the particular work to be interpreted.

Granting the presence of these two things, the actual gestures will
usually take care of themselves. The conductor Altschuler remarks on
this point:

There is no artificial code of signals needed between the
conductor and his men; what the conductor needs is a clear
conception of the composition.

We are fully in accord with this sentiment; but for the benefit of the
tyro it may be well to note again that, in general, a quickening of
tempo is indicated by a shorter, more vigorous stroke of the baton,
whereas a slowing down in rate of speed, especially when accompanied
by a letting down of emotional intensity, involves a longer, more
flowing movement, with more back stroke. Louder tone is often
indicated by the clenched fist, the _fortissimo_ effect at the
climacteric point often involving a strong muscular contraction in the
entire body; while softer tone is frequently called for by holding the
left hand out with palm down, by loosening the grip upon the baton,
and by a generally relaxed condition of the entire body. Dynamic
changes are also indicated to a certain extent by the amplitude of the
beat and by the position of the hands. In calling for a _pianissimo_
effect, the conductor usually gives short beats with the hands close
together (if the left hand is also used), but in demanding
_fortissimo_ the beat is usually of much greater amplitude, and the
hands, therefore, widely separated. For the swell ([crescendo-decrescendo
symbol]) the hands are usually close together at the beginning, are
then gradually separated as far as possible, coming together again at
the end of the _decrescendo_.

Changes in quality are perhaps most frequently suggested by variation
in the facial expression, poise of body, _et cetera_, while phrasing
is often indicated by a movement of the left hand (thus signaling some
part to begin or stop) or by a lifting of the arms and shoulders at
the breathing point, thus simulating the action of the lungs in taking
breath, and causing the singers or players actually to take a breath
by instinctive imitation. The manner in which the baton is grasped and
manipulated is of course another way of indicating these various
expressional effects, this being especially noticeable in the case of
phrasing, which is perhaps most often indicated by simply raising the
baton higher at the end of a phrase, thus preparing it for a longer
sweep at the beginn