THINGS TO COME A Run Through The Programmes

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 23, 1 December 1939, Page 6

THINGS TO COME

A Run

Through The Programmes

OU have all heard Norman Long, that vy suave Englishman who sings merry ditties over the radio. One Monday night he was interviewed by a newspaper man, who said, "Now, Mr. Long, I wonder if you'd have any objection to our printing some of the stories you told me to-night in to-morrow’s issue of the paper." Norman said he was sorry, but no; those jokes had to be used nightly for the rest of the week. Imagine the entertainer’s feelings when, next morning, he read: "At the Empire last night Mr. Norman Long gave a very excellent performance.. He told a lot of very good stories, but unfortunately they can’t be printed." Listeners will hear Norman Long at 8.44 p.m. on Thursday, December 7, from 2YA, Wellington. How Many Were There? How many marks would you get in a simple examination about the Wakefield family that was so prominently connected with New Zealand in the early days? Could you distinguish between Edward Gibbon, William, Arthur, and Edward Jerningham Wakefield, and say when each of them came

to New Zealand? Did you ever hear of Daniel and Felix Wakefield? Judging by what we hear there is a great deal of ignorance about the Wakefields, and one result of the Centennial should be the enlightenment of the public on the point. Angus Ross, who is lecturer in history at Otago University, is going to disentangle members of the family in a talk at 4YA on Tuesday, December 5.

Stalking Folk-Songs There is a story told of the English composer, Vaughan Williams, that he was once hustled out of a shop with a curt, "We want no match-sellers here!" There must be an explanation for this, and the explanation lies in his indifference to dress — he probably. really did look like a tramp. Sydney Grew writes of meeting the composer at a University Musical Club: "He came to me dressed as for stalking the folk-song to its homeheavy boots, with soles almost as high as the old-fashioned pattens people wore to lift them out of the mud of unmade roads, a walking-stick that would have been a useful cudgel when following a forest path in the Middle Ages, no overcoat, and a suit of strong, rough cloth." Vaughan Williams's "London Symphony" will be heard from 1YX, Auckland, at 8.50 pm. on Sunday, December 3. Teaching by Mail The largest school in New Zealand teaches nearly 3,000 pupils, from infants to advanced secondary students. It does all its work by mail. Every two years it puts itself on show, and this year, when the exhibition of the work of pupils of the Education Department's Correspondence School is opened by the Hon, Walter Nash, at 10.45 am. on Tuesday, December 5, listeners are to be given an opportunity to hear all about it, through a rebroadcast by 2YA from Clifton Terrace, Wellington. Special travel and accommodation arrangements have been made to enable parents, pupils, and ex-pupils to visit Wellington for a busy few days of exhibitions, meetings, and special tours. Charitable Oratorio Handel’s great oratorio, "The Messiah," has probably contributed more to charity than any other musical work ever written. First produced on April 13, 1742, in Dublin, it made £400 for the relief of prisoners, and for the support of Mercer’s Hospital and the Charitable Infirmary in the Irish capital. The composer himself conducted, and one of the soloists was Mrs. Cibber, sister of Dr. Arne, who sang the solemn air "He Was Despised " in such a pathetic and affecting manner that at its conclusion, Dean Delany exclaimed: "Woman, for this be all thy sins forgiven!" "The Messiah" will be presented at 8 p.m. on Friday, December 8, from 3YL, Christchurch, by the combined choirs of the Royal

Musical Society and Christchurch Cathedral, and at 8 p.m.-on Saturday from 2YC by the Royal Wellington Choral Union. In Old Ceylon It was not until after Bizet’s death, when people realised the greatness of "Carmen," that the question was asked, "What other operas has this brilliant composer written?" Then the previously unsuccessful "Pearl Fishers" was revived, and this opera of ancient barbaric times in Ceylon revealed a wealth of beauty. The music creates the spirit of ruined temples, tropic shores, and brilliant ceremonial dances. "The Pearl Fishers" will receive its first presentation in this country from 3YA, Christchurch, at 9.25 p.m. on Sunday, December 3. Tune in and hear this story of Leila, the beautiful priestess, Nadir the pearl fisher, and Zurga the King. Oh, Law! Laws of other days are sometimes tragic to us and sometimes funny. Quite possibly some of the laws of this year, 1939, will seem very funny to two generations hence, and so will some of the cases arising out of them. Law is a reflection of the social and economic life of a community, and as such supplics much of the material on which history must work, Julius Hogben is giving a series of talks at 1YA entitled "Oh, Law: Some Sidelights from Early New Zealand," in which he gathers from the highways and byways of the old days information and diversion. Mr, Hogben has a way of his own at the micro phone, and these talks are both instructiw and amusing. He gives another at 7.40 p.m. on Saturday, December 9. Paolo and Francesca The tender, tragic story of Paolo and Francesca is one which must have appealed greatly to Tchaikovski’s romantic mind. Feeling he must capture the essence of this sad tale of the lovely Francesca, who was wed to a deformed brute named Malatesta but was in love with the handsome brother Paolo, Tchaikovski wrote the ballet "Francesca da Rimini." This ballet, with choreography by David Lichine, received its first performance at Covent Garden as lately as in 1937. The ballet will be presented in the "Music from the Theatre" series from 2YA, Wellington, at 9.25 p.m. on Sunday, December 3.

Wise Old Roman Life, so it has been said, is a comedy to those who think, and a tragedy to those who feel. Like most epigrams this is only partly true, for what is to prevent a man thinking and feeling at the same time? We imagine the Roman satirist Juvenal was a man like that. However, he took life seriously. Horace could smile at human nature, but Juvenal lashed the vices of his age with righteous

indignation. It was the Roman Empire of the first century A.D., so there was a good target for his shafts. Perhaps, however-at any rate if certain of our own satirists are to be be-lieved-we are not so greatly superior in morals to those old Romans. It may be that Professor Pocock will touch on this question when he speaks about Juvenal’s Satires at 3YA, Christchurch, on Thursday, December 7. First Prize Play A first prize radio competition play, "Endeavour," by Isobel Andrews, is to be broadcast by 1YA at 9.25 p.m. on Sunday, December 3. It won the 1938-39 competition conducted by the NBS, and has been produced for broadcast in the NBS studios. Mrs. Andrews uses a pioneering theme, topical to the centennial minute. She tells the story of Mrs. Robert Anstell, and her work in building a great estate out of the unbroken land she found in New Zealand when she arrived, just married, from England. Her husband is killed by Maoris. She carries on, determinedly, and the action of the play covers her rememberings when, to-day, she looks back over her share in the work of the last 100 years,