Ah, I see you are one of the sweaty type


One of the many inane things currently doing the rounds on social media is a website devoted to "the greatest poses, facial expressions, hair, and other moments caught on camera, in the history of orchestral conducting". Sir Adrian Boult always eschewed histrionics on the podium. Once he shared a Prom with a young Mark Elder; after a strenuous rehearsal Mark Elder retired to the dressing room where Sir Adrian looked at him over a newspaper and remarked: "Ah, I see you are one of the sweaty type".

Anecdote is told by Mark Elder in a contribution to the BBC Philharmonic Club Magazine, June 1986. Header image is grabbed from YouTube video of Sir Adrian Boult conducting the London Philharmonic in Vaughan Williams: Symphony No.8; this footage illustrates perfectly how a great conductor does not have to be a sweaty type. Any copyrighted material is included as "fair use" for critical analysis only, and will be removed at the request of copyright owner(s). Also on Facebook and Twitter.

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