La musique mise en langage, le langage mis en musique – Pratiques de réalisation, séquentialité et constitution de signification dans la répétition d’orchestre

Abstract

This contribution analyses how, in the interaction between the conductor and musicians during orchestra rehearsals, musical concepts are transmitted through the multimodal interaction between language, music and the body. While musical concepts are guided by the score, which provides the foundation for interpretation, they are also conveyed, proposed, and instructed by the conductor, who incorporates their own interpretive ideas during rehearsals. Conductors use linguistic resources to describe expressive nuances, phrasing, or musical dynamics, and may also “musicalize” their verbal instructions through tonal nuances, rhythm, tempo, or vocalizations. Gestures, facial expressions, gaze and body movements play a supporting and illustrative role on both levels. These instructional practices occur in an exchange with musicians, who implement the instructions and propose their own musical interpretation. The conductor can then revise and provide further instructions until satisfied. This article focuses on these instructional sequences and their sequential unfolding, demonstrating how different semiotic resources interact to translate music into language and language into music, thereby generating meaning. The analysis is based on video recordings of orchestra rehearsals in France and Belgium, transcribed and analysed using multimodal conversation analysis.