Almost anyone can beat time, but it is what a conductor does between the beats that indicates his ability to develop an interpretation. I like to call the period of time between one beat point and the
It is during the rebound that a conductor can communicate most creatively to the choir, by relating through gestures the emotions, accents, and time changes that are about to be expressed in the music. In this period that follows each beat, the conductor has time to send out a signal to the choir members, alerting them to what is about to happen on the next beat.
The duration of the rebound is determined by the speed of the work, but one can find plenty of room in any speed to execute a concise and meaningful direction. In a fast tempo, if one merely touches a beat point and leaves it quickly, with the resiliency of a bouncing ball as it hits the sidewalk, it is amazing how much motion can be fitted into the space without crowding. For example, in A Spring Carol by Emma Lou Diemer, published by Carl Fischer, Inc., the music moves immediately from f to pp at a speed of quarter=120 in 6/8 time. Since the piece is felt to be in duple meter, I find it necessary to quickly communicate a clear gesture of softness to the choir in the rebound of the second beat. This enables the group to realize the sudden and effective dynamic change indicated. The pulse of the music must not be altered for the sake of the gesture, for there is no ritardando in the score.
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