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Leyden analyzed film footage of Toscanini's conducting to examine the consistency of his beat patterns and compare them to patterns shown in conducting textbooks. He traced outlines of Toscanini's movements from film frames. The analysis found Toscanini's patterns were unique and developed from actual performances, unlike textbook diagrams. Conducting teachers now commonly use video to analyze students' conducting movements and techniques. Observational instruments have also been used to descriptively record non-verbal conducting behaviors beyond just beat patterns.

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102 views1 page

12312

Leyden analyzed film footage of Toscanini's conducting to examine the consistency of his beat patterns and compare them to patterns shown in conducting textbooks. He traced outlines of Toscanini's movements from film frames. The analysis found Toscanini's patterns were unique and developed from actual performances, unlike textbook diagrams. Conducting teachers now commonly use video to analyze students' conducting movements and techniques. Observational instruments have also been used to descriptively record non-verbal conducting behaviors beyond just beat patterns.

Uploaded by

Anonymous MNzpTtIHAY
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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160

the configurations of Toscanini’s conducting beat patterns as part of an analysis


of the consistency of his patterns and a comparison with the beat patterns
published in conducting textbooks (Leyden 1968:7-8). Leyden rephotographed
sections of the original kinescope film onto 8mm film, then projected these onto
a 14’’ x 17’’ pad of tracing paper, one frame at a time, marking the outlines of
Toscanini’s right hand, right arm, baton, and silhouette. From these frames,
Leyden was able to mark out Toscanini’s beat patterns, comparing them with
beat patterns shown in four conducting textbooks: The Modern Conductor by
Elizabeth Green, Elements of Conducting by Emil Kahn, Conducting Technique
by Brock McElheran, and The Grammar of Conducting by Max Rudolf58. The
results of Leyden’s examination of Toscanini’s beat patterns showed ‘some
fundamental differences’ with the beat patterns presented in the four textbooks,
Leyden writing: ‘Not only are all but one of Toscanini’s patterns unique in their
configuration (the one-beat pattern is consistent with the textbooks) but as
presented in this project the patterns were developed from motions actually made
during performances, while the textbook diagrams are abstracts whose relation to
actual movements is not established or defined’ (Leyden 1968:293).
Leyden’s approach, while crude compared with methods afforded by more
modern technologies including video, DVD, and computers, represented an early
attempt to analyse a conductor’s moving images on film. From my survey of
university conducting teachers, 30% of respondents undertake weekly
observations of their students, mainly using video, which they use to analyse
their students’ conducting, but also for student assessment purposes.

Another method used by conductors to observe and analyse conducting is


through the use of observational instruments. The use of observational
instruments allows for descriptive recording of non-verbal conducting behaviours
beyond the beat patterns. Roshong developed an observational instrument as part
of his thesis that inventoried the non-verbal communication of conductors to see
if relationships exist between the observed behaviour and the nature of the task
performed. The instrument observed the following six categories: facial

58
The textbooks by Green, McElheran and Rudolf were identified in my surveys of university
conducting teachers and experienced secondary school conductors in Melbourne. The fourth
book by Emil Kahn was not identified in either survey (Kahn 1975).

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