The Compulsion to Conduct
Score
"The conductor is the bridge between the score and the performance. He sets the tempo and mood. Music notation leaves space for interpretation. Each musician has his or her own idea of the “meaning” of a score. The role of the conductor is to bring harmony to these different interpretations."
“There are moments when Mozart seemed to lay himself bare in the simplest way possible way. Listen to the slow movement of the piano trio K502 and you’ll hear what I mean. He believed in beauty.”
"To communicate his reading of the score he uses the baton. But also eye contact, facial expression, body movement…. It’s about guiding musicians when they need guidance and letting them be when they are playing the score as you think it should be played."
“The whole thing about Mozart is his attitude to human beings and his attitude to his own heart. If you confine him to a book of best practice, you’re not doing him any favours.”