Music in the Air A History of Classical Music on Television

Music has been a part of television programming from the very beginning and still present today, albeit in radically altered forms. While live music, and particular live classical music, was not always accessible to all, television made it possible to have a symphony or a gamelan orchestra or an opera stage in one's home. Television has been instrumental in the popularization of music, in preserving precious moments of music making, and in helping to shape the future of music. This new film from Reiner E. Moritz explores the life of classical music in television from its inception to today, with footage of past great performers and, most notably, historic images of a regular television service by the BBC in 1936.