MUSIC AND PUBLICITY
Sig,—It seems to be a fairly generally accepted axiom .that music in this country suffered a terrible blow at the outbreak of war. I hold a somewhat' differcnt opinion. It is unde- niable that the concert agencies and the professional musicians saw their means of livelihood severely curtailed overnight, and everybody interested in music must have the greatest sympathy with them in their difficulties, but for a long time past there has been a confusion in the public mind between music and the executant. So far had this sickness in the musical world spread that people had got in the habit of saying, " I am going to Glyndeboume," instead of " I am going to hear Don Giovanni "; " I am going to the Tos- canini concert," instead of " I am going to hear the Verdi Requiem," and, while paying every tribute to the great artists of music for the pleasure they have given I am inclined to think that this publicity that had been forced on them against their will had created a type of musical snobbery which was much to be regretted.
There were altogether too many concerts in London before the war. Today, such concerts as are given are attended by real music-lovers, for whom the prices have been adjusted to suit their pockets. All over the country music is being- per- formed at popular prices and the people who attend go for the sake of the music itself, rather than to hear any particular artist. Many have taken again to playing the piano and form trios and quartets in their homes and for their friends; to this the curtailment of the B.B.C. musical activities has been a contributing factor.
I therefore venture to think that there is at least as much real musical life in the country today as there was before the outbreak of war, and that the spontaneous activity and demand are a confirmation that music is becoming more and more an essential in the lives of the people.—Yours faithfully, ERNEST S. MAKOWER. Holmwood, Bin field Heath, Oxon.
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