Alastair asked:

>On looking more into subscriptions, some of the timings are odd; I am
>reading the three volumes of Britten's letters (edited by Donald Mitchell)
>and noted that some 1940s subscription concerts in New York were held
>at, say, 2pm on Friday and repeated at 8pm on Saturday.
>
>Who on earth went to the Friday ones?

It was a different society then.  Not only did classical music have a
much more important role, but there were far fewer two-income families.
In a city like New York, you didn't have to strike gold with a huge
percentage of people to fill a hall, or come close to it.  No daytime
soap operas, less alternate entertainment, etc.

Mitch Friedfeld