A Brief History of the Conductor’s Baton

Today, most orchestral performances begin with the grand entrance of the maestro, as he/she takes their place on the podium and then emphatically points their baton at the musicians to indicate everyone (including the audience) should pay attention.

But the use of the baton wasn’t always this elegant and didn't always convey the musical subtleties of conductor to musician.

In this episode, I hopscotch through history to see how the modern-day baton came to be.

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Transcript

So, when did conductors start waving their baton around?

Well, it’s got a bit of a back story. The first reported use was in ancient Greece during a performance where a conductor was described as ‘waving a golden staff’. 

Jumping to the 16th century through to the 18th, conductors kept time by vigorously banging a wooden staff against the floor. 

In fact, in 1687, Jean-Baptiste Lully was thumping so enthusiastically that he struck his toe, creating an abscess. The wound turned gangrenous, resulting in his death.

It was apparently the German composer Louis Spohr who first introduced the modern baton to England in 1820, [while conducting his second symphony in London.]

Today, batons are commonly made out of not only a range of woods but also graphite, metal and fibreglass.

Since the time of banging wooden staffs, use of the baton has transformed into an array of subtle gestures and indications between conductor and orchestra that is all part of the magic of making music.