Around The Nationals

New Zealand Listener, Volume 6, Issue 148, 24 April 1942, Page 20

Around The Nationals

HAT is said to be the first per\X/ formance in New Zealand of Thiman’s "Variations on a Theme of Elgar" will be given from 2YA on Sunday, April 26, in the Studio Concert programme at 8.5 p.m. Eric Harding Thiman’s musical education was sandwiched between doses of ordinary schooling. At 10 he was sent to Trinity College of Music, London, for two years, after which he went to Caterham School. This was followed by another period of musical training at the Guildhall School of Music, and in 1922 he completed the circle by returning to Trinity College, where he studied with the late Dr. C. W. Pearce for his Mus.Bac and doctor’s degree. Under Dr. Davan Welton, at Guildhall, he took his F.R.C.O. * * * INCE the You Asked For It session on Saturday nights was begun again, Station 2YD has been deluged with request programmes. This is a most gratifying response, but as it will take a good many weeks to deal with all these programmes, mo more can be accepted for the time being. * * * RS FAITH MATHEW, whose photograph appears on this page, is giving a series of talks from 4YZ on "Palestine As I Knew It." The next will be heard on Wednesday, April 29, at 7.30 p.m. The Palestine of Turkish Rule was superficially different from the Palestine of to-day. No cars, few roads, only one railway, and that somewhat unreliable, no gas or electricity, made travel adventurous and varied, and every day life full of incident. But in essentials, Palestine is still the same, so these talks should be of interest to all, especially to those with relatives serving with the Forces in the Middle East. ok a * GOLDMARK’S "Sakuntala" Overture, : which is in the nature of a symphonic poem, is found on an old Eastern legend. Duschjanta, the great king, falls in love with the maid Sakuntala, whom he meets while hunting in a sacred grove. She loses her ring, and the king is enchanted by evil spirits, forgets, and disowns her. After much unhappiness, a fisherman finds the ring and restores it to the king, who at once remembers Sakuntala, and makes war on the evil spirits and rescues the girl. The tale comes from a Sanscrit drama more than two thousand years old. The themes in this work show that the eastern subject appealed strongly to the Jewish side of Goldmark’s nature. This overture may be heard from 4YA on Saturday, May 2, dt 7.30 p.m. * * * SINCE L. M. Saunders, the speaker. "~ originally scheduled to give a series of Winter Course talks from 1YA on The Making of Music, will not be able to carry out the broadcasts, his place is being taken by H. C. Luscombe, B.A., Mus, Bac. Mr. Luscombe will give the first of his talks, which will be illustrated, on Thursday, April 30, at 97.35 p.m.