I am a middle school orchestra director. My purpose is not exactly the same as that of Solti, but there is much in common. We analyze the composition and strive to achieve the most accurate performance possible, based on knowledge of the composer's intent. We coordinate dozens of musicians to play in a similar style. The actual conducting during a concert boils down to physics: the speed of light versus the speed of sound. The entire orchestra sees my ictus (the point where my baton bounces in a different direction, indicating the beat) at the same time, give or take a microsecond. However, the back of the violin section cannot hear the back of the cello section on the far side of the room at the same time. There would be a noticeable discrepancy.