MUSIC AND MECHANICS.

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 45, 23 May 1930, Page 6

MUSIC AND MECHANICS.

YF the cabled report of his utterances is correct and not affected by the absence of important qualifications, then we imagine Sir Thomas Beecham, the famous orchestral conductor, has rather allowed his temperamental enthusiasm to run riot with his judgment in his attack upon mechanised music in the form of radio and gramophone. Sir Thomas is reported as having prophesied that broadcasting will fall to an insignificant position so far as music is concerned. Holding that both the radio and gramophone were "mere parasites on the musical body," he declared that in the art of making music they had never given a farthing’s worth of help, and that music left to mechanical reproduction would simply die. [T would seem that the worthy conductor, on this statement of the case, is a victim of mental confusion as to the inspiration of music and the reproduction of it. To the layman it seems obvious that the gramophone and radio are the servants of music. They are not creative instruments; they are recording and diffusing instruments, and by the miraculous perfection to which modern ingenuity has lifted them, they enable music, once created by the inspired genius of the composer and interpreted at the master hands of performer and conductor, to be spread over the community in a way never hitherto possible. By thus diffusing music in this form throughout the world, a service of outstanding importance and value has been rendered to the populace at large. Time was when the cultured and wealthy, living in world centres, alone had the opportunity of hearing and enjoying music of that standard dear to Sir Thomas Beecham’s soul. The point may be conceded that the reproduction does not quite equal the original; that some of its subtlety and soulfulness is lost. Nevertheless the reproduction is vastly worth while, and the world will not forgo its gain in spite of temperamental fulminations of the kind made.

FROM a further passage, it would seem that the real gravamen of Sir Thomas’s complaint lies in the charge that the B.B.C. is not apparently "encouraging" music in the way desired by the dis-', _. tinguished conductor. It is alleged that recent concerts conducted by ¥* the B.B.C. were failures in that most of the occupied séats were filled with "poor relations and housemaids"; further, that the corporation simply squanders money in a muddling, plundering way, without a policy for the future, musically. In explanation of this charge, it may be recalled that, when broadcasting first became popular, the effect was to place in serious difficulties chamber music. To save the day, the much maligned B.B.C. itself came forward and guaranteed costs of production of such concerts throughout the season. This policy saved the cause of music, and enabled music-lovers to enjoy at. first hand the renditions they desired. It would seem now that Sir Thomas desires the B.B.C. to devote some of its funds, not only to the reproduction of existing music, but to inspire the creation of new music by possibly special prizes. The B.B.C. may conceive that to be outside its charter. It may hold that the very efficiency of gramophone and radio reproduction secures to successful composers infinity vaster monetary rewards for their creations thari the old-time methods; that in that sense "mechanised music" is definitely providing the market for new music, and so providing the inspirational urge. In our mind there is no doubt that that view is right. The creator of music has to-day a better market and greater protection than before. For the interpretation of that music it is true that. mechanisation seeks absolutely the best. There are therefore richer rewards for the perfect interpreter, but also a narrower field for the average and mediocre. While regretting the personal disability imposed by that situation, the general public is not in the least likely to regret the tremendously increased acquaintance that it has secured through gramophone and radio with world masterpieces.