LOOK BEFORE YOU LISTEN

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 85, 7 February 1941, Page 11

LOOK BEFORE YOU LISTEN

A Run Through The Records

By

B.

W.

£12,000 Birthday Gift WHEN Yehudi Menuhin was a boy, he had no greater admirers than the Wall Street banker, Henry Goldman, and Mrs. Goldman. On Yehudi’s twelfth birthday they gave him his choice of a collection of rare violins. One of the instruments selected was a Strad. violin, dated 1733, with an inscription indicating that it had been made in Stradivarius’ ninetieth year, Although Yehudi tried some of the finest. fiddles in America, and that means in the world, he came back again to the Strad. Mr. and Mrs. Goldman then formally handed over the lovely instrument which cost them £12,000. On Wednesday, February 12, listeners to 3YA will hear Yehudi Menuhin, violinist. Mother’s Day A GOOD story is told of Sir Henry Wood and an American prima donna who came over to sing under his baton. At the rehearsal, she produced her own band parts of an aria by Rossini. The parts were so cut about as to be almost undecipherable. Sir Henry called a halt: "I. am very sorry," he said, "but these parts are impossible to read." "Why, I’ve sung this aria all over America!" cried the indignant lady. The situation, already delicate, was complicated by the intervention of the singer’s mother, who stalked on to the platform to give her views on the matter. "I am very sorry," said Sir Henry, "but I do not conduct mothers!" Mamma was escorted from the platform. On Friday, February 14, Sir Henry Wood conducts the Queen’s Hall Orchestra in 3YA’s programme.

Lord Elton’s Secret HE chief feature of Lord Elton’s talks is the fact that young and old are equally enthusiastic about them. Some. time ago, Lord Elton explained why. He said that from the first, he found himself reverting to more or less trivial occurrences, or the memories of the past to which they were apt to give rise. More and more he found that the letters which began to reach him from all kinds of listeners were themselves shepherding him into those channels. And he was surprised to find that, for some altogether inexplicable reason, it was possible to speak more intimately of those highly personal trivialities to the unseen audience behind the microphone than it would have been to even a_ familiar friend visible on the other side of the fireplace. 4YA listeners will hear a talk on "Guy Fawkes’ Day" by Lord Elton, on Wednesday, February 12. Veteran Recorder HE famous instrumentalist and conductor, Debroy Somers, was actually born within sight and sound of a British military band. At the early age of three, he spent all his time in the band room where the instruments were kept-and he tried most of them. When he was four, the band paraded for a march, and young Somers was under the big drum, and only discovered and hauled out after the band had gone quite a long way, But in the end, he got his way, The day came when he was able to join a small band that recorded for Bulldog records. This unit made three dozen records at seven shillings and sixpence each, the leader sharing the proceeds among the members of the orchestra, As at this time, Somers played not only the piano, but the xlyophone, oboe, and various other instruments, he certainly earned his share! 1YA listeners will hear Debroy Somers Band on Monday, February 10.