With the Beat or Listen?

We had a concert this week with a conductor who rehearsed very little, yet seemed to achieve a result that surpassed many other concerts that were much more rehearsed. He was chrystal clear in his beat. This seems a simple matter but it’s amazing how often you just cannot tell by looking up what the conductors want or where to play. Problems just did not seem to arise. Everyone was free to play their best. 

So many conductors these days seem to think ‘play exactly on the beat’, yet the beat is unclear and musicians judge it differently. Some will try and spot that point that is ‘the beat’, others want to be sure and play more safely, and play after they know the beat has happened. Of course we listen to each other but therein lies the danger - if you listen you are late - you are reacting. Somebody has to have the courage to play. 

It was great to see a good balance between slavish playing with the conductor and the fear of being early which leads to a 3/4 second delay, depending where you are sitting. How together will that be?