Show Use of Bat Baton rn in hi Conducting Music Of Recent Origin lJ Mozart Once Used Stick to Lead Voca Instrumental Instrumental mental Group in 1768 VIENNA March larch 23 Ar Ar Few even including very musIcal people realize that marl ng time with a cOnductors cOnductor's baton is a practice of comparatively recent t tithes in the hIstory or of music The eminent musIc historian Otto Erich Deutsch said recently that It was in 1821 that the practice of having the conductor conductor con con- ductor lead hIs orchestra by means ot of a piano was dIscarded lt at the Vienna opera and the baton formally for for- mally mahly adopted PrevIous to that date the task or of enforcing rhythm among the diverse groups of instrumental and vocal performers was was was' often oHen divided among as many as three personages at the same time On such occaSions occasions occa- occa the first violin led the orches- orches tra a second conductor on a piano durIng recItative passages passages pas pas- sages once so popular in opera and kept the chorus on the stage together while a third conductor i iwas was a liaison officer whose task it was to keep leep the gentleman or of the first violin and him at the piano or as It was called front from outstripping each other In London a cond conductors conductor's baton was first seen in 1819 It was wass s swung un by b- Ludwig at a grand concert S The rhe great gleat Mozart however it Is I credibly reported while directing on December 7 i. i at 1768 the a age e of oC some 12 of his own organ cern cern- positions in the presence of roy ray alt whisked ou out t ot of his locket a little baton and to the ment of all present plesent by its means kept the mighty orchestra or of vocal and instrumental performers In perfect time |