28 JUNE 1924, Page 28

Last year Dr. Percy Buck became the first " Cramb

Lecturer " in Glasgow University. His duties consisted in delivering ten -lectures on some aspect of •the art of rhusic, and it was characteristic that he chose to deal with all aspects of his subject. The task certainly needed to be done, for it fills a -gap in our musical literature, but Dr. Buck's apologies for histeinerity •in attempting it are not'needed. 'His success puts all apologies out of court. No more delightful book on music has been published in recent years. In print perhaps one misses the personality of the lecturer, but his humanity, his scholarship -ever pleasantly tempered with humour, and the grace and clarity with which he expounds his theories are at least preserved. Dr. Buck has some of the wisest and most helpful things to say on the vexed question of musical appreciation that we could hope to read, and whether he is genially grounding his readers in acoustics or examining the possibilities of non-representational art, there is not a single dull page in the book. The Scope of Music cannot fail to stimulate the musician, but it may also be read with pleasure and advantage by the general reader, for Dr. 'Buck does not indulge in technical jargon, and his theory is always closely in touch with actual life.