High Art

U.S. radio is proud of the fact that it periodically broadcasts the best music in the world. But Dr. Serge Koussevitzky, famed conductor of the Boston Symphony, thinks that radio could do far more. Said he last week, in his best English:

"Eet ees not enough good music. For one hour, the people leesten to a symphony orchestra, then for 24 hours they leesten to cheap programs. ... In a half hour, the good music ees forgotten. . . .

"Eet should be the Government which encourages good music, not the people who want to make money. But the Government ees most impassive. Eet must be a Ministry of Fine Arts, which would encourage good music. Every state should have eets own radio station and eets own symphony orchestra. But everything ees left to private corporations. Eet ees not enough that we have fine roads and bridges and houses. We must have good music for the spirit."

Koussevitzky's classical-music ratio of one hour in 24 was not far wrong. But in that little time, U.S. radio manages to present an impressive parade of talent. Not all of it is sponsored.

The Big Three. Two of the best three classical programs have no sponsors as the season begins. Arturo Toscanini returns to the NBC Symphony (Sun. 5 p.m., E.S.T.) on Oct. 27, minus his General Motors sponsor that paid $1,250,000 for the hour last year. Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony (Tues. 9:30 p.m., E.S.T., ABC) open this week, with no sponsor. But once again U.S. Rubber is underwriting the New York Philharmonic (Sun. 3 p.m., E.S.T., CBS) with Artur Rodzinski conducting.

Other top raters: the Philadelphia Orchestra, unsponsored, with Eugene Ormandy conducting (Sat. 5 p.m., E.S.T., CBS); the Cleveland Symphony, George Szell conducting (Sat. 6 p.m., E.S.T., Mutual); Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinees, returning Nov. 16 (Sat. 2 p.m., E.S.T., ABC) the Telephone Hour, with such artists as Fritz Kreisler, Lily Pons, Yehudi Menuhin (Mon. 9 p.m., E.S.T., NBC).

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