Was Britain muscially inferior? Well, you have at least two very
different perspectives in your paragraph which need not have much to do
with each other.
I would have to say that yes, in most ways Britain was musically inferior
when talking about what today is mis-called "classical" music. The great
composers, virtuosi, conductors, etc. were with very few exceptions (and
fewer still of the first order) not from Britain. Britain was throughout
the classical, romantic, and most of the post-romantic periods an importer
of musical talent; a consumer rather than a producer. It was where
composers, conductors, and musicians went to make money, rather than a
place were new music was produced. (This did all change slightly after 1880
or so, as you pointed out).
In the many fields of popular music, however, the British were no worse off
than most other places in Europe (except Vienna), and as far as "home
music," (make music in the home, that is) I know of no reason to think
the British any less musical than any other part of Europe.
"T"
tlewis@praline.no.Neosoft.com
Terrance L. Lewis, PhD
History Program, Social Science Dept.
Southern University at New Orleans