The Unheard Musician
Martin Handley begins a four-part series which aims to demystify the role of the conductor. Today, he asks the most often asked question鈥� what does a conductor actually do?
鈥淎rranging the Air鈥� - that鈥檚 how Bernard Haitink described the role of the conductor to Martin Handley 鈥� about as ephemeral as it gets!
In this four-part series, Martin aims to demystify, explain, and enter a world of musical magic with the help of some of today鈥檚 great protagonists: Jakub Hrusa, Dalia Stasevska, Mark Wigglesworth, Sofi Jeannin, Harry Christophers, Sian Edwards, Trevor Pinnock, and the 99-year old (and still working) Herbert Blomstedt. There鈥檒l also be archive material from the late, great Bernard Haitink.
In this first episode, Martin will ask the existential question that鈥檚 often on people鈥檚 lips鈥� what does a conductor actually do? Are they really necessary, and how did the role evolve? He also explores the methods of different conductors, from dictators to collaborators 鈥� the carrot and the stick, if you will鈥� and indeed whether you actually need a stick at all!
Including top recordings of music by Felix Mendelssohn, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giuseppe Verdi, Wilhelm Stenhammar, Betty Jackson King Claude Debussy and Gustav Mahler.
To listen to this programme using most smart speakers, just say "Ask 麻豆社 Sounds to play Music Matters".
On radio
Broadcast
- Sun 6 Sep 2026 15:00麻豆社 Radio 3
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Podcast
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Music Matters
The stories that matter, the people that matter, the music that matters
