BROADCASTING AND MUSICAL TASTE. [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—May I be allowed a few words in reply to Mr. Hann's remarks on the subject. of broadcasting which appeared in your recent issue ? The Broadcasting Company have never misestimated the mentality of its audiences. It must be remembered that our audience is not one in particular, but the community at large, whose needs we do our utmost to supply. With so many varying tastes and. interests, however, it is indeed a difficult task to please everyone at the same moment. The popularity of wireless speaks for itself, and it. is all the more remarkable when one considers the opposition we have
had to face. .
Mr. Hann says that the public is always ready to take what is at hand, rather than seek what is further afield. Many people, who would not attempt to go to a symphony concert in the ordinary course of events, have by broadcasting had the symphony concert brought to them, and have heard and appreciated a type of music which hitherto they have looked on as only for the " high-brow." That brings me to the old controversy once again, namely, " high-brow " and " low- brow." • Unquestionably the two classes exist, and it is our business to please them both. The music that, forms the link between the two is undoubtedly limited at the present moment. It must be remembered also that we have to give at least eight concert programmes per week, from London alone, and it is only by a judicious intermingling of the classics with the popu- lar music of the day that the balance can gradually be weighed down in favour of good music. As witness the earlier gramo- phone catalogues. Mr. Ilann cannot have perused the Radio Times in great detail, or he would have observed that Mr. Percy Scholes does give careful analytical notes of the chief musical events of the week, Mr., Hann refers to the . Conversations of Bliss as being exclusively for musical listeners --only. Some time ago we were accused of not giving frankly modern works. The Conversations were therefore included in a programme for the entertainment of the modernist, but, as Mr. Ilann truly says, it reached the ears of thousands of- people hitherto
innocent of such diversions ; and for their benefit detailed remarks were transmitted prior to the performance. The Conversations lasted only a matter of twelve minutes out of a programme of two hours' duration, the remainder of the programme being carefully chosen to give .pleasure to the majority, and the thousands of letters we have received indi- cate that we Dave achieved a considerable amount of-success in doing so.—I am, Sir, &c.,
for the British Broadcasting Company, Limited,
L. STANTON JEFFERIES,
Director of Music.
. 2 Savoy 11111, Victoria Embankment, London, W.C. 2.
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