Evening star., 1929-01-03
CRITIC DISCUSSES
MUSIC BY RADIO
Carl EngeI Says Orchestra by
Air Is Akin to Hearing"
A. a Home Run.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

One of natures compenSations Is that
blind people can hear more acutely
han those who can see. Until tele-
Vision is perfected this is an advantage
the radio audience presumably enjoys.
It is doubtful, however, even to the
most ardent radio enthusiast. whether
the advantage can overcome the diSad-
vantages the radio holds for true music
lovers.
Some pertinent observations on this
of the division of music of the Library
of Congress, in connection with the
appearances in this country of the
great conductors Willem Mengelberg of
Amsterdam and Arturo ToScanini of
Milan. Neither of the great national
broadcaSting networks has been able to
contract for the concerts of the New
York Philharmonic Symphony Orches-
ira, which these masters will lead.
Only those radio listeners able to
tune-in on station WOR, Newark will
be able to hear the concerts. for its
contract is exclusive. While en- tour
Mengelberg and Toscanini will pur-
posely ban the microphone in their
"
when listening to music, - Mr.. Engel
observed, discussing the radio from the
point of view of the lover of music,
smany hearers are apt to close their
ewes in order to concentrate their at
. tention on what they hear. They shut
out sight in order to increase the recep-
tiyity of the ear.
Listener at Disadvantage.
"Until we have televiSion-that is.
until we have long-distance seeing as
we'll as long-distance hearing-the radio
puts the listener in the position of the
Iperson who hears but does not see the
musician or musicians making the
sounds.
"If no other distractions interfere, the
radio listener has an advantage so far
as the conditions that favor concentra-
ton go. He is not disturbed by rest
less and coughing audience, nor by the
antics and contortionS of some mis-
guided performer.
"But the radio listener is also at
disadvantage when you remember that
certain music not only depends on the
transmission of sound waves which
strike your ears but gains an added and
unique power through the direct and
! visible contact between the performer
lnuSlCdl dIlO Tie 1lSUCIlcI.
Great music performed in the grand
manner consists not of sound waves
alone that can be transmitted through
the ether There are other vibrations
that go into it. We do not know ex-
actly what sort of vibrations these are.
They consist of something that we call
personal magnetism. 1t resembles an
electric fluid which emanates from the
performer and casts magnetic spell
over the listener.
Hearing a Home Run.
Sometimes the speaking voice and
the singing voice, even over the radio,
can communicate to the unseen and
unSeeing listener something of that
personal magnetism. But so far the
radio has not succeeded in offering a
substitute for the greatest attraction of
great instrumental art-the direct and
personal influence exerted by magnetic
personality"
Mr. Engel maintains that musicians
of the orchestra" must be seen as well
as heard if musical personality is to be
appreciated. He drew an apt analogy.
at is all very WE'LL" he said, Ito hear
a world series broadcast over the radio.
But what counts in the life of base
ball fan and what will count with his
grandchildren If they be base ball fans
is the fact that grandpa actually saw
the grandest baby in base ball hit one
Of his grandest home runs"
(Copyright. 1929. by North American
Newspaper Alliance.)