Beat Stops Here

In <em>The Beat Stops Here: Lessons on and off the Podium for Today's Conductor</em> master conductor Mark Gibson addresses the technique of conducting as an extension of intimate knowledge of the score to the hands and arms. He employs a variety of everyday activities and motions (brushing the dog Tinkerbelle the door knob) to describe the physical aspects of the role. He advocates a comprehensive detailed approach to score study addressing major works bar-by-bar in terms of both musical analysis and conducting method. Finally Gibson explores the various roles a conductor plays as a teacher a scholar and a member of the musical community. His writing is highly focused with an occasionally tongue-in-cheek discussing everything from motivic development in Brahms to how to hold a knife and fork in public. In short <em>The Beat Stops Here</em> is a compendium of style and substance in the real world of today's conductor.<br>