Igor Stravinsky is widely known to be one of the most influential composers of the 20th century, trailblazing the way for many other great musical artists, but in a short passage, composer Igor Stravinsky discusses his disapproving opinion of orchestra conductors and their extreme narcissism. Stravinsky reveals his utter disdain for musical conductors through the use of condescending comparisons and unflattering diction.
Stravinsky critically compares the profession of being a musical conductor to those of politicians, to point out the terrible similarities between the two. Stravinsky describes how conductors and politicians are two fields that do not require any level of aptitude or experience. Both careers are riddled with people who have no “original minds…show more content… Stravinsky believes conductors and politicians become ruthless, power-hungry people when it comes to climbing to the top of their fields, comparing the cutthroat world of politics to the “exploitation of personalities Line #3” in conducting. Both professions do not care about the advancement of their work as a whole, but only the progression of their own, personal prosperity. He feels bitter over that fact that conductors are benefitted unfairly for the work that musical composers actually put into a performance. Stravinsky also compares conductors to actors; both unreasonably rejecting outside influence to the crafting of their careers. He feels actors and conductors are “unable to adapt Line #27” to their performances and improve themselves and their abilities by taking the advice of other people and molding themselves to become better; instead only molding the performance to meet their standards. Stravinsky also points out on how conductors, like actors, are useless at putting themselves in stressful situations and are only
