BBC Symphony Orchestra sub-principal viola Phil Hall explains the ordeal faced by young conductors when given the reins of thoroughbred orchestra
Another aspect of the St Mahnus Festival is the 2-week conducting course started eleven years ago by regular BBCSO conductor Martyn Brabbins. He is quick to point out that it is not a competition – there are no prizes and only space for eight participants.
After a week of intense rehearsals with two pianists (playing the orchestra parts) and even more intense scrutiny under Martyn and his assistant Charles Peebles, the candidates face a professional orchestra, often for the first time.
Now the trouble with professional orchestras is that they will do exactly what you show them to do – rather like a computer does, and just like computers, one can only really blame oneself when things go wrong (mostly anyway). And so it was. The conductors had all dutifully learned their scores (many conducting from memory) but when it came to the crunch found themselves unable to keep the tempo flowing or turn the ‘corners’ of the phrases properly. Conducting is definitely harder than it looks and getting such ‘flying time’ is invaluable. ‘It's why I do it like this,’ says Martyn. ‘Everybody gets 40 minutes with the orchestra and is video recorded so they can take it away and learn from their mistakes, hopefully!’
At one point during the third movement of Brahms’s second symphony, Martyn interrupts a charming Turkish candidate with the words, ‘Don't be afraid to lead them, they want to be led!’ (I saw a few eyebrows rising). ‘They will go any speed you want. See how flexible they are...’ Then he proceeded to conduct the opening, changing tempo EVERY bar! And like the flexible sheep we are, the orchestra stuck to him like glue.
BBC SO flautist Daniel Pailthorpe is let loose on the orchestra!
