"conductors are required by those classically trained persons who are not brought up to keep time with their foot (or feet). This is of course a terrible affliction that us uncouth folkies do not suffer from!"

Ah - a typical ignorant comment by someone obviously WITHOUT any real musical training - especially proper training about playing in a group! Obviously a self taught know it all wanfolkie!

Each instrumentalist - and vocalist - can hear themselves BEFORE they can hear someone else a distance away - the bigger the group, the longer the delay due to distance.

As an example, I was a trained Pipe Organist from a large church building - you hit the keyboard, the sound starts from the pipes about 60 feet away - travels PAST you, reaches the congregation up to 100 feet or more away - those in the back before the front, then their singing travels back to you ... talk about delays.... but it sounds good to the congregation - the audience!

In a 100 piece orchestra, they will all look at a common source of timing - the conductor. This allows the music to reach the AUDIENCE - [for classically trained musicians, the most important part of the performance, unlike self taught know it all wanfolkies to whom the individual performer is the most important!] - as a coherent performance!

(Don't start denigrating others when you haven't walked a mile in their shoes and you don't know what you are talking about!)

Robin