History Main / CartoonConductor

* In the GrandFinale of ''{{Series/Chuck}}'' [[FakeBand Jeffster!]] takes over an orchestra concert with a cover of A-Ha's "Take On Me." Morgan grabs the baton from the befuddled conductor and starts waving it around, causing the orchestra to join the song perfectly.

** Bugs Bunny himself was fond of the Omnipotent CartoonConductor act. "Baton Bunny" is a classic example of this and a rare example of a dialogueless Bugs Bunny cartoon. The page image above comes from another, ''WesternAnimation/LongHairedHare'', in which he [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed impersonates Leopold Stokowski]].
** The ''WesternAnimation/MerrieMelodies'' short "WesternAnimation/RhapsodyInRivets" has a building foreman acting as a conductor, with all the workers laboring to the tune of Listz's "Hungarian Rhapsody".

* One Creator/TexAvery short, "WesternAnimation/MagicalMaestro", featured a magician who switched places with a conductor so he could get revenge on a performer during a concert. Since the magician was using a ''magic wand'' for a baton, he not only had CartoonConductor power over the orchestra, he could also physically change the performer into whatever embarrassing form he wanted.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

* ''Film/TheSwanPrincess'': Derek asks the orchestra conductor at one point what sound they would make if he were to hold his baton and arm like the shape of a swan's neck. The conductor does so, and the tuba player makes a silly noise.

* The aforementioned epic-scale ScriptSwap actually happens in a [[ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse Donald Duck]] comic, when a bunch of flies get into the orchestra room and the conductor starts wildly attacking them. In the meanwhile, other flies actually sit on the players' sheets, [[HilarityEnsues causing them to misread the notes]]. The funniest part? The composer of the very song they are playing is in the audience.

* ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'': One short ("Carmen Get It", directed by Gene Deitch) takes the "switching sheet music" gag to ridiculous extremes. As Tom tries to conduct an orchestra, he fails to realize that his sheet music is actually a blank page covered by an army of ants. As the ants repeatedly switch into different patterns, the orchestra correspondingly switches to a random song, causing Tom much confusion. Tom first enters the concert in that cartoon as a musician trying to flush Jerry out of a hole so he can capture him, only to migrate to the conductor's stand later, much to the ire of the actual conductor. Tom actually was employed as a conductor in 1950's ''Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl''. At one point, Jerry crawls into the actual conductor's suit, making him dance around in a way vaguely resembling the Twist and causing the orchestra to play in an appropriate tempo.

In RealLife, conducting an orchestra is a highly stylized endeavor. A conductor has to make sure the orchestra plays in the correct tempo, and that important solo singers or instrumentalists and string, brass, wind or percussion sections start on time and have rhe correct dynamics (loudness or softness). They are also generally responsible for setting the entire tone, style speed and style of the piece being played. They do so through the swinging and beating with a baton and through the use of meaningful, nuanced gestures with the baton and with their arms, hands and expressions. It is up to the members of the orchestra and choir to interpret the movements and follow along with the tempo and style set by the conductor.

In RealLife, conducting an orchestra is a highly stylized endeavor. A conductor has to make sure the orchestra plays in the correct tempo, and that important soloists come in on time. They are also generally responsible for setting the entire tone, speed and style of the piece being played. They do so through the swinging of a baton and through the use of meaningful and highly nuanced gestures. It is up to the members of the orchestra to interpret the movements and follow along with the tempo set by the conductor.

** Bugs Bunny himself was fond of the Omnipotent CartoonConductor act. "Baton Bunny" is a classic example of this and a rare example of a dialogueless Bugs Bunny cartoon. The page image above comes from another, "Long-Haired Hare", in which he [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed impersonates Leopold Stokowski]].

* ''Literature/ThePhantomTollbooth'' consciously takes this one UpToEleven with the idea of a conductor who controls '''colors.''' All Hell breaks loose when Milo tries to wing conducting a sunrise.

[[quoteright:270:[[WesternAnimation/LongHairedHare https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cartoon_conductor.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:270: [-WesternAnimation/BugsBunny, [[BlatantLies taking his work seriously, as usual.]]-] ]]

* In the finale of the Mickey Rooney[=/=]Creator/JudyGarland film ''Film/StrikeUpTheBand'' Mickey's character leads all the orchestras combined in a big production number, for which nobody has any sheet music.