Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Musical Courier 1933



Beginning in 1880 and continuing into the mid 20th century, Musical Courier was the weekly classical music trade magazine.  Nearly every angle of the classical music world was covered from obituaries, laws and legal business in the world of music, scholarly articles on music and instruments.  African-American music and women’s rights were topics of interest as well as the Nazi influence on European culture. 

Composers as well as performers were chosen to be featured on the cover.  Publicity of this kind was and is priceless for a musician’s career. 

Promoting performances of her work, Youth of the World, Gena Branscombe was featured on a 1933 cover of Musical Courier.  Now added to my Gena collection is an original framing copy of the cover.  

By 1890 Musical Courier had its own British version and in 1897 the publisher, Mr. Marc Blumenberg, split the magazine into two editions; one being for musical news and the other for industrial departments.  Purchased by Professor Lisa Roma in 1958, Musical Courier remained in print until 1961.