Though nlost of this book consists of an A to Z of conductorstwo extra<br > chapters have been addedmainly to set them in their historical context<br > and show how their unique and often controversial profession came<br > about and developed<br > The first chapter contains some general remarks about conductors<br > and conductingfollowed by a brief study of the birth of the profession<br > up to the second half of the last centuryat which point the Whos Who<br > section takes up the story<br > In it575 conductorsliving and deadare consideredsome ofthe very<br > famous ones being described in short essaysThe list could have been<br > stretched to several thousandsthoughin a book of this sizeonly if all<br > the entries were In barebones formThat mine of informationthe<br > British Music Yearbook(x980)contains a list of well over 500 COnductors<br > based in Britain andor bookable through British concert agents<br > including manyalaswho cannot be included here for reasons of space<br > For the reader will surely wish to know of past aS well as present glories<br > Names like ToscaniniBeecham and a score more live on vividlvand not<br > simply because of recordings of varying qualityThey live on as men and<br > as legends<br > After the Who 0 Who chapter comes a series of relevant quotations<br > about some early glants down to Wagnerthen there iS a shortpersonal<br > discographyshort because the Niagara of recordings that appear each<br > year make It absurd tO attempt anything except a smalllist when there<br > are SO many current guides available in book and magazine form<br > I he newcomer to musicand to the histrionics or otherwise of<br > conductorsshould if possible join any society run by a leading orchestra<br > that enables him or her to attend rehearsalsfor they are where the real<br > work is doneThere have been exceptionsof courseThe incomparable<br > Beecham could demandand achievea very different interpretation<br >