Around The Nationals

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 123, 31 October 1941, Page 24

Around The Nationals

popular 2YD session Young Man With a Swing Band is to be heard from Station 1YX, Auckland as well. In the words of the compére, the session introduces "the young men who go to make to-day’s music." The emphasis, as the title indicates, is on swing, and among the bands which are heard from time to time are those of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Jimmy Lunceford, John Kirby, "Fats" Waller, Charlie Barnett, Henry James, Gene Krupa and many others. Each band receives a half-hour’s programme to itself. A Young Man With a Swing Band will be heard from 1YX at 9.30 p.m. every Wednesday. * %* Eg "PASTICCIO" is the Italian for pie or pastry, and when applied to music it usually means a medley, especially an operatic medley. A dear old lady in the West of England once was heard to refer to the contents of her upset work-basket as a "perfect beggar’s opera." This gets us back to 3YA, whence on Sunday evening will be heard a studio presentation of John Gay’s Beggar’s Opera, with the popular English actor and screen star. Michael Redgrave, playing the part of Captain Macheath. The Beggar’s Opera is virttually the sole specimen of its kindthe last flicker in English music between Purcell and the 19th century renaissance. But besides being a historical landmark, it is what not all landmarks arean enjoyable presentation, full of humour and. life, and with an edge of satire that can strike home still. _* % * EORGE FARWELL’S prize-winning play in the ABC contest last year, Portrait of a Gentleman, has already been recorded at 2YA, but is not yet scheduled for the programmes. The character of Thomas Wainewright, the infamous poisoner, whose authentic life story, or one might say, crime-story, provides the theme of the play, is played by Howard Wadman. Mr. Wadman, who comes from England, has not been long in New Zealand, but has already appeared with success in repertory circles. Opening in the pleasant country village of Turnham Green, near London, and closing in the convict settlement of Hobart, in Tasmania, then known as Van Dieman’s Land, Portrait of a Gentleman is a drama that should hold listeners’ interest throughout. a * * MUSIC-LOVERS will appreciate the Rimsky-Korsakov item from 4YA on Thursday evening (November 6), when the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Leopold Stokowski, will be heard playing the original detailed pro-gramme-music of the Scheherazade Symphonic Suite, which was written by Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888. This prolific Russian composer was born in Novgorod in 1844 and was brought up .in the country, where he absorbed its folk music. Later he spent some years at sea in the Russian Navy, and it was during this period that he composed. his first symphony. 1ROM Wednesday, November 5, the