The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-05
AMERICA BECOMES AN EXPORTER OF
 MUSICAL WARES
If Trade Follows the Band Then European Capitals Soon Be Good Custom
 CTS of United States
By K. WALTER

London, November 20.-(Reciprocal News Servica )-Amerioan participation and re- bponsibility in one branch of worl d affairs Is certain and unalterabie by election or by congress and the responsibility is regarded ks a heavy one by those who give any im- portance to that branch of affairs. Her own efforts and the accident of the war raised America to a high position hs a world center of music Her in- tluence is beginning to be felt in the countries which previously regarded America much as early English traders regarded India and China. Musical ex- portations to America were the only things that maetere then Today the tide has turned and no European capital gan ignore the importations received from America and presented to tho European publics by such enterprising agents as, for example, the Wolfsohn bureau, with all the skill and success of American salesmanship.
 The matter is of importance because nusic is of all the arts the prophetic krt. One has only to remember that Significant breakdown at Strassburg of the attempt to establish a musical en- tente between France and Germany sew tral years before the war. And long before that the spread of Grman music
 
 fatherland in world affairs and was fol- lowed by the, challenge of the degenerate German school to all other schools, fore bnadowing the Prussian menace.
 Trade follows the band. That is more true today than it was in the ancient history of the British empire that trade followed the flag, Plenty of observers In Europe will be ready to say that shat America does in music now she t,, tbA 1f1trN The kind of music America makes and sands, the type of musician she makes aad sends, will in the most subtle but Effective manner not only suggest to Eu- topean minds the character of America tla all her other dealings in world af- tairs, but will also create the atmos- paere in which American influence in sisch matters will have to work.
 There is only too little music made b America on the European market as Jet. Europeans are frankly curious, baen eager, to know what the composers ,f the younger world are doing. An all- American programme would be success h London today, probably a greater sue less than in any American city to judge By tho memory of many tentative pro- grammes heard in America But mu- Gcians made in America are coming over h formidable numbers already, and it is Rf&6ky Dy ttilS Llldl lJdlOpC ID DCSihhtiiS ko form an appreciation of America taste and culture.
 NO TENDENCY TO HAGGLE
 There is no tendency to haggie over rho or what is an American musician. |, may be true that great musicians are born, not made, but public success is made by the people of tho community who give popularity to the musician The artists who come over here from inc United States are made in America No matter what their birth place. Ina E one of the results of the war. Amer Ea used to be the place to make for tune. It may be so still, but 1t is more important to the rest of the world thai America is now the place to make musical reputation. It is not looking toe lar ahead to say that any musician tc Ehom the American public gives com blete national recognition such as is characterized by high prices ant crowded halls in all the great musi< renters in America, will get much tnt lAme attention in Europe which formerly kas given in America to tPose who had kon the catchct of London, Paris and Ser tn. With, perhaps 1t should Dc noteo his difference that Europe has many more critical traditions than America
 Thus the first serious judgment oc American culture will be derived from the impression made by American nl',- Sjcians; the makers of musical reputA- lions in America, the concert going pup lie. will be responsible for Americas cui- kIral standing in the world and TOT all That is built upon this foundation Of in- tcrnational opinion.
 The winter musical season in London has begun with a series of three recltais p,ch. given on q grand scale. by two rausicians known here as Americans anu brought over by the American agency ai- teady mentioned. Neither Hofmann nor t3eifetz are Americans by birth or edu- tation, but they have this new Amer kan imprimatur The New York sym phony orchestra, hfard here earlier in lhe year, had it of course in much more definite sense; in fact, it may be said ihat that great musical excursion marked tae turning of the tide, arousing Europ- tan attention as it did to the fact that merica had a musical life of its own comparatively enriched and intensified by the accident of the war.
 What musical critics on this side are asking themselves is whether it is signi- ticant or only incidental that the same general characteristics have been noticed In these three manifestations of Amer lean musical taste. Orchestra and solo, Ets have all won the highest praise and inc enthusiasm of the public for their Extraordinary technical powers. On a first hearing, with programmes wholly designed to display these powers, the Enthusiasm for both Hofmann and Hei-