The Silent Musician: Why Conducting Matters

Deepens our understanding of what conductors do and why they matter. Neither an instruction manual for conductors, nor a history of conducting, the book instead explores the role of the conductor in noiselessly shaping the music that we hear. Writing in a clever, insightful, and often evocative style, world-renowned conductor Mark Wigglesworth deftly explores the philosophical underpinnings of conducting - from the conductor's relationship with musicians and the music, to the public and personal responsibilities conductors face - and examines the subtler components of their silent art, which include precision, charisma, diplomacy, and passion. Ultimately, Wigglesworth shows how conductors, by simultaneously keeping time and allowing time to expand, manage to shape ensemble music into an immersive, transformative experience, without ever making a sound.