"This book began as a series of radio talks ... delivered as part of the Columbia broadcasting system's broadcasts of the Sunday afternoon concerts of the New York Philharmonic-symphony orchestra during the season of 1936-1937. These have been supplemented by material drawn from articles and reviews ... that appeared originally in the ... New York World and New York American. Certain chapters were first printed in the Ladies' home journal, the Saturday evening post, and the New Yorker."--Introduction.