Misunderstanding Toscanini/Understanding Shakespeare?

I had left off without really basing my opinions on Understanding Toscanini on anything. Well most of them come from reading the Harvey Sachs extensive bio on Toscanini, and his follow-up collection of essays, Reflections on Toscanini. He is one of a few conductor biographers that will admit their subjects faults such as a horrible temperament and even worse womanising.... which just so happens to be the case here. I would more willingly believe someone who is willing to accept their subject's humanity, their faults and successes. Regardless of this, going back to a soley musical topic, I now turn to Shakespeare.


I am currently reading Highbrow/Lowbrow. It was recommended to me by my very astute and close friend Sean Luyk. The author, Lawerence Levine is exploring the cultural hierarchy that developed in America throughout the 19th and 20th centurys. He uses Shakespeare as the first example. Little did I know that Bill Shakespeare was really very popular in America during the first half of the 19th C. Not just to the highly educated though but to all many social classes.

Eventually though Shakespeare becomes something of an 'educated' man's property.... losing his appeal to the general public. It becomes stuffy, something that is elevated above all other literature to be revered and studied, not related to and enjoyed.

And supprisingly enough this all comes back to Artuo Toscanini as he becomes the "High Priest of Music" through his tenure at NBC and that orchestra's national radio broadcasts. An artform is taken from being popular to being forced upon people as something that makes them better.......

Well if you remember being a kid and not wanting a certain food because it was good for you ... you can see why these past times that were meant to be enjoyed became artforms to be worshiped...
MB