Essentials in Conducting

in Conducting, by Karl Wilson
Gehrkens

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Title: Essentials in Conducting
Author: Karl Wilson Gehrkens
Release Date: August 25, 2007 [EBook #22392]
Language: English
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ESSENTIALS
IN
CONDUCTING
BY
KARL WILSON GEHRKENS, A.M.
PROFESSOR OF SCHOOL MUSIC OBERLIN CONSERVATORY
OF MUSIC AUTHOR OF "MUSIC NOTATION AND
TERMINOLOGY"
$1.75
[Illustration]
BOSTON OLIVER DITSON COMPANY
NEW YORK CHAS. H. DITSON & CO.
CHICAGO LYON & HEALY
LONDON WINTHROP ROGERS, Ltd.
MADE IN U.S.A.
Copyright MCMXIX By OLIVER DITSON COMPANY International
Copyright Secured

To the Memory of
ROBERT C. BEDFORD

for many years
SECRETARY OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
of
TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE

CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER I--Introduction
1
CHAPTER II--Personal
Traits Necessary in Conducting 8
CHAPTER III--The
Technique of the Baton 20
CHAPTER IV--Interpretation
in Conducting--Introductory 36
CHAPTER V--Interpretation
in Conducting--Tempo 46
CHAPTER VI--Interpretation
in Conducting--Dynamics 57

CHAPTER VII--Interpretation
in Conducting--Timbre, Phrasing, etc. 64
CHAPTER VIII--The
Supervisor of Music as Conductor 76
CHAPTER IX--The
Community Chorus Conductor 85
CHAPTER X--The
Orchestral Conductor 93
CHAPTER XI--Directing
the Church Choir 108
CHAPTER XII--The
Boy Choir and its Problems 118
CHAPTER XIII--The
Conductor as Voice Trainer 131
CHAPTER XIV--The
Art of Program Making 140
CHAPTER XV--Conductor
and Accompanist 147
CHAPTER XVI--Efficiency

in the Rehearsal 152
APPENDIX A--Reference List 164
APPENDIX B--Score of second movement of Haydn's Symphony, No.
3 166
INDEX 181

PREFACE
In putting out this little book, the author is well aware of the fact that
many musicians feel that conductors, like poets and teachers, are "born
and not made"; but his experience in training supervisors of music has
led him to feel that, although only the elementary phases of conducting
can be taught, such instruction is nevertheless quite worth while, and is
often surprisingly effective in its results. He has also come to believe
that even the musical genius may profit by the experience of others and
may thus be enabled to do effective work as a conductor more quickly
than if he relied wholly upon his native ability.
The book is of course planned especially with the amateur in view, and
the author, in writing it, has had in mind his own fruitless search for
information upon the subject of conducting when he was just beginning
his career as a teacher; and he has tried to say to the amateur of today
those things that he himself so sorely needed to know at that time, and
had to find out by blundering experience.
It should perhaps be stated that although the writer has himself had
considerable experience in conducting, the material here presented is
rather the result of observing and analyzing the work of others than an
account of his own methods. In preparation for his task, the author has
observed many of the better-known conductors in this country, both in
rehearsal and in public performance, during a period of some twelve
years, and the book represents an attempt to put into simple language
and practical form the ideas gathered from this observation. It is hoped
that as a result of reading these pages the amateur may not only have

become more fully informed concerning those practical phases of
conducting about which he has probably been seeking light, but may be
inspired to further reading and additional music study in preparation for
the larger aspects of the work.
The writer wishes to acknowledge the material assistance rendered him
by Professor John Ross Frampton, of the Iowa State Teachers College,
and Professor Osbourne McConathy, of Northwestern University, both
of whom have read the book in manuscript and have given invaluable
suggestions. He wishes also to acknowledge his very large debt to
Professor George Dickinson, of Vassar College, who has read the
material both in manuscript and in proof, and to whose pointed
comments and criticisms many improvements both in material and in
arrangement are due.
K.W.G.
OBERLIN, OHIO June, 1918

Essentials in Conducting
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
[Sidenote: DEFINITION]
The word "conducting" as used in a musical sense now ordinarily refers
to the activities of an orchestra or chorus leader who stands before a
group of performers and gives his entire time and effort to directing