Conductors Figurative Language

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As a famous twentieth century composer, Igor Stravinsky shares his expertise on the music industry and its "worst obstacle"- conductors. He harshly criticizes the conductor's overrated role in music productions with rhetorical devices such as vicious diction, strong imagery, and figurative language. He uses vicious diction to convey his frustration with conductors compromising the integrity of the vary pieces composers like himself write. Moreover, Stravinsky uses figurative language to demonstrate how these conductors infiltrate the music industry like politicians with their charismatic personalities. In addition, he uses figurative language to establish a direct comparison between conductors and actors by accentuating the similarities between their "performances." Stravinsky wholeheartedly believes that conductors possess no measurable talent and seem to relish in their fame. …show more content…

He starts by using a simile to compare conducting to politics. Both careers "rarely attract original minds" and involve "exploiting" their personalities. He points out that conductors do not need to have a distinguished musical background or be knowledgeable in the subject of their work. The conductor in comparison with musicians is far less skilled and prepared for the performance and the musicians know it (acknowledge it). Conductors' jobs depend on pleasing "society women (including critics)" who value musical qualities as a secondary importance. Additionally, he describes a "successful" conductor as an "incomplete musician but a complete angular." This emphasizes that the power granted to conductors is implemented through (founded upon) pure politics. OR This emphasizes that although the conductor may be incapable of producing music nonetheless his presentation is a matter of pure

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