MUSIC FOR COURSES IN MUSIC

A potent medium of musical expression, the phonograph record, is being ignored by many of Harvard's music courses. Especially guilty of this omission is Music 3, and it is suffering immeasurably from its neglect of phonographic interpretation of lecture material.

Perhaps fifty of its two hundred enrolled students had genuine interest in classical music last September. The other hundred and fifty, while probably not apathetic toward it, had never seriously considered its study or appreciation. Here were unsullied potentialities--a promising group of embryonic music lovers. And then came the devitalizing attack of uninspiring fact. For four and a half months this once fertile group was subjected to a welter of dates, lives, names of compositions, and high-falutin musical terms.

Granted that the professor is a good lecturer. He touched on many interesting sidelights. But undeniably something was lacking. A better illustration of lecture material was needed. A few hours a month of piano interpretation--and often piano interpretation of works written for orchestra or other instrumental groupings--was the only actual music provided, and it was woefully inadequate in supplying the genuine need for practical demonstration. Phonographic records would have amply filled this need.

Practical difficulties cannot be brought in as objections. The course has plenty of time for renditions. The music building boasts several phonographs, and records could be obtained from the house libraries. Yet present signs indicate that during the second half year the course will continue to teach music without music.