Have you ever wondered what purpose a conductor serves when the musicians have a score in front of them? The answer is a question: how could 60 or 80 musicians simultaneously strike the first note? It depends entirely on the conductor's gesture.<\/strong><\/p>\n The moments of absolute silence that precede the start of the sound help him to concentrate on the pace, or rather the metronomic speed, of the piece he is about to perform, and help the musicians to tune in perfectly to his movement.<\/p>\n This nuanced gesture, an exclusive code between orchestra and conductor, continues throughout the entire piece, featuring dynamic excursions dictated by the breadth of the baton's movement, its pressing nature in the accelerando, in the suspensions, in the rallentandos, and so on until the finale.<\/p>\n When you attend a jazz, rock, or pop concert, you may be drawn to the drummer, the figure behind the cymbals and drums who sets the pace and often performs a solo before the end of the concert.<\/p>\n What exactly is his role within a group or a large orchestra? Those who advocate "how I wish I'd played the drums as a kid" may never have asked themselves this question.<\/p>\n What strikes the uninitiated is the skill in rapidly striking the drums and cymbals, thus commanding attention. In reality, this is a secondary, albeit fascinating, aspect; the crucial role is to mark the time with fluidity and authority, providing precise cues in tempo and dynamic changes, while at the same time adopting sounds appropriate to the musical style.<\/p>\n Even the drums adhere to a musical score with exclusively rhythmic, not melodic, references, lacking drums that produce notes with precise pitch. It all seems easy when you watch a good drummer play.<\/p>\n A symphony orchestra has a percussion department generally equipped with symphonic timpani, which, unlike drums, are tuned to produce very specific notes, xylophone, bass drum cymbals, and various effects. But what happens when there are two "conductors," as is the case with rhythm-symphonic orchestras with a drummer, such as those often seen at concerts, festivals, or on television?<\/p>\n After the piece begins, the rhythmic progression is entrusted to the drummer, whose task is to support this large ensemble like a sort of pillar, playing regularly and thus putting the entire orchestra at ease, always under the watchful eye of the conductor, who with small gestures suggests interpretative nuances, sometimes dictated by a contingent emotional factor.<\/p>\nThe role of the drummer<\/h2>\n
Drummer and Conductor<\/h2>\n
\nVideo of the Vatican Christmas Concert, 2017, with Patti Smith.<\/h4>\n
Salvatore Corazza on drums with the large orchestra.
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