And The Most Complex Unaided Human Neurophysiological Collaboration Ever Is… An Orchestra?

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This is a little diversion from my usual themes, but it’s a happy thought, so here goes: I suspect that the most complex stand-alone neurophysiological ‘exercise’ in the whole of human history is… a symphony orchestra.  And since this week marks the annual conference of the Association of British Orchestras, now seems a good time to mention this.
The picture of the left is just one small example of the score for a single instrument (in this case, first violins) in a work for a large-scale orchestra.

As the score suggests, sometimes more than one note must be played at once, and they must often be played very rapidly, and always exactly together and extremely accurately.  And everything must carry on precisely like that for, say, forty minutes or even an hour, if a major symphony or concerto (with soloist) is on offer in the concert.

But of course orchestras have many more instruments than ‘just’ violins….

The tiny scrap, a few seconds’ worth, of a ‘full score‘ (every instrument required for that particular musical composition, all shown together) on the right here indicates just how many different parts there are – the names of the instruments are on the left side of each line.  Each of those parts must synchronise exactly, in both pitch and time, with all the others.

So there we have it.  Full orchestras have a conductor (the one with the stick / baton) who interprets the music and indicates what the tempo, level of sound and dynamics must be, a leader (also called a concertmaster, sitting at the front of first violins) who makes sure everyone is ready and will come in at the right time and in the right way, and maybe some soloists, who must liaise with these colleagues to produce the best performance possible. Plus, sometimes, a choir, perhaps another several dozen singers – not to mention any dancers or other extra artistes.

And my point is…  not one single one of these people, if they are performing live for a concert of classical music or, say, an opera, will have any automated or technical ‘support’ in their performance. There is no clicktrack, no mechanical contraption anywhere keeping the show on the road; just the sheer skill and extraordinary level of attention required to get all these people to perform together at amazing levels of accuracy for however long the chosen repertoire requires.

Most pro musicians start to learn their instruments whilst still in short socks (eight or nine is quite ‘late’) and only if funding is available can many continue their studies, increasingly single-mindedly, for maybe the next fifteen years, perhaps via one of the conservatoires – the Royal Academy or one of the Royal Colleges of Music – before any longed-for opportunity to audition for a great orchestra may arise.  Even then, disappointment is in store for many.  It’s a tough profession.

Having lived all my adult life in the close company of professional musicians, I sometimes marvel at their commitment and determination to uphold standards of performance, with ever-shifting unsocial hours and often, as the Musicians’ Union would confirm, poor conditions and pay, completely unaided by anything beyond their own essential inherent musicality. Perhaps if we recognized more consciously the demands which performing at the highest level requires of every classical musician, we might even hear and see rather more clearly the extraordinary complex human activity, the countless threads of neurophysiological interaction, the enmeshing of many singular gifts, talents and profound focus into a whole which lifts from the physical to the sublime, all right there before our very eyes and ears.

So, is there reason in my claim that professional orchestras are the most elaborate ‘unaided’, entirely humanly directed and constantly changing neurophysiological collaboration on earth?  Do let us know your thoughts below.

And I will now return to topics usually covered on this website. But it feels good to celebrate something so positive and to share this appreciation of classical musicians with you.