What's on the conductor score?

[Rachmaninoff]

Sorry for the newbie question.

I wonder what's on the conductor score. Usually they take a lot of time to turn the page, so I suppose it's not the full score (otherwise they'd have to turn the pages frenetically). Also, sometimes I have the impression of a big paper size (far larger than letter or A4 sizes). So, what is it? Is there any norm or standard?

Thanks.

[Argoth]

Think I've seen what would qualify as conductors scores at my university library, they certainly seem like the full score for all the different sections, however, they are much larger than A4 sizes as you said, and they are also of very small font. But I'm fairly clueless as well, so looking forward to the right answer.

[Oneiros]

AFAIK it's the full score - in some cases they might double parts on the same staff to save space, but that's just a guess.

The conductor would need to see everything that's going on in order to direct it properly.

[musicalis]

Hi !
If it may help you, I give you (as an attachment) one of my conductors. It is a full score. For my web friends, I write it in A4 because a few people only has a A3 printer.(I have not any one myself).

Don't worry, you will have time to turn the pages while listening.
Here is the related MP3 file :
http:/musicalis.monespace.net/autres/img4a.mp3

Friendly

J-Paul

[Fretless]

Musicalis pretty much answered it, but I'll second--the conductor score shows every instrument's part when they're playing. If instruments are out of the piece for a length of time, the score is reduced to only show who is playing. But conductors need to know what's in each player's part.

[Rachmaninoff]

Thank you for the example, musicalis.

So, in fact the A3 format is the most used? In your example there are lots of instruments, therefore the staves are really small, probably hard to read at stage! I suppose the A4 is used in compositions with less instruments, like some Mozart's... right?

[musicalis]

Hi !
There are many kinds of conductors as there are many sizes of orchestras. The staves of my score are very small because I wrote it in A4 for a contest, not to be performed. In A3 it will be easer to read, but not publish as a cheap book.
You can find, many classical conductors at DOVER , an US publisher. They are fac simile, very cheap and a little larger than A4 for some of them.
J-Paul

[janny108]

Think I've seen what would qualify as conductors scores at my university library, they certainly seem like the full score for all the different sections, however, they are much larger than A4 sizes as you said, and they are also of very small font. But I'm fairly clueless as well, so looking forward to the right answer.

That would make sense that it is of a smaller font. I saw a conductor lean to it more closely to see something. I know I would do that as it's hard for me to read small print! LOL
Jan