The technic of the baton

by Albert Stoessel

BOOKS ESSENTIAL TO THE BROADER MUSICAL
CULTURE OF THE CONDUCTOR

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ON CONDUCTING (General)
Gehrkens:	Essentials in Conducting	O. Ditson
Schroeder:	Handbook of Conducting	Augener
Wagner:	On Conducting	Reeves
Weingartner:	On Conducting	Breitkopf & Härtel
Berlioz:	The Orchestral Conductor	Carl Fischer, Inc.
Boult, Adrian:	A Handbook on the Technique of Conducting	Reeves
Earhart:	The Eloquent Baton	Witmark
Schmid:	The Language of the Baton	Schirmer
Scherchen:	Handbook on Conducting	Oxford
ON SCORE READING
Gal, H.:	Directions for Score Reading	Philharmonia
Riemann, Hugo:	Introduction to Playing from Score	Augener
Morris-Ferguson:	Preparatory Exercises in Score Reading	Oxford
ON CHORAL CONDUCTING
Coward:	Choral Technique and Interpretation	Novello
Wodell:	Choir and Chorus Conducting	Presser
Brennan:	Words in Singing	Vincent Music Co.
Coleman:	Amateur Choir Training	Oxford
Coleman:	Conducting for Women’s Institutes	Oxford
ON INSTRUMENTATION
Forsyth:	Orchestration	Macmillan
Jacob:	Orchestral Technique	Oxford
Kling:	Modern Orchestration and Instrumentation	Carl Fischer, Inc.
HISTORY OF MUSIC
Pratt:	The History of Music	Schirmer
Dickinson:	The Study of the History of Music	Scribner
Colles:	The Growth of Music	Oxford
Stanford & Forsyth:	A History of Music	Macmillan
Parry:	The Evolution of the Art of Music	Appleton
Bauer & Peyser:	How Music Grew	Putnam
Hadow:	Oxford History of Music (7 Vols.)	Oxford
Parkhurst:	Beginnings of the World’s Music	Carl Fischer, Inc.
Scholes:	Miniature History of Music	Oxford
BIOGRAPHY
D’Indy:	Beethoven	Boston Music Co.
Bekker:	Beethoven	Dutton
Thayer-Krehbiel:	Beethoven	G. Schirmer
Parry:	Bach	Putnam
Spitta:	Bach	Novello
Henderson:	Wagner	Putnam
Jahn:	Mozart	Novello
Newmarch:	Tchaikovsky	Chester
Engel:	Alla Breve—Thumb Nail Sketches
	of the Great Composers	G. Schirmer
Prunieres:	Monteverdi	Dutton
Terry:	Bach	Oxford
Wotton:	Berlioz	Oxford
Gray:	Sibelius	Oxford
Bonavia:	Verdi	Oxford
Closson:	The Fleming in Beethoven	Oxford
Brenet:	Haydn	Oxford
INTERPRETATION
Matthay:	Musical Interpretation	B. M. C.
APPRECIATION AND ANALYSIS
Erb:	Music Appreciation for the Student	G. Schirmer
Scholes:	The Listener’s Guide	Oxford
Mason:	From Song to Symphony	Ditson
Gehrkens:	The Fundamentals of Music	Ditson
Somervell:	The Musical Pilgrim Handbooks	Oxford
Anger:	Musical Form	Vincent
Calvocoressi:	Musical Criticism	Oxford
Scholes-Earhart:	Book of Great Musicians
	(in 3 Vols, or cplt. in 1 Vol.)	Oxford
West:	Sign Posts to Music	Carl Fischer, Inc.
West:	Work Book to above	Carl Fischer, Inc.
HARMONY
Kitson:	The Evolution of Harmony	Oxford
Barnes:	Practice in Modern Harmony	Oxford
Parkhurst:	Complete System of Harmony	Carl Fischer, Inc.
Rimsky-Korsakoff:	Practical Manual of Harmony	Carl Fischer, Inc.
Scholes:	Beginner’s Guide to Harmony	Oxford
COUNTERPOINT
Kitson:	The Art of Counterpoint	Oxford
Kitson:	Applied Strict Counterpoint	Oxford
Morris:	Contrapuntal Technique in the 16th Century	Oxford
Prout:	Counterpoint, Strict and Free	Augener
Prout:	Double Counterpoint and Canon	Augener
GENERAL
Hamilton:	Sound and Its Relation to Music	Ditson
Buck:	The Scope of Music	Oxford
Maddy & Giddings:	Instrumental Technique
	(for School Bands and Orchestras)	Willis
Johnstone:	Instruments of the Modern Symphony
	Orchestra and Band	Carl Fischer, Inc.
Jacob:	Musical Handwriting	Oxford
Lloyd:	Music and Sound	Oxford

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
A Brief Outline of the Development of Conducting		[ 1]
CHAPTER II
The physical aspect of Conducting—analysis of arm and hand movements used in conducting. A method for gaining complete mastery of the arm and hand gestures by means of practicing rhythmo-gymnastic exercises. Diagram of exercises and illustrations of the various hand and arm movements		[ 8]
CHAPTER III
(A).	The general attitude of the conductor, Ten General Rules	[22]
(B).	Illustrations of the five fundamental positions
	used in conducting	[23]
(C).	Diagrams of gestures used in conducting, with music
	illustrations of their application	[28]
(D).	The function of the left hand. (Left hand signals)	[54]
(E).	Suggestions for practice	[54]
CHAPTER IV
Some Basic Problems of Baton Technic. The “attaque” (start), the “conclusion” (release), the “fermata” (hold), subdivision of beats, breathing places, phrasing		[56]
CHAPTER V
Some Special Problems of Baton Technic. Alla breve or four-four? Phrase-groups in fast one-in-a-bar time. Uneven measures in one-in-a-bar time. Method of practising complex rhythms. Fractional time. On the conducting of Waltzes. Extract from Berlioz’ “Orchestral Conductor”		[67]
CHAPTER VI
How to Prepare a Score		[89]
CHAPTER VII
The Technic of the Baton in Choral Conducting		[95]
CHAPTER VIII
The Point of the Baton		[97]
Collected Opinions of Noted Authorities on Conducting.
BIBLIOGRAPHY		[101]

Transcriber’s Notes:

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The cover image was created by the transcriber, and is in the public domain.

Antiquated spellings or ancient words were not corrected.