February 7, 2025
What to wear during the day
We have seen that Tails should not be worn before 5:00 p.m.
However, many concerts take place in the matinée, in the morning or early afternoon.
The classic elegant outfit for morning and afternoon indoor events is the Cut (short for Cutaway). This ensemble consists of a black or gray jacket that remains open at the front (but, in contrast to tails, it includes a button and a buttonhole for closure), with tails, a gray waistcoat (in England, often dyed a different color, in Scotland sometimes featuring the family tartan or one’s “clan”), and gray striped trousers that may be single or double-breasted. The shirt is white, sporting either a diplomatic or regular collar, double cuffs fastened with cufflinks, and a long gray tie or plastron. The bow tie is not allowed; it is only worn in the evening, either white (with tails) or black (with a tuxedo).
Aside from official ceremonies or funerals (where the tie and vest turn black), very few people wear the Cut anymore; it has only recently been spotted on some conductors at the Wiener Philharmoniker’s New Year’s Concert.
In the 1920s, the Cut was gradually supplanted by the Stresemann, named after its creator, Gustav Stresemann, Chancellor of the Weimar Republic and later Foreign Minister during the same decade, who won the Nobel Prize in 1926 alongside Aristide Briand.
To simplify and minimize diplomatic attire, Stresemann removed the tails from the jacket, opting for a black color while keeping the gray striped trousers. The vest is optional but seldom seen. The tie is always long and usually gray or silver.
This is still the daytime attire of the Wiener Philharmoniker and the evening attire of the Vienna Opera Orchestra (it is the same orchestra, but officially, at the opera, the orchestra rarely plays under the name of the private company “Wiener Philharmoniker”).
I believe that even the Philadelphia Orchestra used this attire until a few years ago, but it has unfortunately been replaced by a generic black suit.
This is not a conductor, but he is elegant in his midnight-blue Tuxedo.
For the conductor, cutaway suits and Stresemann jackets are typically worn indoors during winter and never after 5:00 pm. The tuxedo, similar to tails, is considered evening wear and should not be worn before 5:00 pm. It features a black jacket with satin lapels, available in either single or double-breasted styles, paired with a preferably simple shirt and double cuffs secured with cufflinks, along with shiny black Oxford shoes or loafers (martingale shoes are acceptable, and while patent leather shoes are technically incorrect, they are allowed; the same applies to suede or satin shoes). The trousers are black with satin stripes along the sides, accompanied by long black socks and a black bow tie. Tuxedos made from velvet and in other colors, such as midnight blue, Blackwatch tartan (not in velvet), burgundy, and dark green, are also quite elegant, and bolder colors are increasingly accepted.
However, the conductor should not wear a tuxedo; his elegant evening attire is always and exclusively tails.
A standard practice permits wearing a “dinner jacket,” the summer alternative to the tuxedo (white jacket instead of black, while the rest conforms to tuxedo standards) during the summer.
Traditionally, the dinner jacket is worn outdoors rather than indoors; this practice is often overlooked today. Generally, the conductor should wear it only outdoors.
January 25, 2025
Alternatives
Kate Blanchett in “Tar”: undoubtedly elegant. But she is an actress and not a conductor…
No!
No!
Unless you are a waiter in a restaurant.
When he was in Boston, Seiji Ozawa had a new idea: still Tails, but with a white Turtleneck Sweater instead of a shirt. Why not? With an additional touch of orientalism through the necklace, it was very new and personal, underlying his “Being Japanese” and not too much breaking with tradition. And still comfortable.
The so-called “Nehru-Jacket” (the name coming from a former Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, who always wore this type of jacket), a hip-length Jacket with visible or invisible buttons and a stand-up collar, also called Mandarin Collar.
A short story of the Nehru-Jacket (Copyright westwoodhart.com)
“The Nehru suit, a distinctive ensemble featuring the iconic Nehru jacket, has a rich history that spans centuries and continents. This sartorial masterpiece traces its roots back to the Indian subcontinent, where it emerged as a symbol of nobility and refinement.
In its earliest incarnation, the Nehru jacket was a long, knee-length garment worn primarily by the upper echelons of Indian society. Crafted from luxurious materials, these jackets served as a clear indicator of one’s status and wealth. However, it was Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister after gaining independence in 1947, who popularised the modern, shorter version we know today.
Nehru’s adaptation of the traditional garment was revolutionary. By shortening the jacket to hip length, he created a more versatile piece that retained its cultural significance while offering greater practicality for everyday wear. This modernized Nehru jacket quickly became Nehru’s signature look, earning its moniker and cementing its place in fashion history.
The transformation from a symbol of Indian aristocracy to a global fashion staple was swift and remarkable. In the 1960s, the Nehru jacket caught the attention of Western musicians and celebrities, most notably The Beatles. Their adoption of this Eastern-inspired garment during their well-publicized interest in Indian culture catapulted the Nehru jacket into the global spotlight.
This cultural exchange marked a significant moment in fashion history. The Nehru jacket became a sartorial bridge between East and West, embodying a fusion of traditions that resonated with the counterculture movement of the time. It offered a refreshing alternative to the standard Western suit, appealing to those seeking to make a bold yet elegant statement.”
Although elegant, it is not as comfortable as tails (for a conductor) unless it is pretty oversized and doesn’t support the idea of a festive, important, special occasion. It has a charm of hieratic, a hint of priesthood (what some conductors like to project, apparently) —but it is a break with tradition, which I don’t really like.
Other elegant possibilities: a slim-fit double-breasted black Tuxedo:
(This one is a beautiful Brunello Cucinelli Black Velvet double breasted Tuxedo, offered at mrporter.com)
Yes, it is exquisite, but it is not very practical for conducting: the sleeves are typically not made for ample movements; too big sleeve holes at the armpit will cause the padded shoulder to go up when you lift the arms. I cannot imagine that it is comfortable. And it stops being elegant the moment you start conducting vigorously.
Ditto for a simple, elegant suit. And do not forget: Black becomes grey under bright light, especially on television. The first choice is always Blue Midnight.
January 16, 2025
Guida al Direttore d’Orchestra elegante
Benevenuti su una nuova rubrica della mia Webpage.
Da un lato scrivo su questo tema, non strettamente musicale ma comunque professionale, perché spesso mi irrita come alcuni colleghi (bravissimi certo) si vestono (spiegherò l’irritazione), e dall’altro perché spesso mi viene chiesto.
Dirigere un concerto, o in genere parteciparvi come musicista, è un privilegio. Come musicisti doniamo al nostro pubblico (ed anche a noi stessi) una gioia spirituale. Questo dono, questo particolare momento, non è cosa abituale, ma è speciale, magica ed alta, ed il messaggio che si dà coinvolge anche il modo in cui ci si veste.
Per questo l’abbigliamento deve essere coerente con questo particolare momento, sottolineandone l’unicità, la serietà ed anche l’importanza. Non si tratta di un’importanza elitista, ma di un’importanza segnata dal fatto che nel momento di un’esecuzione stiamo creando l’opera d’arte che, soltanto scritta sulla carta, non avrebbe ragione di essere.
Quindi, cominciamo.
Una domanda che spesso mi viene fatta, soprattutto da giovani aspiranti direttori. Come ci si veste per dirigere?
Per il direttore, la risposta è solo una: il Frac.
Con poche limitazioni, che elencherò dopo.
Perché il Frac? Perché è l’abbigliamento più elegante che esista, ma anche perché per il direttore d’orchestra è il più comodo: ne vedremo i particolari.
Letteralmente, il Frac è il nome dato alla giacca, nera, ad un petto, aperta, con falde a coda di rondine (a volte arrotondate) e revers in seta a punta (si dice a lancia). I pantaloni che si portano con il Frac sono senza risvolto e con galloni (singoli o doppi) ai lati di raso o grosgrain.
I pantaloni vanno sostenuti da bretelle, sono quindi senza passanti per la cintura.
Il colore classico è il nero, ma preferibile è il blu mezzanotte (un blu scurissimo) perché non risulta grigio sotto luce intensa (e risulta nerissimo in televisione). Inoltre il blu è un retaggio antico: Lord Brummel inventò il Frac blu all’inizio dell’800, ma con differenti combinazioni.
Il Frac si porta con un gilet (panciotto) bianco di piquè, ad un petto o (più scomodo) a doppiopetto, ed a tre bottoni, in genere di madreperla, ma che possono essere della stessa fattura – ma più grandi – di quelli per la camicia. Si litiga sulla questione se il panciotto debba spuntare sotto la giacca o no. Secondo me, uno o due centimetri vanno permessi ed hanno una certa eleganza, rendendo l’impressione generale un poco più leggera.
Tollerata, anziché il panciotto, è la fascia nera, che però deve essere di seta o di raso.
La camicia ha lo sparato di piqué, il colletto cosiddetto “diplomatico” (colletto alto con le punte rivolt
e verso il basso), asole da entrambe le parti sullo sparato, un’apertura sul lato sinistro per facilitare l’inserimento dei bottoni (mi chiedono spesso se serve all’aerazione!), un’asola supplementare sotto lo sparato da collegare al bottone interno centrale dei pantaloni, polsini semplici (non doppi) con asole per i gemelli.
La classica camicia per il Frac ne asseconda la comodità, quindi non sarà mai “slim fit”, al contrario deve dare spazio ad ampi movimenti (originariamente per il ballo – ma naturalmente vantaggioso anche per un direttore d’orchestra), quindi piuttosto oversize. Solo lo sparato dovrà essere visibile, ed essendo più rigido non avrà pieghe qualsiasi movimento si faccia, emanando eleganza ad ogni movimento.
Il cravattino a farfalla è rigorosamente bianco (solo i camerieri lo possono portare nero), di piqué ed annodato a mano.
Le scarpe sono rigorosamente nere di vernice (una variazione moderna: scarpe da sera in velluto o scamosciate, ma sempre nere).
Le limitazioni: mai all’aperto (spiegherò poi cosa mettere all’aperto), mai prima delle 17.
January 16, 2025
Welcome to a new section of my web page.
A Guide to the Elegant Conductor
On the one hand, I write about this topic, not a strictly musical but still a professional one, because it often irritates me how some colleagues (excellent ones of course) dress (I will explain the irritation), and on the other because I am frequently asked.
Conducting a concert or participating in one as a musician is a privilege. As musicians, we give our audience (and ourselves) spiritual joy. This gift, this particular moment, is not usual but unique, magical, and elevating. The message also involves how one dresses.
For this reason, clothing must be consistent with this moment, underlining its uniqueness, seriousness, and importance. This importance is not elitist but marked by the fact that in the moment of a performance, we are creating a work of art that, if only written on paper, would have no reason to exist.
So, let’s begin. I am often asked this question, especially by young aspiring conductors: How do you dress to conduct? For the conductor, there is only one answer: tails. It has a few limitations, which I will list later. Why tails? It is the most elegant clothing, but also because it is the most comfortable for the conductor: let’s look at the details.
Tails is the name given to the jacket, which is black, single-breasted, open, with swallow-tailed skirts (sometimes rounded) and pointed silk lapels (called spear). The trousers worn with tails are without cuffs and with braid (single or double) on the sides, made of satin or grosgrain. Suspenders (or braces) support the trousers, so they do not have belt loops. The classic color is black, but midnight blue (a very dark blue) is preferable because it does not appear grey under intense light (and appears very black on television). Furthermore, blue is an ancient legacy: Lord Brummel invented the blue Frack at the beginning of the 19th century but with different combinations.
My tails are made by Mr. Robert Ruzicka at the Jockey Club Store in Vienna (so are my shirts and bow ties).
Tails are worn with a white piqué vest (waistcoat), single-breasted or (more inconveniently) double-breasted, and with three buttons, usually mother-of-pearl, but which can be of the same workmanship – but bigger – as those for the shirt. There is a dispute over whether the waistcoat should peek under the jacket. One or two centimeters should be allowed and have a certain elegance, making the overall impression a little lighter. Instead of the waistcoat, a black sash is tolerated, but it must be silk or satin.
The shirt has a piqué front, a so-called “diplomatic” collar (a high collar with the points facing downwards), buttonholes on both sides of the front, an opening on the left side to facilitate the insertion of buttons (I am often asked if it is for ventilation!), an additional buttonhole under the front to connect to the central button of the trousers (important to connect trousers and shirt), single cuffs (not double) with buttonholes for cufflinks. The classic shirt for tails supports its comfort, so it will never be a “slim fit”; on the contrary, it must allow for ample movement (originally for dancing – but, of course, also advantageous for an orchestra conductor), therefore somewhat oversized. Only the front must be visible, and being more rigid, it will not have creases whatever movement is made, exuding elegance with every movement.
The bow tie is strictly white (only waiters can wear a black one), piqué, and hand-tied.
The shoes are strictly black patent leather (a modern variation is velvet or suede evening shoes, but always black).
Mr. Markus Scheer makes my shoes at Scheer Shoes in Vienna.
Now the restriction: we never wear tails outdoors, and never before 5 p.m.
What I am wearingadmin2025-01-28T11:47:39+01:00