Even, a lightning visit to Italy reveals the almost overwhelming musical activity in that country. Italy used to be one of the most conservative musical domains in Europe. A peculiar organization of concert and operatic life did not allow for a great influx of foreign works, particularly of a type to which the public taste would be unlikely to respond easily. As the Fascist regime fell more and more under the influence of national-socialist ideas of ‘cultural bolshevism’ the country became increasingly excluded from developments outside the totalitarian sphere and the war years cut what ties still remained. Now, as in Germany, a young generation is at work trying frantically to make up for the loss and to gain contact, aided by a general feeling that Italy, as the cradle of European music, must regain its place in the front ranks of musical developments.