Music: Good Djokjakarta

In the remote, jungled landscapes of India and in the alleyways of cities of Ceylon, music can be heard. To most occidental ears such music sounds queer and ugly, as the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra would sound queer to the inhabitants of the far places. Yet oriental music did not sound ugly to Leopold Stokowski, famed insurgent conductor of the Philadelphia Symphony. In fact during a recent and extensive tour of the Far East he stood "literally hypnotized ... by music such as western ears had never heard, wildly discordant but with overtones of grandeur." Always eager to shock the music-lovers...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!