Conductor's Notebook
Writings, including academic papers and music criticism, as well as videos, audio, notes, and other content.
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Listicle
Happy New Year! Reading books seemed to fall out of fashion for a time, but every signal seems to show an increased appetite for reading, and there are plenty of great books out there to feed the minds of conductors who want to hone their rehearsal technique. Here are five I’ve read recently that are worth your time.
A list of some of the music sites and sources I read.
“Don't criticize. If a thing is wrong and you don't know exactly how to set it right, say nothing.”
— [George] Bernard Shaw - The Art of Rehearsal
I have always appreciated Kyle Gann’s website for its resources for Florence Price’s Symphony No. 3. Recently, I took time to investigate some of the other resources he freely provides, including his own compositions, as well as links to his many books and albums. Among the resources on the site is a terrific “Chronology of the Symphony: 1730-2019,” listing years and major symphonies composed and/or premiered that year.
I offer several routes to avoid the pitfalls of over-reliance on publishers or prior training for a fair survey of available literature by non-male and/or BIPOC composers, among others. I identify five types of “hidden literature” - or literature that many public school directors and youth orchestra conductors may not have at their fingertips:
Unpublished and/or self-published music.
Published music that is not adopted by any or almost any state music list.
…
In every bar of his astonishing music, you’ll find energy and vitality and craftsmanship and deeply enjoyable music.
The music world has been tying itself in knots over Ludwig van Beethoven recently. In the year of his 250th birthday, some are calling for a boycott of organizations that perform his music. Others are offering a counter-reformation of sorts, with hashtags and memes in defense of the celebration. Here are eight winning ideas and two counterproductive ideas to consider.
