An Orchestral Myth: Maestros Are Born and Made

Abstract

The profession of a conductor was acknowledged in the middle of the nineteenth century. This chapter shows how myths of conductors have been created through anecdotes of maestros, Toscanini, Furtwängler, and Karajan, as well as through what they said. There are two types of conductors: a craftsman and a maestro. A conductor called a “maestro” tends to force his own interpretation and playing style to the orchestra and tries to make them play as he desires. A lot of anecdotes have been handed down regarding these types of conductors with strong personalities. Although conductors do not play any instruments and produce any sounds, they take the applause away from the orchestra members who unarguably actually perform the music, and they just pretend to create sound by gestures. Orchestra members constantly observe their conductors attentively and tell other musicians and family members in everyday conversation about what happened or how they felt in rehearsals and concerts. Furthermore, many anecdotes of maestros have been plausibly inherited because the conductor was a hero of the elites, rather than the public. From circumstances relating to the ruling class and journalism, together with the business intentions of music agencies and record companies, myths of maestros were born, and conductors became stars in the world.