Lesson Four: What to Do with the Left Hand, Leonard Slatkin's Conducting School

Summary

This video focuses on the essential role of the left hand in conducting an orchestra. While the right hand manages tempo and rhythm, the left hand adds subtlety by controlling dynamics, phrasing, and giving cues to different sections of the orchestra. The left hand’s independence from the right hand is key for effective conducting. An exercise is provided to help conductors practice smooth, controlled movements with the left hand, enhancing coordination and precision. This video offers valuable insights for aspiring conductors to better manage both hands for a more expressive and dynamic performance.

Takeaways

• 😀 The right hand in orchestral conducting leads the tempo and overall rhythm, while the left hand complements it by adding nuance and dynamics.
• 😀 The left hand provides essential information to the orchestra that the right hand cannot manage, such as dynamics, phrasing, and timing.
• 😀 The left hand is described as 'the salt and pepper' to the right hand's 'steak,' emphasizing its role in adding subtle details that enrich the performance.
• 😀 While the right hand controls the primary beat, the left hand handles secondary gestures to show dynamic changes (louder/softer), phrasing, and section cues.
• 😀 A key aspect of conducting is the independence of the left hand, allowing it to work in tandem with the right hand without duplicating its actions.
• 😀 Conductors are encouraged to practice left-hand exercises to build coordination and smoothness, such as gradually raising and lowering the hand without jerking or rushing.
• 😀 The left hand’s role includes indicating when instruments should play or rest, helping to manage the overall texture and flow of the music.
• 😀 The exercise given in the script focuses on smooth, controlled movements of the left hand to avoid abrupt transitions and to build muscle memory for fluid conducting.
• 😀 Smoothness and control in left-hand movements are critical for ensuring the orchestra follows the conductor's cues with precision and clarity.
• 😀 The left hand provides additional control in shaping short or long musical phrases, enhancing expressiveness in the performance.
• 😀 The left hand should not be seen as an afterthought or secondary action but as a fully independent tool that enhances the overall conducting technique.

Q & A

What role does the left hand play in conducting, according to the script?

The left hand's role is primarily to complement the right hand, showing dynamic effects such as getting louder or softer, indicating when instruments should play, and helping with phrasing or creating smoother transitions.

How does the right hand differ from the left hand in conducting?

The right hand is responsible for the primary tasks, like setting the beat, controlling tempo, and guiding the overall rhythm. The left hand, on the other hand, provides additional information that the right hand cannot, such as dynamic changes and cues for phrasing.

What does the teacher mean when saying the right hand is like the 'stake' and the left hand is like 'salt and pepper'?

This metaphor suggests that the right hand provides the main structure and direction (the 'stake'), while the left hand adds the finer details, dynamics, and nuances (the 'salt and pepper') that enhance the overall performance.

What specific dynamic effects can the left hand demonstrate?

The left hand can show when the music should get louder or softer, indicate phrasing changes, and help manage when certain sections of the orchestra should play more or less.

Why is having a left hand available during conducting more beneficial than just using the right hand?

Having a left hand available allows the conductor to provide more precise cues and control over dynamics, phrasing, and individual sections, offering greater clarity and ease of communication with the orchestra.

What is the exercise the teacher suggests for improving left-hand coordination?

The exercise involves counting 16 beats while raising the left hand smoothly from the waist to just above the head, then bringing it back down during the next 16 beats, all without using the right hand.

What are the two key challenges in the left-hand exercise?

The challenges are maintaining smooth, non-jerky movements and ensuring that the hand rises gradually so that it doesn’t reach the top too early during the 16 beats.

What should students focus on when practicing the left-hand exercise?

Students should focus on making the movement smooth, without jerks, and ensuring they don’t rush to the top too quickly. The goal is to perform the up-and-down motion evenly across the 16 beats.

What other aspects of conducting can be practiced using the left hand?

Besides the basic exercise, students can practice giving cues to orchestra members, controlling smooth phrasing, and managing each section of the orchestra independently with the left hand.

What will be covered in the next lesson regarding the use of both hands in conducting?

In the next lesson, the focus will shift to putting both hands together, combining the roles of the right and left hand in a cohesive manner to conduct the orchestra more effectively.