THINGS TO COME

New Zealand Listener, Volume 11, Issue 285, 8 December 1944, Page 6

THINGS TO COME

A Run Through The Programmes

MONDAY |F you have already looked at the 2YA programmes in this issue, you may have spotted something that 2YA’s regular afternoon listeners have known for some time past-the plan on which the Classical Hours are now operated. For instance on Mondays, the feature is a "Famous Classical Overture" (On December 11, Beethoven’s third "Leonora" overture). On Tuesdays, the current feature is "Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas," a series still in its early stages. Haydn’s String quartets are being heard on Wednesdays, and then on the Thursday and Friday of each week, one composer is featured. As The Listener now has room for these details, they may be seen in the programme pages. Also worth notice: 2YA, 8.0 p.m.: Cesar Franck Piano Quintet (Studio). 4YA, 8.30 p.m.: Bach Four-piano Concerto (Relay). TUESDAY HE many listeners who followed a series of 12 recitals called "Violin Music and its Background" done from 3YA by Maurice Clare will be glad to know that on Tuesday, December 12, he will begin the same series from 2YA. It will be the same in so far as the original script will be used, but the musical examples will be mostly new. The talks will be given each Tuesday and Friday, at 8.0 p.m. Frederick Page, who accompanied Mr. Clare at 3YA, will again be at the piano. Also worth: notice: 1YX, 8.12 pm: "Paris" Symphony (Mozart). 4YO, 9.0 p.m.: Quintet in F (Bruckner). WEDNESDAY HERE will be a new serial for Dunedin listeners to the "For My Lady" session as front next week. At 11.0 a.m. on Wednesday, December 13, 4YA will present the first instalment of The Circus Comes to Town. This is the serial which 2YD listeners recently followed with great enthusiasm. It follows the adventures of an English circus proprietor, Dan Ward, who is persuaded to take into partnership an American mil- | lionaire, and to admit all kinds of spéctacular new acts into his circus. There is some sort of mystery surrounding each one of the new acts and several murders are committed before Dan Ward’s brother, who is a Scotland Yard detective, comes to spend his holiday with the circus. Also worth notice: 2¥C, 9.0 p.m: Violin Concerto No. 3 (Mozart). 4YO, 8.0 p.m.: Music by Mozart (Toscanini). THURSDAY WE do not know, as we write, what well-known theme it is that forms the bass of the Passacaglia to be heard from 4YA at 8.0 p.m. on Thursday, December 14, any more than we know what well-known theme it was that Elgar had in mind when he wrote his "Enigma" Variations. But perhaps the listener, who may expect to know the tune when he hears it, would rather we told him (a) what a passacaglia is anyway; and (b) who is Gordon Jacob? To (a) the answer is that a passacaglia is a composition with one tune being repeated throughout in the bass-a piece

written on a ground bass. And to (b) the answer is that Gordon Jacob is professor of composition, orchestration, and conducting at the Royal College of Music, London. ‘Or perhaps it would mean more to some listeners if we mentioned that he did the _ orchestral arrangements for a good many of Tommy Handley’s "Itma’" programmes. Also worth notice: 2YA, 9.55 p.m.: "Carmen" Fantasy (Busoni), 2YC, 8.31 p.m.: Quartet in D Minor (Sibelius). : FRIDAY WE remember memorising the date 1849 along with "the °45," 1215, 1815, 1066 and the rest, but when we were confronted the other day with a programme-title, "Songs of 1849," it was some time before we sorted out the significance of this date from our dim recollections of school history lessons. However, when we discovered that "Clementine" was one of the songs in the programme, it all came back in a flash: "Was a miner, fortyniner, had a daughter, Clementine," etc. Of course, it was the year of the California goldrush. "Songs of 1849" will be heard from 2YC at 8.45 p.m. on Friday, December 15. Also worth notice: 1YA, 9.25 p.m.: "New World" Symphony (Dvorak). 3YA, 7.30 p.m.: Old French Airs, SATURDAY OW that we are in December again, and the children are busy about examinations, and some of us are gathering strength for the frantic business of arranging the holiday bookings, the musical world is all in a buzz too-for

hundreds of choir-members it means that copies of Handel’s Messiah are being thumbed and dog-eared again, and for a handful of soloists it is a case of dashing from one end of the country to the other and back to fit in engagements to sing the solos in the noblest of all oratorios. This week it was Dunedin and Christchurch, who had their Messiah performances relayed by 3YL and 4YO. Next week on Saturday evening it will be Auckland and Wellington. Station 1YA will broadcast excerpts only (by the Auckland Choral Society) at 8.0 p.m. and 2YC will relay the Wellington Choral Union’s performance, starting at the same time. Also worth notice: 2YA, 11.0 a.m.: "Our Botanical Explorers" (Talk). 3YL, 8.0 p.m.: "Merrie England’ (Relay). SUNDAY HE man on the land won’t be harvesting very much this side of Christmas, but if he cares to tune in to station 3YA next week, he will be able to get in the mood for the job ahead, and pick up a few pieces of useful advice too. Or perhaps "Hints and tips on harvesting," the talk to be given by H. P. Schapper at 7.15 p.m. on Thursday, December 14, is not really for the man on the land so much as for the man who is going to leave the city or the army to go on a farm for the harvest period. We can think of one hint for the man who will be stooking: "However hot it is, don’t shed all your clothes; stooks sometimes contain thistles." But for the man who doesn’t need practical advice so much as spiritual encouragement, perhaps 3YA’s Sunday afternoon programme will be better hearing-"Songs of the Harvest" will be heard at 4.35 p.m. on Sunday, December 17. Also worth notice: _ 2YA, 8.9 p.m.: Trio in G, K.564 (Mozart). 3YA, 9.22 p.m.: "The Moon is Down" (Play).