What is it exactly that conductors do to improve an orchestra?

Question:Most orchestral players would say 'Not much', but I think that the very best conductors can give a piece of music an overall shape and energy that would otherwise have been lacking. I have two different sets of recordings of Brahms' symphones, one with Wolfgang Sawallisch leading the London Philharmonic, the other with Herbert von Karajan leading the Berlin Philharmonic. The Karajan recording is tremendously exciting and moving, the Sawallisch recording is very dull.

Then again, maybe the Berlin Philharmonic is just better than the London Philharmonic, and we give the credit to Karajan because it's easier.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Most orchestral players would say 'Not much', but I think that the very best conductors can give a piece of music an overall shape and energy that would otherwise have been lacking. I have two different sets of recordings of Brahms' symphones, one with Wolfgang Sawallisch leading the London Philharmonic, the other with Herbert von Karajan leading the Berlin Philharmonic. The Karajan recording is tremendously exciting and moving, the Sawallisch recording is very dull.

Then again, maybe the Berlin Philharmonic is just better than the London Philharmonic, and we give the credit to Karajan because it's easier.

Practice, Practice Practice!!! LOL!!

Try sight reading it improves your skills with trying newer more challenging pieces. start off with some easy ones and then gradually work your way up to more complicated and challenging music. that is what our high school orchestra, which only consists of 4 clarinets, 6 trumpets, 3 flutes, an oboe, a sax, 4 percussionists, and 2 tubas, does. very small ^_^

The musicians play the notes, but a good conductor can take those notes and direct them into beautiful music and feeling. They manage to take all of the individuals and merge them into one entity inside the music, by putting in the energy and giving the notes direction and emotion.

Its very hard to describe...