Around The Nationals

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 83, 24 January 1941, Page 24

Around The Nationals

OW many English people throughout the world are turning to a re-read-ing of the noble passages of English history? Leslie Howard, speaking from the BBC the other day, remarked that he was reading Shakespeare and Macaulay, and many other great patriots of the past, and from them drew strength for day-to-day life under the blitzkrieg. Now from 2YA Byron Brown, the well-known elocutionist, is to speak on "England Speaks Through Shakespeare" on January 31, at 8.15 p.m. This is one of the series for that period on Fridays between 8 and 8.30 p.m. which is devoted to items of literary interest. BS * Bo As 2YA is the highest powered station in New Zealand, the final Noel Coward Celebrity Patriotic Concert (which is to be broadcast from 2YA on Thursday night next) will probably have the widest circle of listeners of all his concerts. Apart from Noel Coward’s own personal style of entertainment, the programmes have given great pleasure to music lovers, ‘and the fine team of artists, Mary Pratt, Heddle Nash, Andersen Tyrer and the NBS String Orchestra, will be making their final @ppearance together. The programme will be re-broadcast by 2YH, Napier. * * x OVERS of band music are well catered for this week with band progtammes from all national stations. Probably the most interesting will be the "Hands Across the Sea" session of band music from Great Britain and the United States to be heard from 2YA on January 26, at 9.27 p.m. In addition to bands such as the American Legion Band of Hollywood and the United States Navy Band, the Yale University Band will play American College Songs. The British bands in that programme are the Welsh Guards, Munn and Felton’s Works, and the Grenadier Guards. Another 2YA programme is 30 minutes "For the Bandsmen" on January 31, with items by the Grand Massed Brass Bands as well .as by the Irish Guards and Welsh Guards. From 1YA there is a session of " Music by British Bands" on January 30, and from 3YA the Woolston Brass Band will give a studio recital on January 27. Another band programme will be heard from 4YA on January 28, 7.30 p.m., the bands including the BBC Military Band, the Royal Artillery Band, the Royal Netherlands Band and the band of famous Guards regiments. % %*% Bo I ‘HE Gilbert and Sullivan Company now touring New Zealand should find audiences better educated then ever before to Gilbert and Sullivan. Practically ever since the last Gilbert and Sullivan company toured New Zealand, the NBS have given listeners at least an hour a week of Savoy operas from one station or another. One week it may be 3YA, the next 1ZM, followed by 4YZ and so on. Occasionally it may be consolidated into two hours once a fortnight, but the lilting music of Sullivan, as presented by the D’OyleyCarte Company, is regularly heard and enjoyed afresh somewhere in the Dominion, snag TY tO *