From the Archive: September 1930
2020-08-11T01:32:00
The pseudonymous cellist and columnist ‘Ike’ observes how classical music lovers are becoming more plentiful, thanks to the wireless – even if they won’t recognise it themselves
Whatever is said concerning the disastrous effect which so-called “canned music” has on the ordinary professional musician, there is no doubt about it that the advent of wireless, and the popularity of the gramophone, have so improved the tastes of the multitude that many pieces which a few years ago were considered “highbrow” are now listened to with pleasure. Not only such little pieces as Rubinstein’s “Melody in F,” Dvorak’s “Humoresque,” Bach’s “Air” from the Suite in D, but even such works as the Schubert “Unfinished Symphony” are now well within the ken of the man in the street. A little time ago a very loud voiced iconoclast was denouncing classical music; “there is no tune in it,” he said…