"U.S.A. Programmes"

New Zealand Listener, Volume 11, Issue 273, 15 September 1944, Page 15

"U.S.A. Programmes"

FEW weeks ago a correspondent from Palmerston North appealed to the United States (through our correspondence columns) to "give us some art," instead of "Pistol Packin’ Momma" and "certain other shows with superimposed applause." The correspondent possibly had not listened to enough of those features which appear in our printed programmes with the footnote "U.S.A. programme." When the footnote "U.S.A. Programme" — appears, it means that the feature referred to was produced by either the Special Service Division of: the U.S. War Department or by the U.S. Office of War Information. In the corner of the NBS head office where these recordings are handled as they arrive from America, they are known as "S.S.D." or "O.W.I." as the case may be. "Popular" §$.S.D. programmes are gradually disappearing from all the National stations except 2YA and 1YA. They were not made for foreign civilian consumption. They were made, as anyone knows who has heard them, "for you fighting men of the United Nations," but primarily for U.S. servicemen abroad. As the Americans in Auckland now have their own station (1ZM), these programmes are disappearing from southern NBS stations, and when (continued on next page)

ALL ABOUT AMERICA (continued from previous page) those series now running are completed, 1ZM and 2YA will be the only stations in New Zealand broadcasting "popular" S.S.D, programmes. S.S.D. programmes of classical and light classical music, however, will still be heard, Here is a list showing nine different S.S.D. series of this class that have been heard in New Zealand. The figures in parentheses are the numbers of separate programmes, or instalments, in each series. Andre Kostelanetz’s Orchestra (30), presented from two stations. Boston Symphony Orchestra (24), three Stations. Z ‘ Boston "Pops" Orchestra (10) five stations. "Great Music’ (61) three stations. John Charles Thomas (21), three stations, "Music from America" (featuring famous artists) (16), two stations. "Music We Love," featuring famous artists (25), one station. "Telephone Hour," featuring famous artists (17), fcur stations. This is not a complete list of S.S.D. programmes; it is a list of those S.S.D. programmes that may still be heard. The "popular" types of S.S.D. programmes will eventually become exclusive to 1ZM, where they will continue to be broadcast for the entertainment of U.S. servicemen. So much for the programmes of the Special Service Division. The programmes which America prepares specifically for such listeners as our correspondent come from another source-the U.S. Office of War Information.

These O.W.I. programmes are (like most of the S.S.D. programmes) recordings of broadcast performances, and listeners are familiar with the broad accent in which the announcements are made, with the sound of genuine, not "superimposed" applause, and other realistic touches, such as members of the audience coughing at crucial moments in soft passages, Realism went so far in one case that a performance of Beethoven’s Eighth Symphony, conducted by Toscanini, had to be cut short near the end with an apology to the American radio audience, but New Zealand listeners will not be hearing this recording! The smaller number of O.W.I. setsthere are only four in use here-gives no indication of their total bulk, The set known as "Symphony Orchestras" includés 90 programmes so far, each at least an hour in duration. Most S.S.D. programmes are much shorter. The other three sets (with the number of programmes so far received given in _ parentheses) are "Contemporary American Music" (9) "Music of the Concert Hali and Opera" (25), and "Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir" (35). This last series is now being heard from 3ZR, Greymouth. It presents sacred music, choral works and organ pieces. Of these four O.W.I. sets, the most important to music lovers is the "Symphony Orchestras" set, which has been distributed over 1YA, 2YC and 4YO.

Some of the more outstanding programmes in it have been put on 2YA, too. It has also given New Zealand listeners a chance they would not have had but for the war to hear American performances of various modern compositions with a narrow appeal. Notable instances in this field have been Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony in C (written since the war began), E. J. Moeran’s Symphony No. 1 (written in 1938), Bela Bartok’s Violin Concerto (1938), and’ recent works by Bloch, Hindemith and other contemporary composers. American composers such as George Antheil, Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland have also been represented in this series, as well as Gustav Mahler’s "Song of the Earth," an older tut unfamiliar work. Another series, "Contemporary American Music," introduced works by Roy Harris, Menotti, Chasins, Morton Gould and William Schuman for the first time.