THINGS TO COME

New Zealand Listener, Volume 6, Issue 141, 6 March 1942, Page 3

THINGS TO COME

A Run Through The Programmes

British music unearthed by Peter Warlock is a Concerto for strings by one Charles Avison, who is commonly referred to by music writers as the first English music critic of any consequence. Avison learned his art in Italy (some time between 1710 and 1770) and then went to Newcastle, to become organist in what is now the cathedral there. It was possibly because he was out of the way, and not connected with London’s musical life, that a great deal of his music-60 concertos, 18 sonatas--- became neglected. Warlock’s arrangement of one of Avison’s concertos for strings will be played by the ISBS strings (conducted by Andersen Tyrer) at 8.5 p.m. on Sunday, March 8. Noises Off Raising hell seems to be the thing to do at the Opera in Paris, you don't like what is being played. When one thinks of the number of near-riots there have been among Parisian audiencesover the operas of Gluck and Piccini (careful with that letter "i," printer) and Stravinsky’s "Rite of Spring" (when Nijinsky inimed, and a Countess turned her head saying "I have never been so insulted in my life")-then one realises it is a common thing. But Claude Debussy tried it the other way; he liked a piece of music so much, and he made his enthusiasm so noisily apparent, that he had to be ejected. It was A Bat buried treasures of

Eduard Lalo’s Suite "MNamouna," a ballet done on the basis of a poem by Alfred de Musset. On this occasion (1882) the general public was cold, but young musicians like Dukas and Debussy liked the music so much they learned the score by heart. Later the work was performed for a more sympathetic concert audience, and it gained the recognition which it has to this day. "Namouna" will be heard from 1YA at 9.36 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, Light on the Bush Those who, like ourselves, have been following the progress of The Listener serial with bated breath and each partitular hair standing on end like quills upon the fretful porcupine, will be relieved to learn that it is not always dark in the bush. Light will be shed on the subject for us by Rewa Glenn, who is preparing a new series of talks for the NBS on Bush Trekking. The first will be heard from 2YA next Tuesday. It should be pointed out, however, that the object of the talks is to make listeners famiiliar with New Zealand flora and not to prescribe a course of action for those unfortunate ‘enough to find a sui-

cide dangling from a convenient beech tree. For example, those who pay attention to Miss Glenn’s words will be able to appreciate that the individual in Fig. 1 above is attempting to infiltrate through a thicket of Rubus fruticosa, known also as blackberry (and by other names which it is not politic to mention at this juncture). In spite of farmers, fires, and floods, the bush is still by no means consumed and Miss Glenn should not want for native subjects. In fact we are sure that she will be most interesting, though for ourselves we must admit that we are allergic to lawyers (both animal and vegetable). Out of the Night ‘

The superficial observer, on looking at the illustration so thoughtfully provided by our artist, would conclude that it revealed Major F. H. Lampen for once at a loss for words. But those who know: our friend will know better. They will remember that the Major has served with the Forces in India; they will note that his head is neither bloody nor bowed. They will observe likewise how the eye peers through the portal of the head like the brass cannon, how the brow o’erwhelms it, etc. Here, in short, is no

loss of words, rather a summoning of spirits from the vasty deep of experience, a reculer pour mieux sauter and not a withdrawal. True, to handle the problem of the blackout successfully one must be not merely captain of one’s soul

but underwriter as well, but such a dual function is quite within the powers of an admirable Crichton like our gallant friend. To give a broadcast talk on blackouts, however, as he will do from 3YA on March 14, should test even Major Lampen’s power of self-control, and, though it will be a case of emotion recollected in tranquillity, we feel that it is not unconnected with another talk (from 2YA next Thursday), " Just Growing Older." "Trumpet That Sayeth Ha!" It is a sad commentary on human values that for every hundred who know of Don Juan of Spain, there can be scarcely a dozen who know anything at all about Don John of Austria. We must admit ourselves that we know little more of the last Crusader than is told in Chesterton’s stirring verses. Though he saved European Christendom-and broke the sea-power of the Saracens while the rest of Europe slept-his deeds are almost forgotten, while the amours of his Spanish namesake have been celebrated in opera, in drama, in poetry, and in prose. But it is doubtful if there is in it anywhere the same freshness, or the same vigour as in Chesterton’s rolling lines: Trumpet that sayeth Ha! Domino Gloria, Don John of Austria is shouting to the ships. Don John was a heroic figure and we would call him a romantic one, too, if romantic figures were not two-a-penny nowadays. More will be heard of him in the session Dust of the Ages from 2YD on Wednesday next. In Pursuit of the Fleet The race is not always to the swift, they say, but they couldn’t have meant to include the Fleet. You’ve only to consider the song hits about every nice girl loving a sailor, and she was Shore but she was honest, and the fact that naval engagements are embarked on suddenly and are seldom of long duration. Yes, taking all things into consideration, the Navy gets away with a lot. But there are some things that not even the Navy can get away from. There is a note of

grim determination in the title of Mrs. O. J. Gerard’s next talk, " Following the Fleet," which will be heard from 2YA at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 13. Why is she following the Fleet? Because every nice girl loves a sailor, or because she left her umbrella on board after the last flagship five-o’clocker. Perhaps she herself will Reveal All. Alimentary, My Dear Watson It gives us great pleasure to endorse the good advice which the A.C.E. will give'to 1YA and 3YA listeners on Thursday next and to 2YA listeners the next day, viz., "Don’t Neglect Meals," Indeed, it is doubtful if the association has ever struck closer to the root of the dietary problem. Whether we are or are not of the opinion that life consists of eating and drinking there are surely few who would deny that life depends on them. Forget not yet the sad fate of Mrs. Skinner: Here in a grave remote and quiet, Starved by a new " reducing diet," Lies foolish little Mrs. Skinner Who smiled to see herself grow thinner, And kindly Death, when she had gone, Reduced her to a skeleton. But while commending this talk by the A.C.E., we feel rather suspicious about "Meatless Meals,’ the subject of the talk from 4YA next Wednesday. All flesh is grass, we know, but at the same time (speaking as males) we wouldn’t like to trade our birthright of porterhouse for a mess of pottage. " Meatless Meals" looks to us suspiciously like the thin .end of the veg.