THINGS TO COME A Run Through The Programmes

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 55, 12 July 1940, Page 6

THINGS TO COME

A Run

Through The Programmes

HE voice of the Minister of Finance inaugurated a new development in official broadcasting on Sunday night, June 30. Breaking into programmes from every station in New Zealand, Mr. Nash had the most complete coverage possible for his talk on Budget necessities. In Wellington, he chopped the tail off Rowley’s Concerto, an item in the final night of the Music Festival, and so paved the way for the announcement by the Prime Minister and Minister of Broadcasting, during the following week, that in future, official statements on the war situation would be made regularly over the same complete network. Commercial and National station services are being co-ordinated, said Mr. Fraser, under the direction of the Publicity Department. This coverage gives the speakers 18 stations, not counting 5ZB or 2YB. Music By the Guards No fewer than ten popular items will be broadcast in a programme of band music from 3YA at 8 pm. on Monday, July 15. "Music by the Guards Bands" is the title of the pro-

gramme, which opens with the "Radio" Quick March, and covers just about everything conceivable from Romberg’s "Desert Song" to "Clonkerty Clonk," "Mother Machree," and "Softly Awakes My Heart." Miscellany Many of us have an inherent distrust of anthologies and miscellanies; the word "miscellany," for example, makes us think of little leather-bound volumes filled with the musings of middle-aged, unheard-of Victorian authoresses on Babyhood or Spring or Friendship or Something. However, "A Modern Music Miscellany," to be presented by Lionel Harris

and Dawn Hunt, pianist and soprano, at 8.34 p.m. on Monday, July 15, from 2YA, Wellington, looks to us to be "the goods," as they say. Works by Delius, Armstrong Gibbs, John Ireland, Michael Head, York Bowen and others of the better and brighter English melodymakers of the 20th Century are featured. At the Organ Whenever Dr. J. C. Bradshaw has a hand in matters musical in Christchurch, the result is attractive to music-lovers; and he has attracted not the least part of his many admirers with his organ recitals. One of these recitals will be given by him at 8.27 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, from 3YA, when the three composers represented will be ColeridgeTaylor, Bach and Widor. The first two names are familiar, but Widor may not be so well known to readers. He was a French organist and composer, born in Lyons, who died in 1937 at the ripe age of 92. With Schweitzer, he edited the complete organ works of Bach, and that fact should give this recital added interest-as old master and new are both represented. "Stuperbous" Comedy If you don’t agree with our choice of an adjective to describe W. Graeme Holder’s new serial, "Thaddeus Brown: Retired," now going on its merry. way every Friday night at 8.45 p.m. from 2YD, Wellington, you must take your grievance to the author himself; for when we asked him to tell us more about the show, he displayed disarming modesty, did not once use the word genius in connection with himself, and blushed when he mentioned that it might be called "stuperbous." If you’ve heard any of the serial yet, you'll probably agree with us that Mr. Holder hides his light under a bushel. This story of the retired schoolmaster, his wife Olive, and Mr. Queeks, the neighbour, is one of the brightest which 2YD has broadeast in many moons. Bushy-Headed, Uninhibited That, all you young so-and-so’s, as a careless Children’s Hour uncle once remarked, is not the genealogical description of a new type of herbivorous mammalian, but the adjectives one American has used to describe Percy Grainger. The writer, Edward Barry, went on to say: "Percy Grainger ... has made quaintness and a sort of off-hand gaiety his personal and musical trade-marks. He goes hatless and coatless, and was once arrested for appearing on the street in winter in white

duck pants. He is more likely to write ‘louden lots’ than ‘molto crescendo’ as a performing direction in his music." Listeners will enjoy the presentation of his famous "Shepherd’s Hey" in the 2YA evening programme for Tuesday, July 16. A New Gracie Fields A new star has arrived; on a record, it must be admitted, but she shines through the disc all the same. Beatrice McKay, featured in "The Naughty ’Nineties," a 2YA item at 8 p-m. on Thursday, July 18, is a new Gracie Fields, She is singing with the Elm Quartet and Ray Black and his Orchestra, introduced by a magnificent impresario as the "Wonderful Elm Quartet" and the "Magnificent Orchestra." By means of the Backtoscope, the NBS intends to take listeners back to a music hall in 1895. This undoubtedly marvellous machine, invented by a superannuated radio operator, and operated by the inventor, introduces listeners to the flourish and sentiment and slap-happy comedy of days when no Gracie would have dreamed of admitting (as she does now), that she wears red-flannel underwear. Unholy Night Listeners who find that "Silent Night, Holy Night" survives repetition and remains a favourite, will be interested in an item to be broadcast on Sunday, July 14, at 8.30 p.m. by 2YN, Nelson. Moussorgsky describes a very unholy night in his "Night on a Bare Mountain." This work is said to refer to Monte Carmo, in the Italian Alps, peculiar for its extremely barren slopes. Moussorgsky finds his theme in folk lore relating to St. John’s Eve, the night which tradition associates with evil works. He begins by introducing unearthly voices, then spirits of darkness appear, followed by the Evil Spirit himself. They revel until dawn, when the music ends on a theme of deep peace. "Cockaigne" With that love of the indirect and roundabout that seems always to persuade poets and musicians and artists to title their works with a name that is seldom more than a second cousin to the original inspiration, Elgar called his musical picture of London and Londoners "Cockaigne." There is nothing obscure, however, about his music. The overture might well have been written by a man who knew the city from a child, but Elgar was a Worcestershire man, and no Cockney, though his

conception of Cockney Town shows that he loved the city. The music is a complete picture of the people and places, the dignity and gaiety of London. It is to be broadcast by the BBC Symphony Orchestra through 1YA at 8.30 p.m. on Sunday, July 14. In the Five Towns They are hard in the Five Towns, shrewd, and quick to make a bargain or take advantage of a weakness. They are "cards" of the sort that Arnold Bennett loved to meet or imagine; but all the same, there is room among the pottery kilns for Cupid. In "Cupid and Commonsense," the Bennett play, which will be broadcast by 4YA at 9.15 p.m. on Sunday, July 14, Emily Boothroyd becomes 25

to find that she is worth £50,000. Her. father insists that she handle it herself, believing that a young woman should be able to manage her own affairs as well as any one else in Bursley; but Emily complicates the business by falling in love with her business partner. Although this is not a normal proceeding in the business life of the Five Towns, Bennett.manages a sentimental climax. Unfurl the Flag The other day, happening to tune in to Daventry, we heard J. B. Priestley, or some one who sounded very like him, giving a talk on wartime England; in it he made a plea for more bright flags to be unfurled, more bands to play, more colour to be put into the grimness and greyness, to keep our hearts up. He was probably right; and as far as music is concerned, there is no more vivid artist in the paintbox of melody and song than England’s Sir Edward Elgar. You will realise this if you tune in when his "Coronation March" is presented at 9.15 p.m. on Thursday, July 18, from 4YA, Dunedin,