THE MUSIC BOX

Yesterday morning's papers briefly mentioned the rather surprising fact that the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of its new conductor, Artur Rodzihski, would on May 23 begin a series of 52 concerts over the Columbia Broadcasting System. In view of the rather astonishing changes that the orchestra has undergone during the past few months, and its general decline during the past season, the announcement is highly unexpected.

When Dr. Rodzinski was appointed permanent conductor of the Philharmonic earlier this season, he wasted no time in following the precedent which he had previously used in his first days in Cleveland, and which had been laid down earlier and even more dramatically by Koussevitsky in his first years in Boston. At any rate, when the smoke cleared, fourteen members of the orchestra, including Michel Piastro, the concertmaster, had been effectively purged, and all efforts to force the Board of Trustees or Rodzinski to re-engage them for another season had, for unknown reasons, weakly faded away. The Philharmonic has, until this year, usually given only a series of 28 concerts during its regular season. When they appear for the first of their coming series they will not only be instituting a new broadcasting schedule, but will be giving their first performances under a new conductor who will no doubt be badgered for everything he may say or do until temporary hard feelings are forgotten.

Other first class orchestras have also graced the other waves with their presence during the past season. The Saturday night programs of the Boston Symphony under Koussevitsky were broadcast in part. The Philadelphia Symphony under Eugene Ormandy was heard on Friday, and the Cleveland groups under Rodzinski was heard on Saturday afternoons. Still another new program has been started recently at 11:30 o'clock on Tuesday nights called "Invitation to Music," and it promises to be more than just successful in carrying out its boast to introduce fine but relatively unknown works to radio audiences. But probably the highlight of the year in the way of live classical music programs is the N.B.C. Symphony at 5 o'clock on Sunday afternoons. During its span it has featured such conductors as Leopold Stokowski, Frank Black and Arturo Toscanini, the last performing everything from a superb Brahms' cycle to "The Stars and Stripes Forever." This program has not, however, been backward in introducing new works, performing for example, Prokofieff's music for "Alexander Nevsky," and a Stravinsky symphony.

Mention should also be made of the faithful recorded programs which, although they may lack the glamor and expectancy of a live concert, nevertheless continue to give enjoyment to many. The Crimson Network should be mentioned, as should WMEX, and the 11:30 o'clock Columbia Masterworks program, and a host of others. WCOP, until recently, has offered a program at 1 o'clock known as "Design for Listening," which, in spite of some very questionable announcing, is more than adequate because of its fine choice of records. It went off the air only last week. A few post-cards in the right place may yet bring it back.