I notice that "Maestro Long Yu" is headlined in an advertisement for an Oxford Philharmonic concert at the Sheldonian on 27 February. Is this a first in an ad?
Why are all orchestral conductors called “Maestro” these days? It seems to me that the word now comes with the territory, having previously been common practice in America. How passé Wikipedia’s current definition reads: “A title of extreme respect given to a master musician.” Nowadays that might more truthfully read: “Stands in front of an orchestra, usually able to read a score, waving a stick.”
I don’t mean to disrespect the really outstanding practitioners around. But how do they feel when every Tom, Dick and Harry is apparently a Maestro? I’d love it if we could park the word on an indefinite basis and find another. Conductor maybe?
(BTW there’s a separate issue here for the few female conductors around. Maestra in Italian means schoolmistress.)
Why are all orchestral conductors called “Maestro” these days? It seems to me that the word now comes with the territory, having previously been common practice in America. How passé Wikipedia’s current definition reads: “A title of extreme respect given to a master musician.” Nowadays that might more truthfully read: “Stands in front of an orchestra, usually able to read a score, waving a stick.”
I don’t mean to disrespect the really outstanding practitioners around. But how do they feel when every Tom, Dick and Harry is apparently a Maestro? I’d love it if we could park the word on an indefinite basis and find another. Conductor maybe?
(BTW there’s a separate issue here for the few female conductors around. Maestra in Italian means schoolmistress.)
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