No Strings

No country in the world is more thickly populated with orchestras than West Germany. The music-loving West Germans support no fewer than 94 professional symphonies with full-year contracts. But Europe's most musical country is in danger of losing some of its best orchestras at a time when the audience for serious music is growing steadily. There is an alarming shortage of West German musicians, particularly violinists.

In the U.S., where many a young hopeful gets lost among the wind instruments of his high school band, orchestras have been hampered by a violinist shortage for several decades. But the shortage is not nearly so severe as it has become in Germany. There, nearly half the vacant orchestra seats belong to violinists. The majority of present orchestra violinists are between 45 and 65 years old, and there is little replacement potential in the younger generation.

According to the West German Music Council, the number of music students who chose the violin as their principal subject decreased by 30% between 1953 and 1960. There is a general shortage of instruments, teachers, and practice rooms. The basic reason for all this, say some German musicians, is that their country concentrated so intensely on physical reconstruction after the war that there was little time or inclination for cultural activities. Anxious to correct the situation, the Music Council has organized a new foundation for musical affairs. By providing scholarships and better facilities for young talent, the foundation hopes to make sure that Beethoven will continue to be played in the land.

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