Music and Radio: Mew Methods for Presenting Pine Music

THE music-loving population of this country is already very large, if we include in this classification all those who are interested directly and indirectly in good music, who go to concerts, who play some instrument or who sing.

Yet one would make no mistake in saying that the vastly greater number do not as yet fully realize that modern phonograph recording is able to bring the very best of orchestral, ensemble and solo music, vocal and instrumental, into their possession at moderate cost, and that the modern talking or phonograph machine reproduces this music with all the beauty and power of the original.

It was little more than two years ago that progressive phonograph manufacturers began to scrap the old machines and the old methods of recording, adopted revolutionary new methods and set out to conquer the music-loving public afresh.

They had learned that the phonograph could only withstand competition by giving something that other instruments could not give and giving it in a more satisfactory way than ever before.

In other words, if the phonograph could be made to excel in the matter of reproduction, while preserving its unique ability to record the finest of performances for use whenever and wherever wanted, then the phonograph would become steadily a greater factor in the entertainment of the public.

Now the phonograph has been brought to the point where its reproduction is well-nigh perfect. This has been accomplished mainly through the development of electrical recording systems which have now become almost universal.

But the manufacturers also realized that no development of reproducing systems would be worth talking about so long as the recording itself was not brought up to date. While recognizing the demand for dance and popular music generally, it is clear that they have begun a policy of building up a library of high-class recordings by the new method, so splendid in choice of titles and in reproduction as to bring the phonograph, in the ears of music-lovers everywhere, to a position of exaltation which few anticipated.

These recordings are marvelously realistic as now reproduced and in thousands of cultivated homes they are helping to mould musical tastes, as they will eventually in millions.

Glancing for a moment over the Radio field one of the outstanding features in a general way is the steady increase in the broadcasting of better music and programs and their more perfect reception due partly to the gradual clearing up of the air channels for broadcasters.

Another thing that is helping to put radio into the best class of homes is the perfecting of the electric receiver operated directly from the house current which lights the home. The electric set once installed and adjusted, needs no further attention except an occasional replacement of tubes, an operation as simple as the replacement of electric light bulbs.

As the year advances radio will be found rendering a greater service than ever in helping to build a desire on the part of old and young for a better understanding and study of truly fine music and fine musical instruments of all kinds, especially the piano, the basic musical instrument of all.