“In any orchestra, there’ll be lots of wonderful, valid opinions. The thing that makes (the concept) work — or doesn’t — is a continuity of concept.” Going conductorless doesn’t mean a group can’t find it. “It just takes longer,” he said.

“It takes a grand bit of selflessness.”

(RTWT)

Musicians?! Selfless? Okay, okay … I know groups make this work, and they make it work well enough to put on great concerts. I’m impressed.

I wonder what the personalities of the players are like. I’m not one to speak up, and I’m one to quickly acquiesce for the sake of peace. In other words, I’m extremely wimpy. In a very pathetic way. And of course there are those musicians who are the opposite. They can eat me alive, and I have to be very cautious around them, so that that doesn’t happen.

So how do all the wacky personalities work in a conductorless setting? I know I’d be the … “well, whatever” sort who might be burning up inside but wouldn’t let it show. Not healthy. Others would not stop talking and telling people what to do. (I quit a woodwind quintet because one musician could never stop telling me how to play my part. It finally went so over the top even wimpy old me had had it!) I would think rehearsals could be long and painful. But maybe only a certain type of individual would agree to be in a group like that anyway. I wonder.