THINGS TO COME

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 76, 6 December 1940, Page 6

THINGS TO COME

A Run Through The Programmes

REGION in the Pacific A Islands that very seldom comes into the news will be the subject of a talk at 4YA on Friday, December 13, at 7.10 p.m., by the Rev. G. H. Eastman. This is the Gilbert Islands, which lie right on the Equator, north of Fiji, and touching the Japanese territory of the Carolines and the Marshalls. Mr. Eastman has been working in the Gilberts for the London Missionary Society for a good many years and therefore speaks with authority about the life there. His talk, which is called " Building Christian Civilisation in Britain’s Remotest Colony," was recorded by him on a recent visit to New Zealand. Vicious Practice Hiking is becoming so popular in New Zealand that very soon the roads will hardly be safe for motorists. But sport, like politics and swing music, breeds fanaticism, and there are as many people who hate hiking (consult song), as there are people who like it. Professor Greig who comes from Johannesburg, has definite views, as the title of his talk to be given from 2YA on Sunday afternoon

next, indicates. "The Vicious Practice of Hiking," Professor Greig calls it. A nice distinction between walking and hiking buttresses his case, and we look forward to hearing his views on the subject of athletic female hikers in short pants. Hester Siding It is difficult at this early stage (as the cables sometimes say about the progress of the war) to forecast exactly what effect the play "Hester Siding" will have on listeners. It has been broadcast before in New Zealand, and will be given an airing by 2YA at 9.37 p.m. on Monday, December 9. As the pro-

grammes announce, it is about the Australian back country, and has been produced by the NBS from an Austra-lian-prepared script. Apart from that, all we could tell listeners, if we felt like letting them into the secret, is what the play is about; and as for that, the obvious thing is to say it is about Hester Siding; which it obviously is. If listeners are still in the dark, let them examine Russell Clark’s drawing and then turn the dial at the proper time. Browsing Over Browning Forty or fifty years ago, nearly everybody with a literary bent was quoting Browning, and there were even Browning Societies, who took the poet (and themselves), very seriously. There is, indeed, a story about Browning that, when a correspondent asked him what was the meaning of a certain passage in one of his poems, he replied that he had really forgotten, but no doubt the secretary of the Browning Society could oblige. For some reason or other, the last war, and the disillusionment which followed, affected Browning’s reputation, and he was accused of being an incorrigible and unjustified optimist. People even quoted against him the famous "God’s in His Heaven, all’s right with the World," as if this was Browning’s own opinion and not a thought spoken by one of his characters in special circumstances. If you are interested in Browning, listen to a talk by C. R. Allen, the Dunedin poet and novelist, from 4YA, on Tuesday, December 10, at 7.10 p.m. Great Oratorio One of the greatest and certainly one of the most popular oratorios is "The Messiah," which must have been performed countless times since Handel wrote it nearly 200 years ago. The music

is truly grand, and it is reported that at its first public performance at Covent Garden in 1743, the whole assemblage, headed by King George II., rose to its feet at the first bars of the Hallelujah Chorus, and remained standing to the end, establishing a tradition that is often still observed. And Haydn, hearing the Hallelujah Chorus in Westminster Abbey, rose to his feet with the crowd, wept and exclaimed, "He is the master of us all." On Saturday, December 7, combined choirs of Auckland and Hamilton churches will sing "The Messiah" at the Baptist Tabernacle, and Station 1ZB will be on relay from 9.30 until 10.15 p.m. Apparently "The Messiah" will be popular radio fare this Christmas. Station 4YA relayed a performance by combined Dunedin and Oamaru choirs and orchestras this Wednesday, and on Saturday, December 14, Station 1YA will relay from the Auckland Town Hall a performance of "The Messiah" by the Choral Society, assisted by Heddle Nash. Pests and Pests In spite of some opinions to the contrary from the harassed parents of large families, the last thing the A.C.E. would like to suggest is that there might be a human element in the term " Household Pests." To our artist, therefore, goes a drawing-pin in the pants for continued irreverence in the face of serious matters. The truth

of the matter is that the A.C.E. has compiled a talk on household pests which will be broadcast by 1YA, 2YA and 3YA on Monday, December 9, at 3.30 p.m., 3 p.m., and 2.30 p.m. respectively. We have no doubt that flies will be discussed, silverfish, moths in the silver lining, and possibly even bed bugs. The small boy in the drawing really originated in the "Bringing Up the Small Child Series,’ and is most out of place in this connection, HowSVOT, Sc 3 Fiddle-Dee-Dee There are all sorts of fiddles. Little ones which produce a_s high-pitched squeak, big ones which emit a low boom and which may either be played with a bow, or if you are a member of a swing band, plucked, slapped, punched or kicked in the stomach. There are also, axiomatically, all sorts of fiddle-players, little ones . . . but perhaps we needn’t go any further into that. Point is, some enterprising member of 3ZB’s staff has

thought up a programme called "Fiddles Big and Little" which consists of recordings of fiddles of all sizes and shapes in all manner of combination and permutation. And it really is surprising what you can do if you really get down to it and think up some new way of presenting the fiddle. Station 3ZB’s new programme starts,on Tuesday, December 10, at 3.30 p.m., and will be heard once weekly at that time. " Romeo " from 2ZB It is sacrilege, scholarly lovers of Shakespeare aver, to tamper with a single line the master wrote, but the hoariest pedant has to admit that Shakespeare must be tampered with before he can be broadcast. And there can be no doubt that many of Shakespeare’s finest plays have been adapted for radio with remarkable success. "Romeo and Juliet" is one which lends itself particularly to broadcasting, and on Sunday, December 8, 2ZB will present a radio version during the station’s "Radio Matinee." The broadcast will be in the hands of Lane Patterson, a member of the announcing staff who has had experience of Shakespearian acting, and Una Weller. Gounod’s music wiil be used as a background. Miss Weller’s dramatic experience, incidentally, includes the playing of lead in the New Zealand Centennial film.