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What precisely does a conductor do? Why is he so vital to orchestral performance and how does he stamp his own temperament and interpretation on a work? In this book, the author discusses aspects of interpretation and performance with eight distinguished maestri. Their answers, based on extensive interview material, yield a mine of fascinating information for music lovers. We learn how each conductor approaches the work of a given composer in rehearsal and performance, why he is drawn to that particular music, what the composer intended in his score markings and how these have been interpreted or misinterpreted in the past. This is not a practical manual on conducting technique: everyone with an interest in serious music will enjoy the book without any specialised knowledge being necessary. The author's skill in interviewing has drawn from his subjects a huge range of anecdote and highly individual opinion on style, tempo, interpretation, rehearsal methods, background research and many other important aspects of the conductor's function. In addition to lucid insights into the music of great composers there is an introduction to the subject which traces the evolution of conducting from its earliest beginnings.