Evening star., 1934-10-28

even while catering TO the
greatest common denominator among
the audience, are admitting q whole
some regard for the musical perfer-
ences and predictions Of theil
listeners.
While still baking at "rarified In
tellectualism" on the air, whether II
music or other things, listeners as 9
whole are evincing a new and eager
interest in the higher forms of music
in symphony concerts, in vocal anC
instrumental renditions of the So
called classical music, and in the
finer arrangements of ordinary jazz
Whatever may be said in criticism
or defense Of commercialism on the
air; the trend today even in many
sponsored programs is toward better
music during the more favorable lis.
tening hours. Comedy and light en-
tertainment, of course, still dominate
American radio-but that fact does
not alter the foregoing conclusions
drawn from the testimony of such
great maeStros in their respective
fields as Leopold Stokowsh, Walter
Whiteman and Frank Black.
Views Command Respect.
Men like these, who testified at the
recent Washington hearings on the
educational uses OF radio, would find
their talents in great demand in any
country or on any radio system. In
deed, their abilities to arrange. render
and translate fine music and even
some bad music into really splendid
music might be at higher premium
on a broadcasting system that gave
the listeners what they ought to
have" rather than what they want and
demand. Therefore, their testimony
favoring American radio, which makes
no bones about its purpose Of giving
the people mostly what they want,
and their testimonials in praise of a
fine American istenership, would
command respect anywhere.
OF one accord they attested In a
definite improvement in radio music
and to a perceptible betterment in
American tastes for music. They at
trlbuted this taste for finer music.
not only on the radio, but in the
theater and on the concert stage tn
an educational process now being
wrought by radio itself. If the So
called push button" or mechanical
era epitomized by radio has lessened
the inclination of youth to take NIL
sic lessons because Of the ease of
enjoying music, as has often been
charged, nevertheless it has also con-
tributed to a greater and more wide
spread appreciation of music among
people in all classes of life.
Stokowski recited how he had
studied closely the fan mail that fol-
lowed his Philadelphia Orchestra
symphonic broadcasts to CLEAN there
from. If possible. whether climate.
geographical factors or environment
influenced musical preferences. They
do not, he found.
Individual Tastes Shown.
What the letters really show" he
stated, lis that the listeners all over
the country, regardless OF local en-
vironment. reflect intensely individ-
ual preferences and musical tastes.
And this, I think, is as it really
should be; for while music often does
reflect national spirit, economic con-
dltlons or local influences, it remains
above all an intensely personal emo
tional and spiritual expression and
experience.
One interesting thing I do note
IN the letterS-the DEVELOPMENT of
new group of listeners who have lust
heard their first program of SYM
phonic music. Some of the writers
confessed that they had secretly ex-
pected TO be bored Instead of bore
dom, they found a new revelation of
life. a new experience of emotion and
understanding. They are not con-
fined to a particular group; among
them are farmers and their families,
business men, laborers, professional
men (many of them with little time
to go to concerts) and students"
The development of these new
listeners, chiefly via radio, is re-
garded by Stokowski as a sign and
promise of the growing influence of
good music in the social scheme. In
a similar vein Walter Damrosch,
whose radio concerts destined for the
schools are regarded as among the
greatest contributions of the times
to proper musical appreciation among
the young, credits radio with creating
"a love for music and an intelligent
appreciation of it as an att" and
contributing toward the raising of
the cultural standards of our people"
There is still much to be desired
and much to be deplored. admits
DR.. Damrosch, but he, too, sees hope
full signs in the fact that most of
the great orchestras of the country,
chamber music, recitals by the great
est artists and performances of the
Metropolitan and Chicago operas all
find their places on the air.
Some of these are commercially
sponsored" said Dr. DamroSch, for
even the vice presidents of the great
concerns who, for rea-
sons unknown to me, are usually put
in charge Of their respective programs
even they are beginning to see the
error OF their ways and to perceive
more clearly the real and constantly
growing demand of the public for bet
ter and better music"
The others, who appeared before
the Federal radio authorities per-
sonally, and many more leaders in
music who submitted their views by
letter, all spoke or wrote to much the
same effect. Musical education of
the people by radio, they asserted,
should be in the hands of competent
musical leaders encouraged, as they
are now being encouraged, by those
who operate the radio networks and
stations. There must be a check and
balance between "highbrow music
and the stuff that pleases."