. Robert Freeman Mark Scatterday Advisory Council A Study of Student Community page 51 Orchestras in the United States Adrian Gnam Charles Ansbacher Donald Portnoy and Canada Michael Charry Samuel Jones Barbara Schubert by Dr. Lynn Schenbeck and Sergiu Comissiona Daniel Lewis Gunther Schuller Harold Farberman Larry Newland Rebecca Jones Rose Lukas Foss Maurice Peress Engaging the Head Voice: page 66 Theodore Thomas Award Winners Simple Exercises for Amateur Claudio Abbado Frederick Fennel Robert Shaw Community Choirs Maurice Abravanel Margaret Hillis Leonard Slatkin by Welborne E. Young Leon Barzin James Levine Sir Georg Solti Leonard Bernstein Kurt Masur Francis Poulenc’s Gloria: page 71 Pierre Boulez Max Rudolf Corrections to the New (1969) Thelma A. Robinson Award Winners Full Score by Lee G. Barrow Beatrice Jona Affron Miriam Burns Laura Rexroth Steven Martyn Zike Eric Bell Kevin Geraldi Annunziata Tomaro Books in Review page 78 Max Rudolf Award Winners Gustav Meier Otto-Werner Mueller Gunther Schuller Craig Kirchhoff, Series Advisor, Windependence: A Repertoire ***** Series for Wind Bands Journal of the Conductors Guild reviewed by Tom Erdmann Editor Jonathan D. Green Founding Editor Jacques Voois John Canarina, Uncle Sam’s Production Staff Orchestra, Memories of the Executive Director R. Kevin Paul Seventh Army Symphony Publications Coordinator Sarabeth Gheith reviewed by Henry Bloch Administrative Assistant Sarabeth Gheith Production Quicker Printers Carl S. Leafsteadt, Inside Bluebeard’s Castle, (Music and The publication date of the present double issue of the Journal of the Conductors Guild is Drama in Bela Bartôk’s Opera) July, 2002; consequently the publication date and the issue date do not coincide. Effective Volume reviewed by Henry Bloch 13, the Journal of the Conductors Guild has been published semi-annually, the two issues being numbered 1 and 2; the seasonal references remain unchanged, as is its length.The Conductors Guild reserves the right to approve and edit all material submitted for publica- Michael Stern (Ed.), Max tion. Publication of advertising is not necessarily an endorsement and the Rudolf: A Musical Life, Conductors Guild reserves the right to refuse to print any advertisement. Library of Congress Writings and Letters No. 82-644733. Copyright ©2002 by Conductors Guild, Inc. All rights reserved.ISSN: 0734-1032. reviewed by John Canarina Commentary This issue of the Journal is a departure from the norm in that a number of articles are specifically dedicated to the topic of community ensembles. This may in fact not be a departure since our goal has been to meet the needs of our membership, and as that membership has grown, we have an ever-larger number of members who conduct community- based, volunteer ensembles. Victor Vallo has prepared a set of guidelines for establishing and leading a college-community orchestra. Lyn Schenbeck and Rebecca Jones present the results of their broad-based study of such ensembles in the U.S. and Canada. The statistical anomalies are sometimes dumbfounding and sometimes encouraging. If you direct such an ensemble, you may find that the peculiar vagaries of your situation are not unique, and hopefully the integrated anecdotes will prove useful in addressing problems in your own groups. Welborne E. Young offers us some useful exercises to engage the head voice in amateur choirs. Thomas Erdmann reviews a new wind band series that may provide new repertoire and new editions for community band programs. Lee G. Barrow has prepared an errata list for the new edition of Poulenc’s Gloria, a work visited by many community choirs. You will also find provocative and nostalgic inclusions. John Canarina reviews the new anthology of Max Rudolf’s writings. As many of you know, Max was probably the most prolific contributor of articles to this publication. His essay on Beethoven’s metronome markings, which appeared in our first issue, remains our most requested reprint. We have therefore begun this issue with a reprint of that article and we close with John’s review. Also be sure to read Henry Bloch’s review of John Canarina’s wonderful book about the Seventh Army Symphony. Our thanks go to Tonu Kalam for bringing the Bräm and Braem article to our attention. This is a fascinating study of the conductorial gestures from the perspective of gestural semiotics. You may never look in the mirror the same way again. Brian Murphy has written a valuable introduction to the music of British composer, William Alwyn, whose works are quickly gaining long-deserved recognition. I hope that as you prepare for your coming seasons, you find some kernels of aid and encouragement in these pages. Cheers, Jonathan Green JCG Vol. 22, Nos. 1 & 2 1 The Metronome Indications In Beethoven’s Symphonies By Max Rudolf This article first appeared in JCG Volume 1, Number 1 in 1980. I After more than a century of unsuccessful attempts to ample testimony to Beethoven’s appreciation of the construct an efficient tool for measuring speed in music, metronome, the one negative remark, “to the devil with Maelzel’s Metronome entered the market in 1816. It met all mechanisms,” does not carry weight. It was made in a with quick and enthusiastic acceptance. Within a few years, moment of nervous tension (Beethoven’s nephew had the abbreviation M.M., followed by note symbol, equal just attempted suicide) and combined with the words “the sign, and number started to appear in printed music. Even metronome markings follow.” before this became a custom, Beethoven had published a list of metronome markings for eight symphonies. Beethoven’s interest in this brand-new invention must be seen in the light of a development that had taken place Beethoven moved to Vienna the same year as Maelzel during the second half of the 18th century. A new desire and was a frequent visitor to the inventor’s workshop. for individual expression had sprung up in the creative While laboring on an earlier model known as a arts. In music, the traditional tempo categories no longer chronometer, Maelzel consulted with the composer who satisfied composers who regarded differentiation in pacing is said to have voiced doubts regarding the instrument’s as an integral part of musical expression and wanted to usefulness. Still, Beethoven’s name was listed together protect the interpretation of their works against with other composers who, according to an official misreadings by performers. Contemporary treatises announcement in 1813, recommended the chronometer warned performers not to express their own feelings but as a device to determine “the correct tempo of every those of the composers. Against this background we can movement at the first reading of a score.” fully understand why the metronome was hailed as the long-awaited device to provide specific information about The metronome, an improved version of the chronometer, tempo. Enthusiastic Viennese musicians predicted that in had Beethoven’s full approval. In addition to a public the future, performers would never again be in doubt about declaration which he co-signed with Antonio Salieri, the pace of music of the past. It was even suggested that Beethoven’s letters, over a period of ten years, tell of his metronome indications should be added to the works of continued interest and satisfaction. Three months before Gluck and Mozart while the true tradition was still alive. his death, he wrote to his publisher who was then printing the first edition of the Missa solemnis: “Metronome These proposals underscore the composer’s obvious markings will follow soon. Wait for them. Certainly, in distrust regarding the performer’s ability to choose the our century they are necessary. Also, letters from Berlin proper tempo. Mozart, who had called tempo the most inform me that the first performance of the symphony important and difficult thing in music, could be highly critical (No. 9) took place with enthusiastic applause, which I of musicians who failed to grasp the right pace. attribute mainly to the metronome markings. We can hardly Beethoven’s attitude was not different. It is said that when have tempi ordinari any longer, because one must be friends reported on performances of his works, guided by the ideas of the free genius.” In the face of Beethoven’s first question was, “How were the tempos?” 2 JCG Vol. 22, Nos. 1 & 2 II transforms the movement into an easygoing Allegro ma non tanto, a tempo category that Beethoven chose for a Thanks to composers who had steadfastly believed in section in Symphony No. 9 with the marking h = 120. the metronome’s usefulness, Maelzel’s mechanism and its modern equivalents have been thriving for more than Measuring musical speed is a ticklish, often frustrating 160 years.