Maestro

Title of respect given to a master musician
Herbert von Karajan conducting in 1941

Maestro (/ˈmaɪstroʊ/; from the Italian maestro [maˈestro; maˈɛstro], meaning "master" or "teacher,"[1] plural: maestros or maestri) is an honorific title of respect, sometimes abbreviated Mo. The term is most commonly used in the context of Western classical music and opera, in line with the ubiquitous use of Italian musical terms.

In music

The word maestro is most often used in addressing or referring to conductors. Less frequently, one might refer to respected composers, performers, impresarios, musicologists, and music teachers.

In the world of Italian opera, the title is also used to designate a number of positions within the orchestra and company that have specific duties during rehearsal and performance. These include:

  • Maestro sostituto or maestro collaboratore: musicians who act as répétiteurs and assistant conductors during performances.
  • Maestro concertatore, the keyboard continuo player, who prepares singers and leads rehearsals.[2]
  • Maestro direttore: the leader of the first violins of the orchestra (see concertmaster), who may also have administrative duties such as hiring and paying musicians[3]
  • Maestro suggeritore: the prompter

See also

  • Pandit
  • Ustad

References

  1. ^ "Online Etymology Dictionary". Archived from the original on 2011-09-23. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
  2. ^ Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John, eds. (2001). "Maestro concertatore". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd ed.). London: Macmillan Publishers. ISBN 978-1-56159-239-5.‎[full citation needed]
  3. ^ Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John, eds. (2001). "Maestro direttore". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd ed.). London: Macmillan Publishers. ISBN 978-1-56159-239-5.‎[full citation needed]

Further reading

  • Lebrecht, Norman (1 January 2001) [First published 1991]. The Maestro Myth: Great Conductors in Pursuit of Power (2nd revised ed.). Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-2088-4.
  • Kennedy, Michael (2006), The Oxford Dictionary of Music, 985 pages, ISBN 0-19-861459-4
  • Warrack, John; West, Ewan (15 October 1992). The Oxford Dictionary of Opera. Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 0-19-869164-5.
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