Music: Revival?

Detroit has been without a major orchestra since its main symphony backer, Industrialist Henry H. Richhold (chemicals), pulled out, purse and person (TIME, Sept. 5, 1949). Last week, following the lead of Detroit music critics, the town was beginning to get fired up over the idea of trying again. J. Dorsey Callaghan, the Detroit Free Press critic, even went so far as to ask “a conductor whose musical reputation is an international one” as to his availability for a job. In answer to his question, old (76) Serge Koussevitzky, who turned over his Boston Symphony to Charles Munch last year, replied: WILL

DO MY BEST ASSIST REVIVAL DETROIT SYMPHONY IF REPRESENTATIVES OF DETROIT CITY, SOCIETY AND PUBLIC SHOW

ACTIVE INTEREST. Wrote jubilant Critic Callaghan: “The chance is here, and right now. It [is] a case of put up or shut up . . .” He was just a little ahead of the beat. The old Symphony Society had disintegrated: the first problem seemed to be to find a new group able to say yes or no in the name of Detroit.