MHMUS 480 — A Cultural History of Conducting and Orchestras

3 credits
Spring
Martin Verdrager

Since the beginning of the 19th century, as orchestral works got longer and orchestras grew bigger, conductors were needed to hold ensembles together. In the 18th century, the composer invariably held the keyboard or the principal violin positions and led by gestures from their seats in the orchestra, a subtle arrangement, but workable for the standard orchestra of that period. In the early 19th century, violinists dominated the conducting field and were positioned on podiums with or without the violin. Soon, 19th-century virtuosos and composers ascended to the podium to maintain their influence and serve their own music. In the 20th century the field invited an ever more diverse landscape by creating a class of virtuoso conductors studying with a handful of virtuosi conducting teachers. This class aims to explore the careers of notable conductors from Hector Berlioz to Gustavo Dudamel and beyond. By considering their varying approaches and personalities and studying the orchestras they directed and direct today, we will reveal how each shaped and are shaping the goals of the cultures in which they were and are situated.