Great conductors don't just beat time. They inspire their players. Some, such as Georg Solti and Leonard Bernstein, were physical leaders, whose bodies and emotions swept orchestras into following their lead, often ecstatically. Other leaders, such as Arturo Toscanini and Otto Klemperer, were old-style autocrats, brooking no argument, ruling with an iron fist. Still others, such as Thomas Beecham and Sergiu Celibidache, inspired with a combination of humor and gentle insistence.
Many conductors woo their orchestras.
When Bernstein first appeared before the Vienna Philharmonic in 1966, it was a delicate moment. Bernstein, an American Jew, was conducting an orchestra that had been closely associated with the Third Reich. Bernstein addressed the orchestra in German, asking for its patience and support. He then conducted the orchestra with a passion that enthralled the ordinarily stiff Viennese musicians. He managed to convince his players they were free to innovate and express themselves, while convincing them to accept his vision for the music and to follow his direction.